Bourbon Glazed Baby Back Ribs Recipes

BOURBON-GLAZED BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F and position a rack in the center.
• Line a shallow roasting pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.
• In a small bowl, combine the sugar, onion powder, garlic salt, paprika, cayenne and bourbon to form a paste.
• Spread about 1/3 of the mixture on the underside of the ribs and spread the remaining 2/3 evenly over the meaty side.
• Arrange them on the prepared roasting pan, meaty side up. Cover tightly with another sheet of foil and bake for 2 hours.
• While the ribs bake, prepare the barbecue sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the ketchup, sugar, honey, apple cider vinegar and hot sauce over medium heat.
• Cook until the sugar has dissolved, then add the bourbon. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and bubbly, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the butter until smooth.
• Remove the ribs from the oven, reposition the rack 6-inches below the broiler and set the control to broil.
• Brush both sides of the ribs with the Bourbon Barbecue Sauce and broil them just until the sauce caramelizes on the ribs, about 2 minutes. Be sure to watch them carefully because the sugar in the sauce can burn very quickly.
• Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing the ribs between the bones. Serve with any remaining barbecue sauce.

BOURBON-BBQ GLAZED BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl and mix together well.
• Tear a large enough piece of Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil to place rack of ribs on it and be able to fully cover, meat side up. Evenly coat both sides of the ribs with the dry rub, pressing it in with your hands.
• Fold up the sides of the foil to create a rim, and pour the apple juice in around the ribs. Fold the foil over the ribs and crimp it to create a tight seal. Tear off one more piece of large foil and wrap the whole thing again to ensure a tight seal.
• Place the wrapped ribs in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F and cook ribs for about 4 hours. You should be able to easily pierce them with a fork, but they shouldn't be falling off the bone.
• Combine all the BBQ sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken and reduce by about a third, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat grill to high heat. Cover the grill rack with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil. Place the cooked ribs meat side up on the grill and brush the top with a layer of sauce. Close grill until the sauce is mostly dried, about 5 minutes. Brush another layer of sauce on top and close grill for an additional 5 minutes. Remove ribs from grill and lightly brush with one more layer of sauce.
• Cut the ribs into individual pieces and serve with extra sauce.

MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH BOURBON-HONEY GLAZED RIBS

Steps:

• For the Sauce: Combine all the ingredients (except for 1 tablespoon of the bourbon) in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until reduced by 1/3, stirring often. Sauce should be dark and slightly thickened (about 20 minutes). Turn of the heat and stir in the last tablespoon of bourbon. Sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
• For the Ribs: Preheat the oven to 225º F. Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. Slide a sharp knife under the white membrane on the back of the ribs and cut a hole into the membrane. Use your fingers to slide under the membrane and pull it away from the meat. Usually it helps to use a paper towel for extra grip. Remove all of the outer membrane and discard.
• Pat ribs very dry with paper towels and cut each rack in half (to make them easier to turn later). Sprinkle a good tablespoon of dry rub on each side of the ribs and press until it's well-coated all over. (you should use about 4 tablespoons for 2 whole racks).
• Lay a large piece of foil on a baking tray and place one rack on it, meat-side up. Fold up 3 sides of the foil to create a rim: pour half the apple juice into this pocket and then fold over and crimp the packet closed. Wrap the packet in a 2nd layer of foil. Repeat with the second rack. Cook for 4 to 4 1/2 hours. The ribs are ready when you can pierce them easily with a fork. Remove the ribs from the oven and set aside. Unwrap the ribs carefully and place them on a baking tray, meat side up. (Ribs can be par-cooked the day ahead and refrigerated at this point. If making the day ahead, let the ribs cool for 20 minutes, then take them out of the foil and place in sealable bags and refrigerate overnight. Let them come to room temperature before the next step).
• Note: Ribs can be finished in the oven or on a grill. Turn the broiler on high (or prepare a grill with medium-high heat) and set an oven rack about 6 inches from heat. Coat the the ribs well with BBQ sauce. Place the ribs under the broiler or on grill and cook until the sauce just starts to bubble (4-5 minutes). Take them out and apply another coat of glaze and cook again until glaze bubbles and browns (Do not walk away while broiling! They can burn easily so watch carefully). Remove from the broiler or grill, cut the ribs and serve.

BOURBON PEACH-GLAZED BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Combine the smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, chili powder and brown sugar in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
• Place each rack of ribs on a large piece of aluminum foil (it will eventually need to completely seal the rack) and place on a baking sheet. Generously sprinkle the dry rub on both sides of the ribs. Leave uncovered and place in the refrigerator, meat-side up, for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• In another small bowl, stir the vinegar, bourbon, preserves, 2 tablespoons water and a large pinch of salt and pepper together to combine. Pour half of the mixture over each rack and tightly seal each in the foil, crimping the edges to make a packet.
• Transfer the foil packets on the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the meat is tender and starts to pull away from the bones, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Carefully open the foil packets and pour off the liquid into a small saucepan. Bring to a strong simmer over medium-high heat and cook until it is reduced by about half and becomes a thin but syrupy glaze, stirring frequently, 6 to 8 minutes. It will thicken further as it cools.
• Line another baking sheet with foil and gently transfer the ribs to it. Position a rack on the top level of the oven and preheat the broiler.
• Using a pastry brush, generously coat the ribs with about half of the glaze. Broil until browned and charred in spots, 2 to 4 minutes. Brush generously with some of the remaining glaze and return to the broiler until deeply browned and charred in additional spots, 2 to 4 minutes more. Brush the finished ribs with any remaining glaze. Slice each rack between the bones and serve.

SWEET BOURBON BABY BACKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Cut the baby back ribs into smaller even sized portions and place them into a shallow baking dish meat side up. Cover the ribs with the bourbon, reserving about 1/4 cup for the sauce, and then add the apple juice. Rub the meat side with the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, grill seasoning, and the garlic. Place the ribs into the oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the grill.
• Remove the ribs from the oven and hold for grilling. Mix 1/4 cup of the bourbon with the BBQ sauce and then coat the ribs with the mixture. Place the ribs on the grill and cook for about 15 minutes. Remove from the grill and arrange on a platter. Serve with grilled corn alongside, if desired.

SPICE-RUBBED BABY BACK RIBS WITH CHIPOTLE-BOURBON BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the ribs on a rimmed baking sheet. If the concave side of your ribs still has its papery membrane intact, remove it: Pry it up at the end of the bones using the tip of a meat thermometer or butter knife, then pull it off with a paper towel. Lightly brush the ribs on both sides with the mustard.
• Prepare the rub: In a small bowl, combine the chile powder, brown sugar, salt, pepper and celery seeds. Reserve 1 1/2 teaspoons rub for serving, then sprinkle the remaining rub on the ribs, coating both sides.
• Set up your charcoal grill for indirect grilling and heat to 300 degrees.
• Once the grill comes to temperature, add half the wood chunks or chips to the coals. Arrange the ribs meat (rounded) side up on the grate away from the heat, then cover the grill. Grill the ribs over indirect heat for 1 hour.
• After the ribs have grilled for 1 hour, spray on both sides with apple cider (if using), turning the ribs with tongs. Add the remaining wood chunks or chips to the fire and close the grill again.
• While the ribs grill, prepare the barbecue sauce: Place all the sauce ingredients, along with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, in a heavy saucepan and whisk to mix. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking often. Reduce the heat and gently simmer the sauce, uncovered, until thick and richly flavored, 6 to 8 minutes. Correct the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper to taste; set aside. (Makes about 2 cups.)
• Continue grilling the ribs over indirect heat, rounded side up, until sizzling, browned, tender, and the meat has shrunk back from the ends of the bones by 1/4 to 1/2 inch. This normally takes 2 to 2 1/2 hours in all, but sometimes you'll need a full 3 hours. The last 20 minutes, brush the ribs on both sides with some of the barbecue sauce. When ready, the meat should be tender enough so you can pull the individual ribs apart with your fingers.
• Brush each rack on both sides with more barbecue sauce. Move each rack directly over the fire and direct grill to sizzle the sauce into the meat, 2 to 4 minutes per side.
• Transfer the ribs to a platter for serving. Brush once more with barbecue sauce and sprinkle the ribs with the remaining rub. Serve the remaining sauce in a bowl on the side.

BOURBON-GLAZED BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Whisk the honey, bourbon, hoisin, mustard, plum sauce, molasses, soy sauce, Worcestershire, chile paste, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a long sheet of heavyduty foil on each of 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Sprinkle the rib racks on all sides with salt and pepper. Place one rib rack on each foil sheet. Fold up the sides of each foil sheet around the rib rack to form a boat-like shape.
• Pour 1/2 cup pineapple juice over each rib rack. Fold up foil to seal packets. Bake until ribs are tender, about 1 hour. Remove the ribs from the foil packets. Transfer to a roasting pan; pour any juices from the foil over and cool.
• Prepare a grill to medium heat. Cut each rib rack in half. Grill until browned, brushing frequently with glaze and turning often, about 10 minutes. Cut racks between bones into ribs.
• DO AHEAD
• The GLAZE can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
• The RIBS can be made 1 day ahead (through step 3). Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate.