Ribs With Peach BBQ Sauce

Ribs with peach BBQ sauce are super tender and full of bold, sweet and savory flavors. They cook low and slow, but the hands-on part is minimal. These scrumptious ribs are baked first, then finished on the grill or under the broiler.

Don’t be afraid to use the shortcuts below if you’re feeling a bit lazy or short on time. The ribs will still be delicious.

The peaches add a subtle sweetness and texture to the sauce, but I have to admit they are somewhat masked by the BBQ sauce. The peach bbq sauce is yummy though. And the optional bourbon gives it a nice kick. 

The BBQ peach sauce would also be fantastic with pork chops or chicken.

How to cook the ribs – 4 options

The recipe uses the low-fuss baking method which works so well to infuse the flavor of the rub and results in perfectly tender ribs every time. I finish the rack of ribs on the grill or under the broiler, adding the sauce and a bit of char for presentation. The ribs will take about 2 – 2 1/2 hours with the baking method for the entire recipe. 

If you are looking to cook your ribs more quickly – with excellent results – try boiling them or cooking them in the instant pot. Both these methods are covered in our famous Montreal back ribs recipe which boasts a wickedly good glaze. The boiling method will take about 1 1/2 hours for the entire recipe, The instant pot, just 1 hour. 

I also love to cook ribs sous vide. They come out insanely tender and can be made days ahead (or frozen) for a quick mouthwatering meal later on. Here’s our recipe for sous vide baby back ribs. This method takes much longer – about 15 hours, but so good!. 

Step by step instructions

What kind of ribs to buy

I stick to two types of ribs. 

1. Baby back ribs – these are tender and less fatty that other types. I buy these most often. Each rack is 1.5-2 lbs (680-900g) and will serve 2 people.
2. St Louis-style ribs (or spare ribs) – these are meatier, very flavorful (due to more fat) and tender. Each rack is closer to 3-3.5 lbs (1.36-1.59kg) and will serve 3-4 people.

Tailor To Your Taste

• Use any dry spice rub you prefer instead of the one in the recipe
• Omit the bourbon if you prefer
• Try chicken instead of ribs, adding the sauce in the last 10 minutes on the grill
• Looking for spicy peach BBQ sauce? Add a pinch or two of red chili flakes while it’s cooking.
• Prefer a smooth or chunky peach BBQ sauce? I like it with pieces of peach, but if you prefer it smooth, blend the sauce with an immersion blender. 

What to serve with ribs

So many options! Here are a few of my faves:

• Grilled summer peaches,
• Herb potato salad
• Panzanella salad recipe with peaches
• Corn and tomato salad
• Hasselback sweet potatoes (15 min)
• Party salad with grilled vegetables and quinoa
• Grilled cabbage (slaw)
• Citrus salad

Or check out our summer Sunday dinner ideas for other options.

Shortcuts

1. Buy a spice dry rub for ribs/chicken
2. For the peach barbecue sauce,
   1. use a cup of your favorite store-bought or homemade sauce, then add the bourbon and peaches as per the recipe, or
   2. use 1/2 cup of peach jam/preserves (instead of fresh peaches) and cut the brown sugar in half. This way you can eliminate peeling and chopping peaches
3. Instead of pre-baking the ribs for 2 hours, use the boil or instant pot method found in our pork loin back ribs recipe.

Make Ahead 

• Prep ahead
  • The rub can be made ahead then sprinkled on the ribs a day before to enhance flavor. Refrigerate, covered.
  • The peach BBQ sauce can also be made several days ahead. Store it separately in the fridge. Feel free to make a double batch of the sauce and keep the leftovers for chicken another time. 
• Cook ribs ahead
  • Cook ribs, cool them after baking, then refrigerate in a sealed bag or container. 
  • To finish the ribs, bring them to room temperature if you have time, then grill or broil them as per the recipe.

LOVE PEACHES? Then be sure to check out these amazing peach recipes.

If you like this recipe, please leave a 5 star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟in the recipe card below. And if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments. Thanks very much!

This ribs with peach BBQ sauce recipe was inspired by The Neelys on Food Network and Lemon Blossoms food blog. It has been updated with new information and edits since 2018.