Bobby Flay's BBQ Ribs Get A Bold, Sweet Upgrade From This Fizzy Soft Drink

There's nothing that screams traditional barbecue quite like a good rack of ribs. Flavorful meat that falls off the bone into tender bites that you can drench in sauce? Sign us up. As delicious as this savory meal can be, it's easy to add a sweet upgrade to enhance the ribs' complex flavors. But instead of scouring your kitchen cabinets for the right combination of seasonings, head to the soda aisle and opt for a one-ingredient solution: root beer.

Whether you start with a simple salt and pepper mixture or a smoky dry rub rib recipe, a root beer BBQ sauce will help lock in moisture and seal in the flavor. Inspired by master chef Bobby Flay, who uses high quality root beer as the base of his sauce, combining this soft drink with sweeteners like molasses and brown sugar and aromatics like ginger creates a game changing finisher for your ribs. These ingredients bring out the natural caramelized taste of root beer, which provides an extra creamy layer. And, since pork ribs tend to have a higher fat content, the aromatics within the BBQ sauce will absorb better into the meat, giving you that melt-in-your-mouth texture. To make the most of this saucy upgrade, be sure to keep the heat low and mix it slow, allowing the root beer to reduce and each ingredient to fully emulsify together. Once you give it the care it needs, you'll never leave this barbecue-enhancing secret weapon out of your sauce.

While a nice and sweet BBQ sauce can be just what your meal needs, you can't have successful ribs without the right meat. There are plenty of cuts to choose from, but instead of reaching for your usual baby back ribs, opt for St. Louis-cut ribs for a trimmed alternative — not to mention these are what Bobby Flay recommends in his recipe. St. Louis-style ribs are cut down to a flat rectangle, meaning each rib is roughly the same size and gets cooked evenly. This makes for easier grilling and better overall texture in the long run; and your sauce will lay perfectly on top of the uniform shape.

In terms of actually barbecuing your ribs, you'll want to prep your grill appropriately, which might look different if you're using a gas, charcoal, or kamado-style ceramic grill. Cookers like the ceramic grill will require a bit more moisture, while plain charcoal grills will need direct and indirect heat sections. But, in both cases, you'll want to baste the ribs with your root beer barbecue sauce within the last 15 to 20 minutes to allow it to seep into the meat. You'll also want to flip the ribs more consistently during this period for even sauce distribution. The result will be a perfectly seasoned rack of ribs with tender, smoky bites that you can smother in root beer sauce. This recipe is ideal for barbecue fans who yearn for the perfect combo of sweet and savory and are ready to enhance their ribs.