A Rib Recipe That Stops You in Your Tracks
Every once in a while, a dish comes along that not only makes your mouth water but makes you sit up and take notice. That looks cool. That sounds cool. That tastes cool with off-the-charts flavor.
Such a dish is my cousin, David Raichlen’s, chocolate chipotle ribs.
You’ve seen them in my books. You’ve watched me make them on television. Now I’m about to reveal the secret of these wacky, mucho delicioso baby backs.
Chocolate and Chiles: An Unexpected Pairing
First, the wack. Who on earth would think to combine chocolate and chiles?
Well, how about the ancient Aztecs, who mixed cocoa beans with chili peppers to make an electrifying pre-Colombian version of hot chocolate? The Emperor Montezuma was said to drain 50 cups a day.
Or the great cooks of Oaxaca, for whom chocolate and chiles are defining ingredients in their mole poblano—the complex soulful sauce served with turkey, pork and more.
A Family BBQ Legend
So who would think to combine chocolate and chilies with ribs? That would the other barbecuing Raichlen–Dr. David Raichlen—Cousin Dave for short.
Dave helped put himself through college cooking barbecue parties for his fellow students. Today, he’s a professor of anthropology at University of Southern California.
His chocolate chipotle baby backs are legendary in our family, not to mention the greater barbecue community. Honey makes them sweet, chipotles make them fiery, while cocoa powder adds a pleasing chocolaty bitterness that makes these unlike any ribs you’ve tasted.
But don’t take my word for it. Just ask Cousin Dave.
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