Go Back
+ servings
Jalapeno Popper Ribs
Print Pin
4.80 from 5 votes

Jalapeno Popper Ribs

This idea all started when I was scrolling through my Instagram feed one night half asleep, and saw a picture of ribs, injected with cream cheese where the rib bones were. Of course, I didn't pay attention to who posted the picture, and when I went back to look for the recipe, it was gone!
Cuisine American
Keyword Baby Back Ribs, jalapeno popper ribs
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Nick

Ingredients

  • 2 racks Baby Back Ribs
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp your favorite bbq rub
  • ½ cup apple juice
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • cup honey
  • 8 tbsp butter

Instructions

  • For this recipe, leave the silverskin on! The silverskin will provide another layer of protection, allowing you to easily pull the bones and have a good hole left behind.
  • Square up the ends of each rack of ribs
  • Apply your binding agent (mustard or olive oil work great) and then apply your rub.
  • Place each rack of ribs in your smoker, meat side up for 3 hours at 225.
  • After three hours wrap each rack tightly in foil and add apple juice, brown sugar, honey, and butter.
  • Cook for an additional two hours at 225.
  • After two hours, remove the ribs from the smoker and carefully unwrap, and then put them back on the grill meat side up. Brush with your favorite BBQ sauce and let them cook for an additional 30-60 minutes.
  • The ribs are done when an instant-read thermometer reads 195 degrees in the meaty section between each bone on the rack.
  • Put them in a cooler to rest. This is a crucial step!
  • While the racks of ribs are resting in the cooler, start prepping your filling.
  • If you don't want your ribs to be too spicy, remove the seeds from two jalapenos.
  • and then dice the two jalapenos.
  • Put the diced jalapeno in a small bowl, and combine with 4 ounces of softened cream cheese, a ½ tsp of paprika, and a ¼ teaspoon of salt.
  • Mix everything up, put the cream cheese mixture in a cake frosting decorating bag or ziplock, and set aside.
  • After the ribs have rested for an hour remove them from the cooler and carefully unwrap them. The ribs will be hot! Carefully grab one of the bones, and slowly twist the bone and slowly pull it out, being careful not to remove any meat along with it.
  • Continue this process until all of the rib bones have been removed. Some of the rib bones might not come out clean, and some of them may just leave a slot in the meat, instead of a hole. That's ok!
  • After you've removed all of the ribs, grab your cream cheese mixture bag, and slowly push the mixture into each of the rib holes.
  • Slice the ribs between each hole, and eat!!