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garmp's avatar
garmp
Explorer II
Aug 21, 2016

Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce

I read this and had to try it, especially since it called for Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper and I'm a diabetic, but the rest of the recipe blows that to heck. Anyway a great tasting, thin sauce that goes with almost every thing.

1 cup Sweet Baby Ray's regular Sauce
1 cup of Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry soda
1 tbsp brown sugar

slowly simmer till all is blended thoroughly and let cool. That was the recipe I read and it was good. I doubled that and after cool added 1/2 tbsp of bourbon to the mix.
Told no one about my additional secret ingredient and it was an instant success. Now it's a staple around here.
  • In spite of it's terrible nutrition label, Sweet Baby Ray's original is probably my fave bottled sauce. On those rare occasions when I buy it, it's hard to imagine adding soda pop AND brown sugar. What would you recommend using this on, and how much? Is it more of a marinade?
  • Pepsi, Dr. pepper, Coke, RC Cola, all are great additions to BBQ, oven baked turkeys, chicken. I know you have all seen the oven cooking bags, follow the directions for your normal cooking but add the can of soda. Good stuff.
  • IDman: The sugars, sodas and sauces did not cause my diabetes. It was a pesticide called Agent Orange. And diabetes doesn't mean that I have to live in a bubble.

    thanks
  • wildtoad wrote:
    Pepsi, Dr. pepper, Coke, RC Cola, all are great additions to BBQ, oven baked turkeys, chicken.

    Agreed!

    Here's the base recipe I use for cola soda ribs:
    epicurious Grilled Spareribs with Cherry Cola wrote:

    Grilled Spareribs with Cherry Cola Glaze
    Bon Appétit July 2002

    Yield
    Makes 6 servings

    Ingredients

    4 12-ounce cans cherry cola (flat)
    2 cups cherry jam or preserves
    2/3 cup Dijon mustard with horseradish
    3 tablespoons soy sauce
    2 tablespoons malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar
    1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
    7 1/4 to 7 1/2 pounds well-trimmed pork spareribs

    Preparation

    Boil cherry cola in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 45 minutes. Stir in next 5 ingredients. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture is reduced to 2 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Transfer glaze to large bowl. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)
    Position racks in top and bottom thirds of oven and preheat to 325°F. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Wrap each rib rack tightly in foil, enclosing completely. Divide foil packets between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until ribs are very tender, switching positions of baking sheets halfway through baking, about 2 hours total. Cool ribs slightly in foil. Pour off any fat from foil packets. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep covered in foil packets and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.)
    Prepare barbecue (medium-low heat). Cut each rib rack between bones into individual ribs. Set aside 1 cup glaze. Add ribs to bowl with remaining glaze and toss to coat. Grill ribs until brown and glazed, turning to prevent burning, about 5 minutes total. Serve, passing reserved glaze separately.


    And here are my notes on how I've changed it around over the years:

    My Notes

    Made this totally in the oven.Cooked the ribs as suggested but then continued for an additional hour once the ribs were glazed at 375 degrees to crisp the meat a bit. Oh yes and I air dried the uncooked meat for 24 hours in the fridge. Final result? Still tender but a nice chew to it. Used sour cherry preserves as well as a can of black cherries that was languishing in a corner of the pantry. Drained and pulse chopped em in the food processor. Replaced 1 TB of tamari sauce for same amt. of soy. Seemed to give a more rounded flavour. Hehehehe like another I overboiled the soda which became a syrup but hadn't burned it sooo I added more cola to it and brought it back to 1.5 cups :B. I actually think I'll do this again as the syrup developed some interesting caramel notes. Like others I couldn't find Cherry Coke- so I used Dr. Pepper. Since several toddlers were in attendance I lowered the heat of the hot sauce and horseradish to 1/2 the amts in the recipe. Next time I plan to go fult-tilt boogie and kick this ribs up! I will NOT forget this recipe fer sure!




    I no longer bother looking for Cherry Coke and just reach for the Dr. Pepper;). Have also made this recipe on the grill but since I can only grill when I camp (living in a high rise has it's disadvantages)I have to be get creative if I want ribs year round.

    I know you have all seen the oven cooking bags, follow the directions for your normal cooking but add the can of soda. Good stuff.

    Haven't tried the oven bag version yet but will certainly give it a try. I wuvv easy clean up.
  • wildtoad wrote:
    Pepsi, Dr. pepper, Coke, RC Cola, all are great additions to BBQ, oven baked turkeys, chicken. I know you have all seen the oven cooking bags, follow the directions for your normal cooking but add the can of soda. Good stuff.


    Boiled, Black Coffee is pretty good added to Sweet Baby Rays.
    Instead of Brown Sugar I add Black Pepper and a little Cayenne pepper.
    Makes a thinner basting/BBQ Sauce that's both spicy and sweet.
  • Ole Man Dan wrote:
    wildtoad wrote:
    Pepsi, Dr. pepper, Coke, RC Cola, all are great additions to BBQ, oven baked turkeys, chicken. I know you have all seen the oven cooking bags, follow the directions for your normal cooking but add the can of soda. Good stuff.


    Boiled, Black Coffee is pretty good added to Sweet Baby Rays.
    Instead of Brown Sugar I add Black Pepper and a little Cayenne pepper.
    Makes a thinner basting/BBQ Sauce that's both spicy and sweet.

    That sounds soooo good. I buy a steak rub that has a coffee base and it's my favorite!
  • IDman wrote:
    I can see why you are diabetic!


    Lol...No kidding, it's full of sugar!!!