Tastefully Simple Barbecue Dip Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce

Barbecue Grilled Country Ribs with Tastefully Simple Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce

I've been a fan of Tastefully Simple for quite a while now. I made some really terrific white barbecue chicken with their luau dip mix (which was also a great chip and veggie dip as well).

Tastefully Simple checked to see if I'd like to try out some of their new products for this grilling season. I'm usually game to do so and give an honest opinion.

I've always loved raspberries. When we visited the relatives when I was a kid, they would take me picking berries (mostly eating for me) and would keep getting me to say what they were. I called them RAUS-berries. So, the relatives all thought I sounded very city-fied, and I cracked them up with my mini foodie self.

Of course, I had to break open the Tastefully Simple Raspberry Sauce which does have jalapenos but not enough to run off many. You get just a hint of heat but not really any hot which works for me on this flavor combo.

Raspberry Jalapeno sauce is billed as a barbecue sauce or a table dipping sauce. I'd have to agree that it works both ways, so even if you don't barbecue grill, you can still get some great flavor here.

Grilling Country Ribs

Of course, I was going to grill with the Raspberry barbecue sauce, because . . . hey . . . that's what I do. And, that's really the only way I know how to tell you how a barbecue sauce really tastes. Fire up the grill and use it.

I had some country ribs which are an odd cut and inexpensive but with a lot of meat for the money. The flavor is close to pork chops. Also, these are not true ribs, so they don't have to grill or smoke for near as long. These were on maybe 45 minutes to an hour on low heat.

First I smoked the ribs until close done. This can be done with charcoal or gas (just low on the temperature). The last fifteen minutes or so I added the Tastefully Simple Raspberry BBQ sauce.  Sauces with sugar will burn if you put them on for the entire grilling time.

Having smelled and taken a little bite of the barbecue sauce beforehand, I sauced only one side of the country ribs. This is a sweet sauce, and one side was just perfect for us. If you have a real sweet tooth, you could go heavier and sauce up both sides. I'll stick with one side as the balance was just right here.

What Did We Think of the Raspberry Barbecue Sauce?

First, I must say that this is a beautiful barbecue sauce. I rarely go there on the blog. But, if you look at the photo at the top, you'll see what I mean. Wow. That's just a point and shoot camera on my front porch and no PhotoShop. The ribs looked just like that (or better).

The flavor was as good as how the country ribs look. Although I do suggest going light on the amount with the sweetness, the overall flavor was something to write home (or on FaceBook) about. The rich raspberry flavor with the hint of heat was spot on. 

I love a lot of grilling seasoning, spices, rubs, oils and sauces. There are just a very few that I count top picks. This is one, so you know I loved it. Then again, I do go way back as a raspberry fan, but I do think it would be hard not to love this special barbecue or dipping sauce.



Here is the bottle for those looking for Tastefully Simple Raspberry. I know it helps me when I know what to look for on the shelf.

Grilling for One? Yes - Absolutely - No Need to Suffer Right?

My family deserted me )-: Naw. Not really. But, Mom and Harry are off on a trip to Wyoming, my older son is working two hours away in a college town, and the youngest was home a day and a half and then went off to Boy Scout camp as a counselor.

No. I did not put away the grills. It's in my blood, but also I know that grilling is a healthy way to cook. Most of the fat cooks off, and I do not char my grilled food (except on rare occasions when I am very distracted).

It may seem like a lot of work to grill for one, but it really is no harder than cooking inside for one if you think about it and plan. And, it is worth it too, since you have a good meal and leftovers.

Above you see the smoked ribs I had tonight. I did them on the Traeger for around an hour. That was really easy. I just turned on the pellet grill and turned the ribs once plus sauced them with Stubbs barbecue sauce about 15 minutes before I pulled them off.

These are not traditional ribs. They are called country style ribs around here and cook faster than rib racks. They are an odd cut below the ribs and some have bones and some do not. They are lean and taste a lot like pork chops and are meaty and can be eaten with a fork and knife or with your fingers like ribs.

With a salad and roll, this was a great grilled meal for one, and I have a smoked rib left for lunch tomorrow which will be great with some garden tomatoes and cumcumbers.



The night before last I grilled chicken and potatoes. I had a new bottle of Bob Evans Wildfire barbecue sauce and wanted to give that a try. I put on a couple of large chicken breasts on sale at the IGA and made the Garlic Greek Grilled Potatoes that I mentioned earlier on the blog. Those are really yummy.



Earlier in the week, I had grilled meatballs and potatoes rubbed with olive oil and sprinkled with seasonings. I just put them on an offset charcaol grill (charcoals to one end) in the grill wok and had my main dishes ready in 45 minutes while I puttered around doing stuff in the house.

Either of my boys could polish off this many grilled meatballs and potatoes, but my metabolism is not at teen speed now. I ate around half of my grilled meal and had a nice lunch the next day with what I didn't eat the night prior.



If you wonder why I'd grill when home alone, then this warm up dinner tells the tale. I had a hankering for lasagna and bought a microwave meal. It wasn't as bad as it looks, but it sure wasn't a grilled meal.

Yes. The lasagna in the microwave was quicker, but it sure wasn't great. It did not fill me up, and there sure were not any leftovers.

After that heat-and-eat meal, I fired up the grills again. I may be home alone, but I do not have to eat yucky food. I've been going with old favorites on the grill (and working around a bag of potatoes that are going begging with the boys gone). The grill recipes I'm using are low impact (just put them on and check now and then), and I am grilling or smoking with an eye on enough to make two meals - dinner and then lunch or a dinner the next day.

For even quicker meals, I'm also firing up the Char-Broil Patio Bistro. That is an electric model where I can grill burgers, hot dogs, or grilled boneless chicken breasts faster than I could get to town and back with carry out.