If you want a rib recipe that combines classic barbecue flavors with a playful twist, these Cherry Coke Glazed St. Louis Ribs on the Big Green Egg are worth adding to your repertoire.
St. Louis style spare ribs are ideal for the Big Green Egg: their trimmed, rectangular shape cooks evenly and produces a satisfying balance of meat, fat, bark, and tenderness while finishing faster than larger cuts like brisket or pork shoulder.
The signature element here is the Cherry Coke glaze. Reducing the soda concentrates its cherry sweetness, creating a rich, sticky sauce that complements smoky pork and tangy barbecue notes for the finish every rib lover wants.
This is a classic low-and-slow cook with a sweet backyard payoff. Fire up the Big Green Egg, stock up on napkins, and get ready for delicious ribs.
Choosing and Prepping the Ribs
Start with one rack of St. Louis style spare ribs. These are spare ribs trimmed into a uniform rectangle, which helps them cook evenly and makes slicing easier when serving.
If the rack isn’t trimmed, remove the rib tips and square the edges; save the trimmings for another use. Flip the rack bone-side up and remove the membrane to allow seasoning to penetrate and to improve the final texture.
Trim any large pockets of excess fat on the meat side, then let the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes while you prepare the Big Green Egg and make the sauce.
Making the Cherry Coke BBQ Sauce
The Cherry Coke barbecue sauce provides the sweet, sticky finish. Pour one can of Cherry Coke into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until reduced by about half to concentrate the flavor.
In another saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Sauté about 1/4 cup minced onion until softened and lightly browned, then add 3 crushed garlic cloves and cook briefly. Stir in 2 cups ketchup, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp dry mustard, and freshly ground black pepper, then add the reduced Cherry Coke. Simmer about 20 minutes until thickened. For extra depth, you can stir in a bit of rib drippings later in the cook.
Big Green Egg Setup
Set the Big Green Egg for indirect cooking and stabilize the dome at 250°F. Add a few chunks of hickory, cherry, or apple wood to the lump charcoal for smoke. Cherry wood pairs particularly well with the Cherry Coke glaze. Let the temperature steady before adding the ribs; low, consistent heat builds great bark and tender meat.
Seasoning the Ribs
Mix a simple rub of kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and paprika. Lightly coat both sides of the ribs with a thin layer of yellow mustard to help the rub adhere; the mustard disappears during cooking.
Apply the rub evenly over the entire rack so each bite has classic barbecue flavor. Let the seasoned ribs rest while the Big Green Egg reaches temperature.
Smoking the Ribs
Place the seasoned rack on the Big Green Egg bone side down and smoke undisturbed for the first 3 hours. During this time the bark forms and the ribs absorb smoke flavor.
After about 3 hours check the color and texture; the surface should be darker and slightly tacky. If they look dry, lightly spritz with a mixture of apple juice and apple cider vinegar to maintain moisture without washing away the bark.
Wrapping the Ribs
When the ribs have good color and bark, wrap them. Place the ribs meat side down on heavy-duty aluminum foil. Add pats of butter, drizzle 2 tbsp honey, and pour in 1/4 cup apple juice. These add moisture and richness while the ribs tenderize. Wrap tightly, then double-wrap to seal.
Return the wrapped ribs to the Big Green Egg and cook for an additional 1 hour. This stage softens the connective tissue and moves the ribs toward tender, pull-apart texture.
Glazing and Finishing the Ribs
Carefully remove the ribs from the foil and place them back on the Big Green Egg uncovered. They should feel noticeably more tender and be slightly pulled back from the bones.
Brush a generous layer of the prepared Cherry Coke BBQ sauce over the meat side. Cook uncovered for another 30 minutes so the glaze tightens and becomes sticky. For extra sauciness, apply a light second coat during the last 10 minutes so the sauce can caramelize and mingle with the smoke.
Serving Suggestions and Final Thoughts
When the ribs are done, remove them and let rest for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Resting lets the juices settle and yields cleaner slices.
Slice between the bones and serve warm with extra Cherry Coke BBQ sauce on the side for anyone who wants an extra sticky finish.
These St. Louis ribs are smoky, sweet, and just tangy enough to keep guests reaching for another bone. Pair them with classic sides like mac and cheese, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, or grilled corn for a complete backyard barbecue meal.
If you want a rib recipe that adds a fun, flavorful twist to traditional barbecue on the Big Green Egg, this Cherry Coke glazed version delivers.
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Cherry Coke Glazed St. Louis Ribs on the Big Green Egg
Ingredients
Cherry Coke BBQ Sauce
- 1 can Cherry Coke
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp mustard
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Ribs
- 1 rack St. Louis style spare ribs
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp coarse black pepper
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pats
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 2 tbsp honey
Spritz
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Make the Cherry Coke BBQ Sauce
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Pour the Cherry Coke into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced by about half.
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In a separate pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, then add the garlic and cook another minute.
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Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, pepper, and the reduced Cherry Coke. Simmer about 20 minutes until thickened. Set aside.
Prep and Season the Ribs
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Remove the membrane from the bone side and trim excess fat as needed.
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Combine kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika.
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Lightly coat both sides with yellow mustard and apply the rub evenly over the rack.
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Let the ribs rest while the Big Green Egg comes up to temperature.
Set Up the Big Green Egg
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Set up the Big Green Egg for indirect cooking and preheat to 250°F.
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Add smoking wood chunks to the lump charcoal; cherry wood is a great choice for this glaze.
Smoke the Ribs
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Place the ribs bone side down and smoke for 3 hours.
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Check the bark and color; if dry, lightly spritz with the apple juice and apple cider vinegar mixture.
Wrap the Ribs
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Remove the ribs and place meat side down on heavy-duty foil.
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Add butter, honey, and apple juice. Wrap tightly and double-wrap to seal.
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Return to the Big Green Egg and cook 1 additional hour.
Glaze and Finish
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Carefully remove the ribs from the foil and place them back on the grill uncovered.
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Brush generously with Cherry Coke BBQ sauce and cook 30 minutes until the glaze sets and becomes sticky.
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Remove from the grill and rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- St. Louis ribs cook more evenly because of their uniform shape.
- Cherry wood complements the Cherry Coke glaze beautifully.
- Extra sauce is excellent served on the side.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.