Bourbon-Glazed Ribs

Theophan

I haven't cooked many ribs, think I did my 4th rack today.  Getting better and better.  My wife thinks they're absolutely wonderful, wonders why I think they're not perfect.  I think I overcooked them a bit, but they were still wonderful.

This time I followed the "Bourbon-Glazed Ribs" recipes in the Smoke & Spice cookbook, and WOW I was amazed.  That "Bour-BQ Sauce" ought to be ILLEGAL it's so good!  How come I haven't heard of it on this forum before?  I've made a few really good BBQ sauce recipes, but this one was spectacular, or so I thought.  The "Barbecued Rib Rub" seemed like it was going to be pretty plain, but I put it on some pork chops and grilled those for lunch, and my wife and I both thought they were wonderful with just the rub!

Sorry I didn't take more pictures:





For the first time, I actually got a bit of smoke ring!  

Theophan

bgebrent

I'd get in line for those!  Great job!

mjfutures

Those look awesome! Is the recipe easy to follow?

beachsmoke

I would eat that all day and Sunday looks great

Theophan

Many thanks for the kind comments!

And @mjfutures, yes, it was an easy cook.  I've been resisting messing with foil, for some reason -- It just goes against my grain to "steam" ribs, though one of these days I'm going to have to try a 2-1-1 or something just to see what it's like.  I think everybody does it in competition ribs, so there's probably a reason.  But so far I've been trying to do the best I can "just barbecuing" ribs.

This recipe involved just mixing up and applying a rub the night before, adding some more before putting it on the Egg, and then I just cooked it indirect for about 5 hours.  I spritzed it with 50:50 bourbon and cider vinegar about every hour as it suggested, and then in the last hour brushed on the "Bour-BQ" bourbon BBQ sauce, and also had that on the side.  And the sauce was easy: saute onions in butter and oil, add bourbon, ketchup, cider vinegar, orange juice, maple syrup, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, simmer till it thickens.

I've heard people talking up Smoke & Spice as one of the best general BBQ cookbooks out there, and I think I just discovered why.  I thought this was wonderful, and I'm looking forward to trying some more recipes from it!

mjfutures

Theophan said:

Many thanks for the kind comments!

And @mjfutures, yes, it was an easy cook.  I've been resisting messing with foil, for some reason -- It just goes against my grain to "steam" ribs, though one of these days I'm going to have to try a 2-1-1 or something just to see what it's like.  I think everybody does it in competition ribs, so there's probably a reason.  But so far I've been trying to do the best I can "just barbecuing" ribs.

This recipe involved just mixing up and applying a rub the night before, adding some more before putting it on the Egg, and then I just cooked it indirect for about 5 hours.  I spritzed it with 50:50 bourbon and cider vinegar about every hour as it suggested, and then in the last hour brushed on the "Bour-BQ" bourbon BBQ sauce, and also had that on the side.  And the sauce was easy: saute onions in butter and oil, add bourbon, ketchup, cider vinegar, orange juice, maple syrup, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, simmer till it thickens.

I've heard people talking up Smoke & Spice as one of the best general BBQ cookbooks out there, and I think I just discovered why.  I thought this was wonderful, and I'm looking forward to trying some more recipes from it!

cool ... so this recipe was from the book Smoke & Spice .. I'l have to check it out. Thanks for the explanation, that sounds like my type of recipe. 

UncleFred

Here is the recipe, straight from the book:

Bourbon-Glazed Ribs

This Kentucky-inspired recipe is our personal favorite for “wet” spareribs. They’re finished at the end with a mellow glaze that also serves as a table sauce. SERVES 6
 
BARBECUED RIB RUB
1/3    cup freshly ground black pepper
1/4    cup paprika
2    tablespoons sugar
1    tablespoon kosher salt or coarse sea salt
1    tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2      teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2      teaspoons onion powder
      
3 full slabs pork spareribs, “St. Louis cut” (trimmed of the chine bone and brisket flap), preferably 3 pounds each or less

BOURBON MOP (OPTIONAL)
3/4    cup bourbon
3/4    cup cider vinegar                               
1/2    cup water


BOUR-B-Q SAUCE
1/4    cup unsalted butter
1/4    cup vegetable oil
2    medium onions, minced
3/4    cup bourbon
2/3    cup ketchup
1/2    cup cider vinegar
1/2    cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2    cup pure maple syrup
1/3    cup molasses
2    tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2    teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2    teaspoon table salt

The night before you plan to barbecue, combine the rub ingredients in a bowl. Apply
about half of the rub evenly to the ribs. Place the slabs in a plastic bag and refrigerate them overnight.

Before you begin, take the ribs from the refrigerator. Pat them down with the remaining rub. Let sit at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.

Prepare the smoker for barbecuing, bringing the temperature to 200°F to 220°F.

If you plan to baste the meat, mix the mop ingredients and warm the mixture over low heat.

Transfer the meat to the smoker. Cook the ribs for about 4 hours, turning and mopping them every 1½ hours in a wood-burning pit, or as appropriate in your style of smoker.

Prepare the sauce so that it is ready to apply approximately 45 minutes before the meat is done. In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to turn golden. Add the remaining ingredients, reduce the heat to low, and cook until thickened, approximately 40 minutes, stirring frequently.

Brush the ribs with sauce once or twice in the last 45 minutes of cooking. Return the remaining sauce to the stove and simmer until reduced by one-third, 15 to 20 minutes.

When the slabs are ready, the meat will bend easily between the ribs, and the sauce will be gooey and sticky. Allow the slabs to sit for 10 minutes before slicing them into individual ribs. Serve with the reduced sauce on the side.
 

BBQ tip
The preferred size of spareribs for barbecuing is “3 and down,” meaning 3 pounds or smaller, a variable that depends on the weight of the pig when butchered. Don’t fret if all you can find are larger slabs, but do smoke them a little longer.
 
SERVING SUGGESTION
We like these ribs best with a simple salad