Sweet-Sour Barbecued Ribs

These charcoal-grilled back ribs get coated in a sweet-sour sauce built from honey, ketchup, Worcestershire, and fresh lemon juice. The sauce cooks down for 10 minutes before it ever touches the meat, concentrating the flavors into a thick, sticky glaze.

The method here is smart: grill the ribs plain for a full hour first, then brush on the sauce for the final stretch. Putting sugar-heavy sauce on raw ribs from the start is a guaranteed way to get charred, burnt-tasting sauce before the meat is even close to done. Letting the ribs cook through first means the sauce goes on when it can caramelize without burning.

The honey and ketchup bring the sweet side while lemon juice and Worcestershire handle the sour. It’s a simple balance that doesn’t try to overcomplicate things with a dozen spices.

Pro Tips

• Keep the coals at medium-hot, not blazing. Low and steady heat renders the fat from the ribs and keeps them tender. Too hot and you’ll get tough, chewy meat with a nice-looking exterior.
• Turn the ribs occasionally during the first hour. Even heat exposure prevents hot spots from drying out one side.
• Reserve some sauce for serving. Once a brush has touched raw meat, that sauce is done. Set aside a portion before you start basting.
• The ribs are done when the meat pulls back from the bone tips and tears easily with a twist.

Variations

• Spicy version: Add a tablespoon of sriracha or cayenne pepper to the sauce for a sweet-sour-hot triple threat.
• Oven backup: If weather kills your grill plans, bake the ribs covered at 300°F (150°C) for 2 hours, then broil with sauce for the last 10 minutes.