Spare Ribs with Tangy Mop Sauce Recipe

Grilled Spare Ribs with Mop Sauce deliver tender, juicy, and flavorful pork ribs, smoked over hardwood and finished with a tangy mop sauce used as both a marinade and a basting glaze.

We grill ribs often and love serving them with garlic butter baked potatoes, grilled corn on the cob, and classic coleslaw for a full BBQ meal.

Spare ribs are ideal for weekend cookouts. If you enjoy variations, plum-glazed ribs are another favorite for entertaining.

Ingredients for Spare Ribs with Mop Sauce:

Spare ribs
V8 juice
Real cane syrup or molasses
Apple cider vinegar
Worcestershire sauce
Spicy brown mustard
Hot sauce

How to Grill Spare Ribs with Mop Sauce:

Prepare the mop sauce: combine V8 juice, cane syrup or molasses, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, spicy brown mustard, and hot sauce in a saucepan and whisk to combine.
Heat over medium until the mixture reaches a gentle boil, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Cut the spare ribs into thirds for easier handling and even cooking.
Place the rib sections into a gallon-size zip-top bag.
Pour about half the cooled mop sauce over the ribs, expel excess air, seal the bag, and turn it to coat the meat evenly. Refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours to marinate.
Prepare your grill for indirect cooking and bring the temperature to approximately 350°F. Use pecan or hickory for a pleasant smoke flavor.
Remove ribs from the marinade (discard the used marinade) and place them on the grill over indirect heat with the lid closed.
Cook for about 30 minutes, then brush with additional mop sauce. Continue cooking for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches about 190–200°F for tender, juicy ribs.
When done, transfer the ribs to a rimmed baking sheet and let them rest for about 10 minutes.
Slice between the bones, brush with more sauce if desired, and serve immediately.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover ribs in a zip-top bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Keep unused mop sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
To reheat, brush ribs with additional sauce, wrap in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, or reheat in an air fryer at 350°F for about 4 minutes.

More Delicious Ribs to Try

Dr Pepper Jalapeno BBQ Ribs — baby back ribs sliced before cooking, seasoned with a dry rub and coated in a sweet-spicy sauce.
Korean BBQ Ribs — marinated in bold flavors for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Root Beer BBQ Ribs — sticky, sweet, and uniquely flavored for smoked pork.
Baby Back Ribs with Brown Sugar Dry Rub — a classic for summer cookouts, tender and full of flavor.
Orange and Ginger Marinated Ribs — a bright, aromatic twist that’s great for family dinners.

Spare ribs with mop sauce are an easy, flavorful option for grilling. They’re perfect for feeding a crowd or making a satisfying family barbecue dinner.

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Spare Ribs with Mop Sauce

Grilled spare ribs seasoned with a favorite dry rub and smoked with hardwood deliver tender, juicy, and flavorful pork ribs finished with a sweet-and-tangy mop sauce.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 40 mins

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 – 6 Servings

Calories: 520 kcal

Author: Milisa

Ingredients

1 cup V8 juice
1 cup real cane syrup or molasses
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 rack spare ribs

Instructions

Make the mop sauce by combining the V8 juice, cane syrup (or molasses), apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and hot sauce in a saucepan. Whisk to combine.
Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Cut the spare ribs into thirds and place them in a gallon-size zip-top bag.
Pour half the sauce over the ribs, press out the air, seal, and turn the bag to coat. Refrigerate 1–4 hours.
Prepare the grill for indirect heat and preheat to about 350°F, adding pecan or hickory for smoke.
Remove ribs from the marinade (discard the marinade) and place ribs over indirect heat. Close the grill and cook for about 30 minutes.
Brush ribs with more mop sauce, then continue cooking another 45 minutes to 1 hour until the internal temperature reaches 190–200°F.
Transfer ribs to a rimmed baking sheet and rest for 10 minutes. Slice between the bones, brush with extra sauce, and serve.

Notes

How to Store and Reheat:

Store leftover ribs in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
Store mop sauce in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
To reheat, brush with additional sauce and warm in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes or in an air fryer at 350°F for about 4 minutes.

Nutrition