On a black stone plate, two glossy, deep-red ribs rest on a bed of vibrant green cilantro lime coleslaw, glistening with the sticky fig-infused BBQ sauce. A side of grilled figs cut in halves, with dark grill marks on them, sit on the edge of the plate, the vibrant inner flesh contrasts with the charred outer layer. A sprinkling of vibrant pink pickled red onions is scattered across the entire dish, providing a pop of color.

Smoky Mexican Fig BBQ Ribs

Name: Smoky Mexican Fig BBQ Ribs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 Fresh Figs halved; 2 racks (about 1.5 pounds each) Baby Back Ribs; 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce; 2 tbsp Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce finely chopped; 1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar; 1/2 cup Honey; 1 small Red Onion; 1 small Green Cabbage; 1 Lime juiced; 1 small bunch Cilantro; 1/2 cup Mayonnaise; to taste Salt and Pepper; as needed Cooking Oil

A smoky, sweet and spicy barbecue feast

Category BBQ

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 60 minutes

Style Mexican

Technique Grilling

Diet Friendly Gluten-Free

Daily recipe · August 14, 2024

A little about this dish

This unique dish fuses the rich and smoky flavors of traditional barbecue with the exciting spices of Mexican cuisine. Our star ingredient, fig, lends a subtle sweetness that perfectly balances out the spiciness, resulting in a truly spectacular culinary experience.

Ingredients (for 2)

Fresh figs — 4 — halved
Baby back ribs — 2 racks (about 1.5 pounds each)
Bbq sauce — 1/2 cup
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce — 2 tbsp — finely chopped
Red wine vinegar — 1/2 cup
Honey — 1/2 cup
Red onion — 1 small
Green cabbage — 1 small
Lime — 1 — juiced
Cilantro — 1 small bunch
Mayonnaise — 1/2 cup
Salt and pepper — to taste
Cooking oil — as needed

Preparation

Step 1 — 🍯🌶🥘

In a small saucepan, mix BBQ sauce, chopped chipotle peppers, red wine vinegar, honey, and 2 tbsp of fig compote. Simmer this mixture over medium heat until it's reduced by half.
Step 2 — 🔥🍖🏕

Preheat your grill to medium heat. Place the ribs on the grill, bone side down. Every 10 minutes, baste the ribs with the BBQ fig sauce. Continue this process until the ribs are fully cooked and tender.
Step 3 — 🌿🥬🥣

To prepare the coleslaw, you need to finely slice the cabbage and onion, then chop the cilantro. Mix these vegetables with mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Step 4 — 🔥🍈🌳

Next, place the figs on the grill, cut side down. Grill them for about 2 minutes on each side.
Step 5 — 🍽🍖🌿

Serve the BBQ ribs on a bed of cilantro lime coleslaw, and place the grilled figs on the side. As a final touch, garnish the plate with pickled red onions.

A final fox tip

For a fun twist, substitute the baby back ribs with jackfruit for a vegetarian version. Have your kids join in by helping to mix the coleslaw. This dish is a beautiful mixture of flavors – sweet, spicy, tangy – that play off of one another wonderfully. The figs, when grilled, take on an amazing smoky-sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with the ribs.