Grilled Ribs with Tropical Basting Sauce

This post, Grilled Ribs With Tropical Basting Sauce, was compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

My husband and I recently returned from a two-week vacation on a tropical island. We’re both major foodies, so we always have fun exploring local island food.

Tropical flavors are favorites, and my basting sauce infuses those island flavors when I serve Grilled Ribs with Tropical Basting Sauce.

If I close my eyes real tight, I can almost imagine myself back on the number one beach in the world. To get us all in a tropical mood, here’s a photo from my recent vacation.

Ribs are Easy to Grill!

Here in the south, we grill year-round, and grilled ribs are often on my weekly menu. Contrary to popular belief, ribs are not hard to grill at all. Actually, it’s pretty hard to mess up grilled ribs.

Ingredients You’ll Need To Make These Grilled Ribs (full printable recipe card down below!)

Grilled Ribs with Tropical Basting Sauce

Smithfield® ribs are my secret weapon when it comes to grilling because they’re hand-trimmed, extra tender, and juicy. In other words, Smithfield® will make you look good while you’re impressing your friends and family with your grilling skills, even if you’re a novice.

Helpful Hint: You can see how easy it is to get the charcoal grill going by clicking Easy Grilled Ribs & Secret Dry Rub Recipe.

While you’re waiting for the charcoal to turn gray, make my quick and easy tropical rub with brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Massage the rub into the ribs and grill the ribs on medium-low heat for 2 – 1/2 hours. 

Note: Ribs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 190-200. All grills cook differently so you may need to cook your ribs a little longer. 

I suggest buying an instant-read thermometer like this one. 

When the Grilled Ribs are Almost Done . . .

While the ribs are cooking, I put together my tropical basting sauce. Y’all, I came up with this recipe while staring into the fridge. My family is wild about this sauce.

Combine pineapple preserves, lime juice, ginger, and brown sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bring all the ingredients to a boil on medium-high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Baste With the Tropical Sauce

During the last 30 minutes of grilling, mop the ribs with the tropical basting sauce. Be sure and wait until the ribs are almost done before basting them. Then baste again right before removing the ribs from the grill.

If you don’t have a grilling mop, spoon the basting sauce onto the ribs and spread the sauce around.

Use the Grill To Cook Your Entire Dinner

When I’m grilling ribs, I usually go ahead and cook the entire meal on the grill.  Grilled vegetable skewers, grilled bread, and grilled pineapple with chocolate sauce go perfectly with my grilled ribs with tropical basting sauce.

How to Grill Pineapple

Grilled Pineapple with Chocolate Sauce is the perfect dessert. It’s light, fresh and so good! 

Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Grilled Pineapple:

• 1 Pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 Inch slices. 

Grill the pineapple slices over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes per side or until slightly browned and you see grill marks. Serve with store-bought chocolate sauce. 

Continue to Content

Yield: 2-3 servings

Grilled Ribs with Tropical Rub and Basting Sauce

Print

These grilled ribs have a delicious tropical flavor.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 3 seconds

Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes 3 seconds

Ingredients

• 1 rack Smithfield Extra Tender Back Ribs

Dry Rub

• 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Basting Sauce

• 1 cup pineapple preserves
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger

Instructions

1. Mix all the dry rub ingredients together. Massage into the rack of ribs before grilling. Grill ribs for two hours, baste with the tropical basting sauce, and grill for 30 more minutes or until the internal temperature of the ribs are between 190-200º F.
2. To make the tropical basting sauce: Combine all of the basting sauce ingredients. In a small saucepan, bring the sauce to a boil on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Information

Yield

3

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 183Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 18mgSodium 1174mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 1gSugar 20gProtein 6g

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I’ve learned so many tips and tricks about grilling while watching celebrity grill pros Moe Cason and Tuffy Stone. I’m thrilled that they have partnered with Smithfield® for the last two years and are brand ambassadors for the Hog Wild Throwdown.

Don’t be intimidated by the grill. With tender, juicy Smithfield® Ribs and my tropical basting sauce, you’ll have a tropical party in your mouth – no island needed. Have you ever grilled ribs?

If you love to grill, you’ll love more of my grilling recipes. (Click on the links below)

Cherry Apple Glazed Grilled Ribs

Peach Chipotle Grilled Ribs

Ginger & Sweet Tea Grilled Ribs

Ginger Lime Grilled Ribs

Blackberry Glazed Grilled Ribs