Maple Bourbon Smoked Ribs
On August 01, 2023 (Updated September 27, 2024)
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Maple bourbon smoked ribs are simply bursting with flavor. They’re slow-smoked, braised with a maple bourbon marinade, and then glazed with a sinful maple bourbon glaze.
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 tightly wrapping these 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.
Ingredients for Maple Bourbon Ribs
Ready to make yourself some of these delectable ribs? Here’s what you’ll need to make these ribs.
- 2 racks of baby back ribs
- 4 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub or Hey Grill Hey Rib Rub
- 1 cup Maple Bourbon Grilling Glaze
The foiling liquid contains the following 4 ingredients:
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 8 Tablespoons butter
Sweet Rub, Rib Rub, and Maple Bourbon Grilling Glaze can all be purchased from the Hey Grill Hey Store. If you don’t have any of these on hand, you can make them from scratch using the following recipes on my website:
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.
- Get your smoker running. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F with your favorite wood. I like using fruit woods with my ribs.
- Season your ribs. Once you remove the membrane from your baby back ribs, season them with some of my delicious Sweet Rub. Rib Rub is also amazing on these ribs, so feel free to try them both and choose your favorite!
- Get smoking! Put your seasoned ribs on the smoker and smoke them for 3 hours.
- Wrap in foil. Lay out two sheets of heavy-duty foil. Put butter and brown sugar on each sheet of foil. Remove the ribs from the smoker, and lay one rack, meat side down, on each sheet of foil. Fold up all 4 sides to create a bowl.
- Add some flavor! Add maple syrup, bourbon, and more butter to the 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.
- Smoke again. Place the ribs back on the smoker and smoke for an additional 2 hours.
- Glaze. Remove ribs from the foil, and baste with the maple bourbon glaze.
- 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. Remove from the smoker, rest for 5 minutes, and enjoy.
More Smoked 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:
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 Instagram, YouTube, or our Facebook Page.
This post was originally published in July 2019. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
Maple Bourbon Smoked Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back ribs
- 4 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub recipe link in notes
- 1 cup Maple Bourbon Grilling Glaze recipe link in notes
Foiling Liquid
- ½ cup bourbon
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 8 Tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat. Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F.
- Prep and season. Remove the membrane from the ribs and season on both sides with Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub (you can buy this from the Hey Grill Hey Store, or make your own using the recipe linked in the notes section below).
- Smoke. Place the seasoned ribs on the smoker and close the lid. Smoke the ribs for 3 hours.
- Prepare the braise. Lay out two sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil side by side on a large work surface. Put 2 Tablespoons of butter on each sheet of foil. Sprinkle each with 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar.
- Make the braise. Remove the ribs from the smoker, and 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.
- Seal and continue smoking. 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 the smoker and continue to smoke for 2 more hours.
- Glaze. Remove the ribs from the foil. Return them to the smoker and baste them with the Maple Bourbon Grilling Glaze. Close the lid and smoke for additional 30-60 minutes or until the sauce is set and the ribs are tender.
- Rest and serve. Remove the ribs from the smoker and rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Purchase it from the store HERE: Sweet Rub
- Make it from scratch using this RECIPE: Best Sweet Rub Recipe
Rib Rub
- Purchase it from the store HERE: Rib Rub
- Make it from scratch using this RECIPE: Best Dry Rub for Ribs
Maple Bourbon Grilling Glaze
- Purchase it from the store HERE: Maple Bourbon Grilling Glaze
- Make it from scratch using this RECIPE: Maple Bourbon Glaze
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just saw this recipe I‘be made these before but I use Jim Beam Maple bourbon It just enhances the flavor even more
Took ribs out of foil and they were already falling apart and a bit soggy. Weird. Should I have checked on them during the wrap?
Fanastic! My In-laws bought my Husband a smoker for his birthday and I made these for his birthday supper. Everyone loved them. The sticky maple glaze is the bomb!
Question. After you tighten up the foil with the liquid and cook for 2 more hours. Are you cooking with meat side down ???
Yes. Meat side down in the foil!
Does the bourbon take over the taste of the ribs. Someone suggested I burn the alcohol out before adding to ribs. Do you think this is necessary, as much as I love bourbon I want to make sure it’s not just whiskey I taste.
It’s not overpowering at all! The alcohol will boil out of the glaze while you’re simmering for 15-20 minutes and if there’s any left, it’ll definitely be gone by the time the glaze set on the ribs!
Just curious. Instead of foil, would butcher paper work?
It can! Sometimes it can be hard to keep the paper from soaking up all of your liquid though.
What brand of bourbon do you recommend?
cant wait to try this recipe. All of yours that I’ve tried had been absolutely perfect. Thank you for sharing!
These ribs are the best ones I have ever ate or cooked. I have used several of your recipes and they are all amazing. I am in the process of making two of these amazing tasting racks as we speak. Well worth the time invested to make them. Thank you for sharing all the recipes and info with everyone.
OH MY DANG! seriously the best ribs ever! The combination of bourbon with maple compliments the pork so well! I don’t want to share these I want to keep
Them all to myself with a side of the glaze to dip the meat in. Yummmmmmmm
Thanks Susie this recipe knocked it our of the park!
I’m so glad you like them Heather!