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Sliced barbecue ribs drizzled with sauce on a dark plate, served with a side of sautéed greens.

Smoked Kansas City Pork Ribs with Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce and Rainbow Chard

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Dry-rubbed pork ribs smoked slow on the Traeger until bark sets and meat yields from the bone. Sauce served on the side: honey bourbon BBQ, sticky-sweet with vinegar and oak warmth. Rainbow chard, sautéed with garlic and chili, balances with bright green bite.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 26 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 11 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Meat
Cuisine: American, BBQ
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ribs
  • 1 rack Kansas City–style pork ribs
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoon Traeger Anything Rub
  • 120 g apple juice
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce
  • 240 g tomato ketchup
  • 90 g honey
  • 50 g brown sugar
  • 60 g bourbon
  • 60 g apple cider vinegar
  • 15 g Worcestershire sauce
  • 15 g yellow mustard
  • 5 g garlic powder
  • 5 g onion powder
  • 5 g smoked paprika
  • 2 g black pepper
  • 1 g cayenne pepper
  • sea salt to taste
Rainbow Chard
  • 1 bunch rainbow chard
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • sea salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • Traeger pellet smoker (or comparable smoker)
  • Tongs
  • Large sauté pan
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Saucepan
  • Sheet pan and wire rack
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp chef’s knife

Method
 

Smoke the Ribs
  1. Pat ribs dry and remove membrane from the back of the rack.
  2. Salt the ribs the night before and refrigerate uncovered on a rack. The next day, rub them evenly with Traeger Anything Rub and let them rest 30 minutes while the smoker preheats.
  3. Preheat Traeger smoker to 225°F (107°C).
  4. Place ribs bone-side down. Smoke for 3 hours, spritzing lightly with apple juice every 45 minutes.
  5. After 3 hours, wrap ribs tightly in foil with butter. Return to smoker for 1½–2 hours, until internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C).
  6. Rest wrapped ribs 15 minutes before slicing.
Make the Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce
  1. In a saucepan, combine ketchup, honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard.
  2. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne, and sea salt.
  3. Add bourbon. Simmer over low heat 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and glossy. Adjust balance of sweet, tang, and spice to taste. Taste it as you go. If you feel astringency at the back of your throat, the alcohol hasn't cooked off yet. Keep going until it turns round and caramel.
  4. Keep warm for serving in a bowl or pitcher.
Cook the Chard
  1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and chili flakes; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Add chopped stems; sauté 2 minutes.
  3. Add leaves, season with salt and pepper, and cook until just wilted, 3–4 minutes.
  4. Finish with a splash of sherry vinegar. Toss to coat.

Notes

For seasoning, I always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton, use half.
Storage: cover and refrigerate the ribs for up to 4 days. Reheat wrapped in foil in a 300°F oven until warmed through; the BBQ sauce keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

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