These sweet morsels of love are wrapped in flavorful bacon and carry a little bit of heat at the back end. Bacon-wrapped apricots tend to be a hit at gatherings, so be sure to make a lot of them to satisfy your guests!
YIELD: 12–16 APRICOTS • COOK TIME: 34 MINUTES
12–16 dried apricots
1½ cups (355 ml) apple juice
1 cup (240 g) Ribs Within Rub 4 All, OR ½ cup (96 g) sugar, ¼ cup (60 g) salt, 2 tsp (5 g) chili powder, divided
6–8 slices applewood smoked bacon, regular sliced
Rehydrate the dried apricots in apple juice and ½ cup (120 g) of Ribs Within Rub 4 All for 1 to 2 hours. Reserve 2 teaspoons (9 g) of the rub to sprinkle on the bacon.
Remove the apricots from the liquid and place them on a paper plate. Let them sit for 5 minutes to dry.
Wrap each apricot in half a slice of bacon, using two toothpicks to keep it closed. Sprinkle the remaining rub on each wrapped apricot.
Configure your grill for two-zone cooking and preheat to 300°F (149°C). Put the wrapped apricots in a shallow aluminum pan and place them on the grill. Cook with indirect heat for 30 minutes. Remove the apricots from the pan and place them directly over the heat for 2 minutes a side, or until the bacon is crispy around the edges.
Remove the apricots from the grill and place them back in the pan or on a serving tray. Serve hot or at room temperature.