Low-Calorie Smoky Ribs in a Peach BBQ Sauce Recipe

Pitmasters can spend 10 hours feeding their smokers to sweat out a few racks of ribs. We admire the dedication, but when it comes to home cooking, there's an easier way to make amazing ribs. It starts in the oven, where spice-rubbed ribs are slow-roasted until tender. From there they go to the grill for a concentrated blast of hickory smoke. Finish with a barbecue sauce spiked with bourbon and peach, and you have a ribs recipe any barbecue baron could respect.

Nutrition: 410 calories, 31 g fat (11 g saturated), 460 mg sodium

Serves 6 to 8

You'll Need

2 medium racks baby back ribs
1⁄2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste
1⁄2 cup classic barbecue sauce or favorite barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp bourbon (optional)
1 very ripe peach, peeled and pitted
2 cups hickory chips, soaked in water for 30 minutes

How to Make It

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Rub the top sides of the ribs with the chili powder and brown sugar and season with salt and black pepper.
2. Place the racks on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake for 90 minutes, until the meat is tender but not falling completely off the bone.
3. While the ribs cook, combine the barbecue sauce, bourbon (if using), and peach in a food processor or blender and puree.
4. Preheat a grill over medium heat.
5. Place the chips in a wood-chip box (or in a foil packet—see "Kitchen MacGyver" tip below) and place the box below the grill grate, directly over the flame. (If using charcoal, sprinkle the chips directly over the fire.)
6. Place the ribs on the grill, close the lid, and allow the meat to absorb the smoke for 15 to 20 minutes. Paint the ribs with a generous amount of the barbecue sauce. Close the lid and continue cooking for another 15 minutes, until the sauce caramelizes on the ribs.
7. Remove the ribs and brush once more with the sauce before serving.

Eat This Tip

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A full-blown smoker is out of the question for most people, but that doesn't mean you can't achieve the smoky effect with your current setup. A wood-chip box holds the chips directly above a gas or charcoal fire as the heat releases their aroma. Failing that, you can make a wood-chip packet with a large piece of aluminum foil—just be sure to poke holes in it so that the smoke can escape. In either case, soak the wood chips before adding to the fire; damp chips will smoke more than dry ones.

This recipe (and hundreds more!) came from one of our Cook This, Not That! books. For more easy cooking ideas, you can also buy the book!