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posted July 25, 2019

Maple Bourbon Smoked Ribs

Maple Bourbon Smoked Ribs are a delectable dinner that are simply bursting with flavor. They’re slow smoked, wrapped in Reynolds Wrap Foil, braised with a maple bourbon marinade, and glazed with a sinful maple bourbon glaze.

This post is sponsored by Reynolds Wrap®. All opinions are my own.

Smoked ribs topped with BBQ sauce and stacked on a cutting board.

Maple Bourbon Ribs

These maple bourbon ribs are completely and utterly irresistible. Don’t get me wrong, I like good, classic baby back ribs with a traditional BBQ sauce as much as the next person, but these ribs take everything to the next level. The secret to these ribs is the cooking process. Each step adds a new layer of flavor so by the time your ribs are ready to eat, you get to enjoy notes of smoke that are perfectly paired with sweetness and punch from the foiling liquid and glaze.

I love using Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Foil and tightly wrapping my ribs with liquid, sugar, and fat to push those flavor profiles deep into the meat. Braising this way creates an amazingly tender rib with notes of bourbon and maple in each bite.

Sliced smoked ribs piled up on a wood cutting board.

How to Smoke Maple Bourbon Ribs

These maple ribs aren’t hard to make, they just take a little time and a little bit of love. Follow the steps below, and you’ll be enjoying these sweet, scrumptious ribs soon:

  1. Get your smoker running. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F.
  2. Season your ribs. Once you remove the membrane from your baby back ribs, season them with some of my delicious Signature Sweet Rub. You can buy it from Patio Provisions, or make it at home using this recipe.
  3. Get smoking! Put your ribs on the smoker and smoke them for 3 hours.
  4. Wrap in Foil. Lay out two sheets of the wider, 18 inch size Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Foil. I prefer using Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Foil because it’s a heavier gauge than standard foil, so you don’t run the risk of your Foil tearing and all that delicious juice spilling out! Plus, it’s made in the USA. Put butter and brown sugar on each sheet of foil. Remove the ribs from the smoker, lay one rack, meat side down, on each sheet of Foil. Fold up all 4 sides to create a bowl.
  5. Add some flavor! Add maple syrup, bourbon, and more butter to ribs. Bring up the long sides of the foil, so the ends meet over the food. Double fold the ends and then roll until the foil is tight against the ribs. Double fold the two short ends to completely seal the ribs in the foil.
  6. Smoke some more. Place the ribs back on the smoker and smoke for an additional 2 hours.
  7. Glaze the ribs. Combine all ingredients for the glaze. Remove ribs from the Foil, and baste with the glaze.
  8. Finish up. Close the lid on your smoker and smoke for an additional 30-60 minutes or until the sauce is set and the ribs are tender.

Partially cooked rack of ribs, meat side down, on a sheet of heavy duty foil with maple syrup bring drizzled onto the rib bones.

More Ribs Recipes

Are you a rib fanatic? Do you like your ribs to be unique and packed with flavor? If so, check out more of my delicious smoked ribs recipes below:

Smoked Dr. Pepper Ribs
Apple Jalapeno Smoked Ribs
Crispy Sticky Smoked Spareribs

Maple Bourbon Smoked Ribs Recipe

This recipe was created to make your life easier, backyard griller! Here at Hey Grill Hey, we’re in the business of helping you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a backyard BBQ hero. You can find more of my smoking and grilling recipes here on my website (browse the Homepage for inspiration) on InstagramYouTube or our Facebook Page.

Maple Bourbon Smoked Ribs

Susie Bulloch (heygrillhey.com)
Maple Bourbon Smoked Ribs are a delectable dinner that are simply bursting with flavor. They're slow smoked, wrapped in Reynolds Wrap Foil, braised with a maple bourbon marinade, and glazed with a sinful maple bourbon glaze.
5 from 7 votes
Prep Time : 10 mins
Cook Time : 6 hrs
Total Time : 6 hrs 10 mins
Servings : 4
Calories : 875kcal

Ingredients
 

Foiling Liquid

  • ½ cup bourbon
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 8 Tablespoons butter

Maple Bourbon Glaze

  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup bourbon
  • 2 Tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Hey Grill Hey Signature Sweet Rub
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  • Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F.
  • Remover the membrane from the ribs and season on both sides with Hey Grill Hey Signature Sweet Rub.
  • Place ribs on smoker and smoke for 3 hours.
  • Lay out two sheets of 18-inch wide Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty foil side by side on a large work surface. Put 2 Tablespoons of butter on each sheet of foil. Sprinkle each with 1 Tablespoons of brown sugar.
  • Remove the ribs form the smoker, place them meat side down onto the butter and brown sugar. Fold up all 4 sides of the foil without crimping to create a bowl (this is going to hold in the foiling liquid).
  • Pour the maple syrup, bourbon and remaining butter onto the ribs.
  • Bring together the long sides of the foil, so the ends meet over the food. Fold the foil together and then roll until the foil is tight against the ribs. Double fold the two short ends to completely seal the ribs in the foil. Place them back on smoker for 2 more hours.
  • While your ribs are smoking, make the glaze. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 mins until the glaze reaches a syrupy consistency.
  • Remove the ribs from the foil. Return them to the smoker and baste them with the glaze. Close the lid and smoke for additional 30-60 minutes or until the sauce is set and ribs are tender.

Nutrition

Calories: 875kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 760mg | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 2.4mg
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