Maple Bourbon Glazed Short Ribs (Printer-friendly)
Tender beef short ribs slow-cooked in a rich maple-bourbon glaze with vegetables and aromatics.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 3.3 lbs beef short ribs, bone-in
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 large yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
04 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
→ Glaze & Sauce
06 - 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
07 - 1/3 cup bourbon whiskey
08 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
09 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 2 cups beef stock
11 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
12 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
15 - 1 teaspoon salt
16 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F.
02 - Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper on all sides.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides until deeply browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from pot and set aside.
04 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes to deepen flavor. Pour in bourbon and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
06 - Stir in maple syrup, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and beef stock. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
07 - Return the short ribs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce and vegetables. Cover tightly with lid.
08 - Transfer to preheated oven and braise for 2.5 to 3 hours until meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone.
09 - Remove the lid for the final 30 minutes of cooking to allow the sauce to thicken and develop a caramelized finish.
10 - Remove ribs from pot and cover loosely to keep warm. Skim excess fat from sauce surface. Simmer sauce on stovetop over medium heat until reduced to desired consistency.
11 - Arrange ribs on serving plates and drizzle generously with the reduced maple-bourbon glaze. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The maple-bourbon glaze creates that sticky, finger-licking coating that makes restaurant ribs so addictive
- Braising transforms tough meat into something that falls apart at the mere suggestion of a fork
- Most of the cooking happens hands-off in the oven, leaving you free to ignore it completely
02 -
- Patting the meat completely dry before searing is the difference between browned crust and steamed gray meat
- Letting the braised meat rest for 10 minutes before serving keeps it juicy
- The sauce will seem thin when you first put it in the oven but concentrates beautifully
03 -
- Don't rush the sear step, those browned bits are flavor gold
- Check the ribs at 2.5 hours, smaller pieces cook faster than you expect