Go Back
jack and coke ribs in a metal tray

Smoked Jack & Coke Ribs

Smoked ribs with Jack Daniel's and Coca-Cola BBQ sauce. Tender, sticky, packed with bourbon flavor.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Ribs:
  • 2 racks baby back or St. Louis–style ribs
  • BBQ rub of choice brown sugar-based works great
  • Optional binder: yellow mustard or neutral oil
  • Coca-Cola for spritzing
  • Optional: Jack Daniel's for spritzing mix 50/50 with Coke
For the Wrap:
  • 4 tbsp butter 2 tbsp per rack
  • Jack & Coke BBQ sauce see recipe below
Jack & Coke BBQ Sauce:
  • 1 cup Coca-Cola
  • ½ cup Jack Daniel's
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Remove membrane from back of ribs. Optional: coat lightly with mustard or oil as binder. Season both sides generously with BBQ rub. Let rest 20-30 minutes at room temp.
  2. While ribs rest, make Jack & Coke BBQ sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in saucepan. Simmer 15-20 minutes until thick and glossy. Let cool completely before using.
  3. Preheat smoker to 275°F with apple wood.
  4. Place ribs bone-side down on smoker. Smoke for 3-4 hours, spritzing with Coca-Cola (or Coke/Jack mix) every 45 minutes to 1 hour. Smoke until ribs have deep mahogany color and meat has pulled back from bones.
  5. Wrap each rack in butcher paper or foil. Add 2 tbsp butter per rack and several spoonfuls of cooled Jack & Coke BBQ sauce inside wrap. Seal tightly.
  6. Return wrapped ribs to smoker at 275°F. Cook until internal temp reaches 203°F, about 1-1.5 hours more.
  7. Carefully unwrap ribs. Brush generous layer of Jack & Coke BBQ sauce on top. Place unwrapped ribs back on smoker for 15-20 minutes to let sauce tack up and caramelize. Optional: brush one more layer of sauce before removing.
  8. Remove ribs and let rest 10 minutes. Cut between bones and serve with extra sauce on side.

Notes

Make sauce while ribs smoke and let it cool completely before wrapping—cool sauce sets up better and coats ribs beautifully. Apple wood pairs perfectly with Jack & Coke flavor. At 275°F, ribs cook in about 5-6 hours total instead of 7-8 hours at 225°F. Pull ribs at 203°F internal for fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Butcher paper is better than foil for wrapping because it keeps bark from getting soggy. Save extra sauce for serving. Leftover ribs keep 3-4 days refrigerated.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!