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Flavorful Smoked Maple Bourbon Glazed Baby Back Ribs

smoked maple bourbon glazed baby back ribs - featured image
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These baby back ribs are slow-smoked and glazed with a sweet and smoky maple bourbon sauce, delivering tender, melt-off-the-bone meat with a perfect balance of flavors.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 racks baby back ribs (about 2.5 to 3 pounds)
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup (120 ml)
  • ¼ cup bourbon (60 ml)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar (50 g)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (30 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (7 g)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder (3 g)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder (3 g)
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher or sea salt (9 g)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (2 g)
  • Hickory or applewood wood chips for smoking

Instructions

  1. Rinse the baby back ribs and pat dry. Remove the silver membrane from the bone side using a sharp knife.
  2. In a small bowl, mix smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and brown sugar to create a dry rub.
  3. Rub the dry mix evenly over both sides of the ribs. Let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes if possible.
  4. In a saucepan over low heat, combine maple syrup, bourbon, and apple cider vinegar. Stir until brown sugar dissolves and glaze thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  5. Preheat smoker or grill to 225°F (107°C). Add wood chips for smoke flavor.
  6. Place ribs bone-side down on smoker rack. Smoke for about 90 minutes, maintaining steady smoke and avoiding flare-ups.
  7. Remove ribs and place on aluminum foil. Brush generously with maple bourbon glaze, then wrap tightly. Return to smoker for 30 minutes to steam and absorb glaze.
  8. Unwrap ribs carefully. Place back on smoker or grill rack, glaze again, and smoke uncovered for 15 minutes to caramelize glaze.
  9. Let ribs rest for 10 minutes before cutting between bones and serving.

Notes

Remove the membrane for tenderness. Use dry, seasoned wood chips to avoid bitter smoke. Apply glaze only during the last 45 minutes to prevent burning. Let ribs rest before serving for juicy results. If no smoker is available, bake ribs wrapped in foil at 275°F (135°C) for 2.5 hours and finish under broiler with glaze.

Nutrition

Keywords: baby back ribs, smoked ribs, maple bourbon glaze, barbecue, smoked paprika, bourbon ribs, backyard cookout, slow smoked ribs

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