When summer hits, there’s nothing better than cooking over a live fire—and these Hot Honey Peach Ribs are proof. They’ve got the smoky depth you’d expect from a drum smoker, the tenderness of a well-wrapped rib, and a bold, sweet-heat glaze that screams summertime. This isn’t your standard sauced-up barbecue; it’s a hot and fast rib cook with crispy char, peachy glaze, and just enough spice to keep things interesting.
I cooked these ribs on a Gateway Drum Smoker using Royal Oak Super-Size Briquets. The high heat and open flame give the meat that classic grill-kissed flavor you can’t replicate any other way. Whether you’re hanging by the pool, tailgating, or just firing up dinner on a weeknight, this recipe is simple, quick, and full of flavor.
Live Fire Hot Honey Peach Ribs
This recipe is all about balance: sweet, heat, smoke, and char. The glaze is made with Heath Riles BBQ Hot Honey Peach Glaze and Sweet BBQ Sauce, giving you a sticky, fruity finish that plays beautifully with the savory rubs. These ribs come off the grill with that perfect rib "wave"—where they bend without breaking—and just enough bite to keep them competition-style tender.
These aren’t slow-and-low ribs that take all day. This is a practical, two-hour cook that’s as fun to make as it is to eat. Let’s get into it.
The Ingredients
Here’s everything I used for this rib cook:
Prairie Fresh Baby Back Ribs – Big, meaty, and consistent. These hold up great over high heat and have enough marbling to stay juicy.
Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle Rub – This rub gives you that pop of color and a sweet, smoky heat that lays the perfect base.
Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub – A layer of bold, balanced flavor. It’s the same rub that helped us win Memphis in May 2025.
Heath Riles BBQ Hot Honey Peach Glaze – Sweet, spicy, and fruit—it’s the flavor backbone of this rib.
Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce – Mixed with the glaze, this sauce blend gives the ribs their beautiful shine and sticky finish.
Yellow Mustard – Used as a binder to help the rubs stick. Totally optional, but I like the way it holds up.
The Smoker Set Up
Here’s what I used:
Gateway Drum Smoker – A classic drum cooker that delivers unbeatable live-fire flavor with direct heat and high airflow. Perfect for hot-and-fast rib cooks.
Royal Oak Super-Size Charcoal Briquets – These large briquets burn hot, clean, and steady, giving the ribs that authentic char and smoky depth you can only get from live fire.
The Process for Hot Honey Peach Ribs
Step 1: Prep the Grill
I fired up the Gateway Drum Smoker and loaded it with Royal Oak Super-Size Briquets. I let it stabilize around 300ºF—that’s the sweet spot for hot-and-fast ribs. You get great char and bark without drying them out.
Step 2: Trim and Clean the Ribs
I took two racks of Prairie Fresh baby backs, trimmed off excess fat, squared the edges, and removed the membrane from the back. I also shaved off any hard fat pockets that wouldn’t render. The goal is an even rack that cooks consistently from end to end.
Step 3: Season the Meat
I used yellow mustard as a binder, then hit the ribs with a layer of Honey Chipotle Rub followed by Competition BBQ Rub. Make sure to season both sides well and let them sweat in while the grill comes up to temp.
Step 4: First Cook
I placed the ribs bone-side down directly over the coals. After 30 minutes, I checked the color, flipped them over, and let them go another 25 minutes. That live fire flavor really starts to come through here. Total time in this phase was about an hour.
Step 5: Wrap with Glaze
Once the ribs had solid bark and great color, I wrapped them in heavy-duty foil. Before sealing, I added a light layer of Hot Honey Peach Glaze—just enough to steam and flavor the meat. Then I sealed the foil tight and placed the ribs back on the smoker.
Step 6: Finish Cooking
I let the wrapped ribs go for another 45–50 minutes. Internal temps were climbing close to 200ºF and the bones were pulling back nicely. Once they passed the bend test, I pulled them off to rest for about 25 minutes.
Step 7: Mix and Apply Final Glaze
I combined 3 heaping tablespoons of Hot Honey Peach Glaze with about 3/4 cup of Sweet BBQ Sauce. After unwrapping the ribs, I painted both sides with the glaze and returned them to the grill for 5–10 minutes to let the sauce tack up.
The Results
The finished ribs had a gorgeous color—dark, sticky, and kissed with char. They bent perfectly, passed the wave test, and were tender without falling apart. That peach glaze added a hint of fruitiness and just the right amount of heat.
You get a bold bite from the rubs, deep smoke flavor from the drum, and a finishing glaze that brings everything together. They were juicy, meaty, and full of summer flavor.
Serving Suggestions for Hot Honey Peach Ribs
These ribs shine with Southern sides that balance out the sweet heat:
-
Creamy Coleslaw – Cool and crunchy to offset the spice.
-
Heath’s Potato Salad – A rich, tangy classic.
-
Pit-Style BBQ Baked Beans – Deep and smoky, they round out the plate.
-
Smoked Peach Cobbler – A peach-on-peach pairing that just makes sense.
Storing Leftovers
If you’ve got leftovers, wrap them tightly in foil or store in an airtight container. They’ll keep for 3–4 days in the fridge or up to 2 months in the freezer. Reheat gently at 275ºF wrapped in foil until warm, adding a touch of extra glaze or sauce if needed.
Final Thoughts
Hot Honey Peach Ribs are a killer way to bring some summer flavor to your table. Whether you’re a backyard cook or feeding a crowd, this recipe is approachable, packed with flavor, and ready in about 2 hours. The sweet heat combo and that grill-fired crust make it one you’ll want to come back to again and again.
Give it a shot and let me know what you think. For more rib recipes, grilling tips, and gear reviews, be sure to follow along on our YouTube channel and across all our social media. See you next cook.
Equipment and Tools
Gateway Drum Smoker, Royal Oak Super-Size Charcoal Briquets, Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil, Victorinox Fibrox Boning Knife, Disposable Cutting Board, Metal Tongs, Thermoworks Thermapen ONE
