Summer is here and do I have the recipe for you! Tender, apple braised baby back ribs glazed with rich barbecue sauce laced with bourbon.
Samples and ingredient compensation were provided by Four Roses, all opinions are my own.
Recently, I was contacted by Four Roses Bourbon and asked if I would like to sample their Single Barrel bourbon for summer barbecue season. After being introduced to Four Roses Bourbon at the Food Blog South Conference in Birmingham back in January, I was very happy to take them up on the offer!
The flavors of bourbon and barbecue go hand in hand. Rich and robust bourbon with the sweet and spice of the barbecue. A match made in heaven!
To begin, heat your grill to about 385 degrees, with the heat on one side of the grill for indirect heat.
Remove the membrane from the underside of your rack of ribs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place your ribs on the grill, bone side down – on the side with out the direct heat. Close the grill and cook for 40 minutes. Don’t peek!
While it is doing it’s first cook, prepare your barbecue sauce. Start with 3 cups of ketchup in a saucepan.
Now for all the goodies. To the saucepan, add 1/3 cup each of country style (whole grain) Dijon mustard and molasses, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons each of honey and Tabasco sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke, 2 teaspoons each of onion and garlic powders, and a teaspoon and a half of sea salt.
Whisk these all together over medium heat and cook until it begins to bubble. Turn down the heat to a simmer.
Add in a third of a cup of bourbon. Stir it in and let it simmer on low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 40 minutes on the grill, place the ribs in a large pouch of double layered heavy duty foil. Shape the foil like a bowl. Pour in a cup of apple juice. Close the foil tightly and place it back on the grill, again over indirect heat, for 90 minutes.
Carefully pull the rack of ribs from the foil and brush it all over with the barbecue sauce. Cook an additional 5 minutes on each side for 10 minutes total, directly on the grate – but still indirect heat.
Pull the ribs off and let them rest a few minutes before cutting.
Serve the ribs with additional sauce. Enjoy!
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Bourbon Barbecued Baby Back Ribs
Tender, apple braised baby back ribs glazed with rich barbecue sauce laced with bourbon.
Ingredients
- 1 rack of baby back pork ribs
- 3 c ketchup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 c country style, whole grain Dijon mustard
- 1/3 c molasses
- 1/4 c water
- 2 Tb each of honey
- 2 Tb Tabasco sauce
- 1 1/2 Tb Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tb liquid smoke
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 c bourbon
- 1 c apple juice
- heavy duty foil
Instructions
- To begin, heat your grill to about 385 degrees, with the heat on one side of the grill for indirect heat. Remove the membrane from the underside of your rack of ribs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place your ribs on the grill, bone side down – on the side with out the direct heat. Close the grill and cook for 40 minutes. Don’t peek!
- While it is doing it’s first cook, prepare your barbecue sauce. In a saucepan, combine ketchup, Dijon mustard, molasses, water, honey, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, onion and garlic powders, and sea salt. Whisk these all together over medium heat and cook until it begins to bubble. Turn down the heat to a simmer.
- Add in the bourbon. Stir it in and let it simmer on low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 40 minutes on the grill, place the ribs in a large pouch of double layered heavy duty foil. Shape the foil like a bowl. Pour in the apple juice. Close the foil tightly and place it back on the grill, again over indirect heat, for 90 minutes.
- Carefully pull the rack of ribs from the foil and brush it all over with the barbecue sauce. Cook an additional 5 minutes on each side for 10 minutes total, directly on the grate – but still indirect heat. Pull the ribs off and let them rest a few minutes before cutting.
- Serve the ribs with additional sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition
If nutritional values are provided for this recipe, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands of ingredients you use. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste or for serving. If nutritional values are very important to you, I suggest using your favorite nutritional calculating tool with the brands you use.
These look delicious! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thank you, Constance, for the nice recipe. You and your family have a Great Weekend!
Thank you Liz! You have a great one as well!