Maple Bourbon Glazed Short Ribs (Print)

Fall-off-the-bone beef ribs in a rich maple-bourbon glaze with tender vegetables and aromatic seasonings.

# What You 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
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.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides until well browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
04 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
05 - Add tomato paste and stir for 1–2 minutes. Deglaze the pot with bourbon, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. 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 to a simmer.
07 - Return the short ribs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce and vegetables.
08 - Cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2.5–3 hours or until the meat is fork-tender.
09 - Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes to allow the glaze to thicken and caramelize.
10 - Remove the ribs from the pot and set aside, covered. Skim excess fat from the sauce and simmer on the stovetop to thicken further if desired.
11 - Serve ribs drizzled generously with the maple-bourbon glaze and garnished with fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The maple bourbon glaze creates this sticky finger licking situation that somehow manages to be both sophisticated and utterly comforting
  • Most of the cooking happens hands off in the oven leaving you free to handle side dishes or just relax with a glass of wine
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to really settle in and become friends
02 -
  • Do not rush the searing step properly browned meat is where most of the deep flavor develops
  • Let the ribs rest for at least 10 minutes after cooking so the juices redistribute back into the meat
  • The sauce will look thin when it first goes in the oven but it will concentrate beautifully during braising
03 -
  • If your sauce seems too thin after braising remove the ribs and simmer it on the stove until it coats the back of a spoon
  • A splash of apple juice with a drop of liquid smoke works beautifully as a non alcoholic substitute for bourbon

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