Father’s Day is coming up this weekend, which means it’s time to break out the grill and start gathering supplies for your backyard BBQ. Dad will most likely be craving something rich and meaty for Father’s Day dinner, and what perfect way to surprise him than with our Whiskey Glazed Baby Back Ribs. Whiskey has had a long standing history in Southern cooking and gives these baby back ribs a distinct depth of sweet and smokey flavor. This recipe is bold, explosive and simply unforgettable.
Although any whiskey will work well with this recipe, you’ll want to choose your booze wisely. To stay true to the Southern roots of this recipe, you can go with a Tennessee whiskey such as Jack Daniels. A bourbon whiskey such as Jim Beam White will also make a scrumptious choice.
Whiskey Glazed Baby Back Ribs
Yields: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours and 40 Minutes
Ingredients
For the ribs:
- 2 slabs of baby back ribs
- 1 tablespoon of coarse ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons of salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of onion powder
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of paprika
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of dried mustard seed
For the whiskey glaze:
- 1 cup of whiskey
- 1 cup of ketchup
- 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons of soy sauce
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Salt and pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line your baking sheet with foil and add a 1/2 cup of warm water. Fill it up halfway.
2. For the spice rub, combine the dry ingredients needed for the ribs in a large bowl. Rub this mixture generously onto the ribs.
3. Place the ribs onto the baking sheet bone side-down. Wrap the baking sheet in more foil, pinching both sides in the middle and drawing it upwards, creating a tent.
4. Bake the ribs for about 40 minutes.
5. While the ribs are baking, prepare the whiskey glaze. Combine the ingredients into a pot and stir liberally. Simmer the sauce over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. After the ribs have been baking for 40 minutes, remove them from the heat and cool them for 5 minutes.
7. Gently remove the foil from the baking sheet. Drain out any excess water at the bottom.
8. Use a basting brush to glaze the ribs with the whiskey glaze on both sides.
9. Place the ribs back in the oven and lower the temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat again. Add more glaze and return to the oven again.
10. Repeat step 9 a total of 3 times for a total time of 30 minutes.
11. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.