Five little ingredients. That’s all it takes to make a crave-worthy barbecue sauce that gets lacquered onto tender baby back ribs. The flavor of the glaze is thanks in large part to the natural sweetness and tang of frozen raspberries in combination with the smokiness of chipotle chiles.
When it comes to the “Big Game,” the subject of what to eat at halftime can feel just as pressing as what goes on at the 50-yard line. Few game-day foods elicit more passion and debate than barbecue. Enthusiastic home cooks spend weeks working on their spice rub, days priming the smoker, and hours basting their brisket. That’s all well and good if cooking food low and slow is your fancy, but for busy families, it’s hardly necessary for a spread worthy for the big game.
The Magic of the Glaze
Take these Chipotle Raspberry-Glazed Ribs as a perfect example. The recipe is simple, but the result is a lip-smacking pile of ribs that will make you want to double dip at the buffet. First off, the glaze: it’s just five little ingredients. Even better is the fact that it’s naturally sweet, with none of the corn syrup or artificial ingredients you might find in a store-bought sauce. The simplicity of the glaze owes in large part to the chemistry of pairing raspberries with chipotle chiles en adobo. The frozen raspberries deliver a wallop of flavor (not to mention vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants), while the chipotles lend smokiness that is essential for any good barbecue.
The Speed of the Instant Pot
Part two of the magic in this recipe is cooking the ribs in an Instant Pot rather than the more traditional grill or smoker. The result of using an electric pressure cooker like the Instant Pot is that it can transform a rack of ribs into fork-tender succulence in 30 minutes, flat. When the ribs are done, you pull them from the pot and reduce the liquid into an umami-esque glaze that gets lacquered onto the ribs and set under a broiler until bubbly and brown.
Perfect Sides
Once your ribs are underway, the next question becomes what to serve alongside them. There’s no doubt that barbecue is decadent, so it’s smart to bring some balance to the buffet in the form of a crunchy slaw or salad. This Festive Kale makes a perfect counterpoint, as does this Red Cabbage Raspberry Slaw. As for dessert? A game-ending touchdown by your favorite team would do nicely, but these Raspberry Chia Almond Butter Cups would make a winning finish as well.
Instant Pot Chipotle Raspberry-Glazed Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 ½ pounds baby back ribs or thereabouts
- 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 chipotle chili en adobo
- 1 ⅓ cup frozen raspberries
- ¼ cup honey
- ¾ cup apple cider
Instructions
- Cut the racks of ribs into sections that are 2 ribs each. Scatter with 1 teaspoon of the salt.
- Use a chef’s knife to mince the chipotle chili into a puree.
- Put the raspberries in a large glass or ceramic bowl and microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes to defrost. Whisk in the honey, apple cider, and 2 teaspoons of the pureed chipotle. Put the ribs into the bowl and toss to coat.
- Arrange the ribs standing up on their sides along the interior edge of the Instant Pot, working your way towards the center in a concentric circle. Pour the glaze remaining in the bowl over the ribs. Secure the lid to the Instant Pot and close the vent.
- Set the Instant Pot to “Manual’ for 30 minutes. When it’s done, allow it to release naturally for 15 minutes. Release the vent, open the lid, and transfer the ribs, flesh-side-up, to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
- Turn the Instant Pot to “Saute” to reduce the glaze until it is the consistency of gravy, 15 minutes or so. Keep an eye on it, stirring occasionally, so the glaze doesn’t burn. If you like your ribs on the spicy side, add another ½ teaspoon or more of minced chipotles to the glaze. Pour the glaze into a small bowl and use a spoon to skim the fat off the top.
- Set the oven rack to the highest level and turn it to broil. Brush the Chipotle Raspberry Glaze generously over the tops and sides of the ribs. Broil until the glaze bubbles and browns a bit.
