Adobo-marinated country ribs smoked low and slow, then shredded into tacos with charred pineapple and fresh cilantro
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 6 pounds country style ribs
- 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 recipe of Adobo Marinade
- PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER:
- flour tortillas
- cilantro
- pineapple chunks, grilled
Method
-
01
Marinate ribs in adobo for 8-48 hours
10 minActive time is just mixing; the wait is passive refrigeration.
-
02
Preheat smoker to 250°F
20 minYou're looking for a steady, thin blue smoke once it settles in — white smoke means your fire's too hot or your wood's wet, and that'll ruin the meat.
-
03
Smoke ribs at 250°F to 200°F internal
240 minRoughly 4 hours; actual time depends on rib thickness.
-
04
Rest ribs for 10 minutes
10 minCold ribs won't take the smoke evenly, so let them sit on the grates while you grab your marinade and get your head straight about the next 4 hours.
-
05
Cut ribs into bite-size chunks
5 minGo for chunks about the size of a large grape so they'll shred clean and soak up the sauce without falling apart in the tortilla.
-
06
Grill pineapple chunks
8 minCan be done while ribs rest or after cutting.
-
07
Assemble tacos with pork, cilantro, and pineapple
5 minBuild each taco hot, starting with a bed of that tender pork, then fresh cilantro to cut the richness, and top with those charred pineapple chunks — the acid and sweetness are what make this work.
From Mike's Notebook
Marinate at least 24 hours—adobo needs time to penetrate the meat, not just coat it.
Pull the ribs apart at the seams instead of cutting; they'll shred cleaner and stay juicier.
Char the pineapple hard over high heat—the char cuts the sweetness and balances the adobo's heat.