Bourbon Honey Ribs

You don’t have to be a grill master to make perfect bourbon honey ribs because there is an easy, no-fuss technique that works every single time. And our homemade BBQ sauce will knock your oven-mitts off. It’s sweet, spicy and you’re going to want to slather it on everything! 
A tray with glazed ribs on it

(While we’re catching up on some site administration behind the scenes – and recovering from exhausting winter colds – we decided this bourbon honey ribs recipe from a few years back would be a great fit for any upcoming sporty-type television events. This was originally posted as a summer recipe, but since these ribs get cooked in your oven, you can make them every damn month of the year, rain or shine.)

Back when I was just a wee little sprout gazing through my window at New York City, I often wondered what life would be like if I lived in a house instead of an apartment. What it would be like to stand outside on a patch of earth and say “mine!” and know it was true.

Well, it took me a very (very) long time to get there but I finally got my little patch. The fact that it’s a dusty, hilly, weedy little patch covered with poison ivy and crab grass doesn’t dampen my enthusiasm one bit. Okay, maybe a little bit, but just you wait, in twenty or thirty years this yard will be… a tiny bit nicer (we work slowly).

One thing I’ve discovered since living in a house; standing on a deck with a cocktail in hand whilst some form of meat sizzles on a grill is one of life’s simple pleasures. Another thing I’ve discovered; it is nearly impossible to make meltingly tender ribs on a grill unless you are a grill master. (We are not Grill Masters. We are not even Grill Journeymen.)

A pile of ribs
This Spicy Bourbon-Honey BBQ Sauce is so good, I want it on everything.

Our secret tip

Luckily it turns out that you don’t have to be a grill master to make perfect ribs because there is an easy, no-fuss technique that works every single time. The secret? Cook them in the oven. Yup. It’s true. Ribs need to be cooked low and slow, preferably with some moisture involved and the oven is a perfect place to make that happen. Seriously, it’s like magic!

And speaking of magic. Oh em gee, this sauce. These might be the four most mouth-watering words in the English language; Spicy Bourbon-Honey Glaze. It’s like everything good in the world had a party, got on really well and decided to live together in peace and harmony in your mouth.

Adding apple juice to a foiled package of ribs
Make a packet out of foil, and add a little apple juice, seal it up and cook it at a low temperature for about 4 hours. (This may not be the last time you see a juice box in one of our photos. THEY’RE SO VERSATILE.)
Glazed ribs on a board
Glazed and ready for slicing.
Bourbon Honey Glazed Ribs
Make extra or your guests will get angry. I’m on their side.

While not the quickest process in the world, the bourbon honey ribs are so worth it. My suggestion is to make more than you think you’ll need because these go fast. They also make great leftovers (just heated up or use the pulled meat in sandwiches).

  • Myth-busters! Properly cooked ribs will not fall off the bone! That texture is usually the result of ribs that have been boiled or steamed (which robs them of flavor and results in mushy meat because water is a solvent). You don’t want your meat to be mushy, do you? I can see from your horrified face that you don’t. Well-cooked rib meat will pull cleanly off the bone when you bite it, but will still have a little bit of chew, like tender steak.
  • We made our own rub but you could use your favorite store-bought kind. Keep the rub free from meaty hands so you can store the leftovers and use it on chicken, pork shoulder or your next batch of ribs. The rub will last for about 6 months or so.
  • If you don’t have apple juice, you could use pineapple. Even water or stock would be okay.
  • We’ve had mixed results in removing the membrane from the back of the ribs. Sometimes it comes right off, sometimes not. Don’t stress if you can’t get it cleanly off. This video might help some.
  • If you want to make the ribs in advance, do the low and slow oven cooking, then refrigerate them. On the day you want to serve them, put them in a low oven (225ºF / 107ºC) for 20-30 minutes until they are warmed through and then follow the recipe for glazing.
  • You can glaze them in the oven or on a grill.
Bourbon Honey Glazed Ribs
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5 from 6 votes

Melt-in-your-mouth Bourbon-Honey Glazed Ribs

You don’t have to be a grill master to make perfect bourbon honey ribs because there is an easy, no-fuss technique that works every single time. And our homemade BBQ sauce will knock your oven-mitts off. It’s sweet, spicy and you’re going to want to slather it on everything! 
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time5 hours
Servings: 26 Ribs
Author: Emily Clifton – Nerds with Knives

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs pork baby back or spare ribs about 2 racks.
  • 8 oz apple juice
  • For the Dry Rub or use a good store-bought rub:
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • About 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • A tablespoon paprika
  • A tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • For the Bourbon-Honey Glaze BBQ Sauce
  • 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 cup bourbon + 1 tablespoon at the end
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang optional, though if omitting, you might want more hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark molasses
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Chili garlic sauce like sambal or Sriracha*
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • 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.
Tried this recipe?Mention @NerdsWithKnives or tag #nerdswithknives!

30 thoughts on “Bourbon Honey Ribs”

  1. Had these tonight. Used beef ribs so cooked them a little longer in the oven the day before. My husband and I loved them! Great recipe!

    Reply
  2. Made these for thanksgiving!!! Mind you it was my first attempt at making ribs. These came out awesome, and the sauce was to die for. My nephew could not stop eating them.

    Reply
  3. These ribs were very tasty, but your note about ribs not falling off the bone doesn’t jibe with the rest of the recipe. If you seal meat in a foil container with a bunch of liquid, you ARE steaming it. Which is why my ribs definitely were falling off the bone (which wasn’t so bad in the end, but still).

    Reply
  4. I made these ribs for a Talladega racing party and competition. A lot of other people tried to just throw their ribs on the grill and cook them that way mine were the hit of the party and I won the competition hands down the best ribs.

    Reply
    • Hi CJ, you could use store-bought dry rub, bottled sauce and water in place of the apple juice and the technique would still work great. We like to make our own so we can customize it to our taste but it’s totally up to you.

      Reply
  5. Seemed no fuss to me. I even added an extra ingredient! (Clutch the pearls!) I like things not too sweet so I cut the honey by half and replaced it with plum sauce. I guess I have a lot of ingredients at the ready. I like to make things my own.
    BTW, these ribs are “ bomb”!

    Reply
  6. 5 stars
    Made these for a family gathering. People ran out of superlatives trying to describe how delicious the ribs were. Even my 6-year old loved them (and I had been generous with the sriracha). So next time I’m trying to impress someone these ribs are back on the menu. Foolproof recipe, too.

    Reply
  7. 5 stars
    Trying these out for first time they are in the oven right now! Will let u know how they come out but sounds amazing we’ll see what the fam thinks! And if ur a cook or cook a lot u should pretty much have every ingredient on here on hand. If not then it’s a great time to buy them so u do! Honestly was super easy no fuss for me so far!

    Reply
    • I like the grill best but the broiler is a close second. The grill gives a nice char and, if charcoal, a little Smokey flavor. Hope you like them!

      Reply
  8. 5 stars
    I have now made these about 5 times and love love love them. Every step was thought out and we didn’t even know we lived ribs until this recipe. The grill does add a nice flavor however the broiler still makes them easy and no mess!!

    Reply
  9. 5 stars
    We made 10 lbs of these ribs for the 4th of July, and these were the best ribs we ever had! We had just gotten a bourbon-flavored honey and were looking for something to cook with it. I used Maker’s Mark for the bourbon and it was all delicious! We have some people who are very sensitive to spiciness, so we skipped the gochujang and only added a slight touch of sriracha until the flavors balanced out enough. I’d cook it again in a heartbeat when we have a reason to grill!

    Reply

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