Honey Bourbon BBQ Ribs Recipe
Sticky fingers, messy faces, and wonderful smiles were had the day we pulled these honey bourbon BBQ ribs from the oven. Made with our own homemade specialty bbq sauce, these ribs were hit with all the adults. The kids, however … not so much. It was a bit too spicy for them. Instead, we reserved one dry rack of ribs just for them and all was well.
How to Prep Ribs
We purchased fresh ribs from our local butcher. For these sticky ribs, you will want to get them started in the oven right away. Then, after they are going, you will have more than enough time to sip on a bourbon over ice while you make the honey bourbon bbq sauce.
To prepare the ribs, pat them dry with a paper towel and remove the membrane on the back. This is easily done with a knife to separate one corner. Then, using your bare fingers or a paper towel to assist in gripping the corner, peel it back so that the membrane comes off.
After removing the membrane, use a dry rub and thoroughly coat the ribs on both sides so that it looks something like this. Notice how they are sitting on aluminum foil? This is important for a step coming up.
What Temp For Ribs
Baking ribs in the oven is best done at 225 degrees. I do recommend using an oven thermometer. For some reason, my oven is running significantly cool. I don’t know if it a function of a dirty thermometer or if it is slowly dying, but either way, with an oven thermometer, I can hit the temperature I need regardless. Here’s an affiliate link to one am Amazon if you aren’t familiar with them: http://amzn.to/2nLqkjs
How Long to Cook Ribs
The total time should be between 4 and 5 hours. To keep them from drying out, I will do two rounds of apple juice in the tinfoil with the ribs. The first time, I just let the apple juice sit with the ribs as shown. Put them in the oven and make your Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce on the stove.
About halfway through the cook time (or whenever I think of it), I will pour more apple juice into the tinfoil and cover it with another sheet crimping the sides of the tinfoil together. By doing this, the ribs will get an outer crust and will then basically steam in the apple juice for a couple of hours to make them very tender.
When To Add BBQ Sauce To Ribs
At approximately the four hour mark, I will pull the ribs from the oven and check to see if they are done baking. If they can be easily poked with a fork, they are done. If the seem to need a little more cooking, go ahead and give them some additional time.
Once they are cooked and fork-tender, take your honey bourbon bbq sauce and coat the ribs using a spoon or a brush.
Place the ribs on your grill or broil to caramelize the sauce and serve.
15 minPrep Time
4 minCook Time
19 minTotal Time
Yields 2 racks of ribs
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 Racks Ribs
- Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce (Recipe linked)
- Apple Juice
- Dry Rub
Instructions
- Pat dry ribs with a paper towel.
- Remove membrane
- Rub with dry rub.
- Bake at 225 for 2 hours.
- Pour apple juice into tinfoil and wrap ribs, bake for an additional 2-3 hours until easily poked with a fork.
- Coat with Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce and broil or grill to carmelize sauce.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
If you like these ribs, make sure to check out our other rib recipes like our:
Our favorite grilling and smoking recipes are:
- Grilled BBQ Pizza Using Naan Crust
- How to Smoke a Turkey on a Traeger
- Grilled Pheasant Poppers
- Smoked Baked Beans
- Cast Iron Grilled Chicken
- Beer Can Chicken
- Chicken Wing Recipe for the Grill
