Maple Bourbon Glazed Short Ribs (Printable version)
Tender beef ribs braised in sweet maple-bourbon glaze with vegetables, creating fall-off-the-bone meat with rich, smoky sweetness.
# 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 (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 well browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove ribs from pot and set aside.
04 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
05 - Add tomato paste, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to deepen flavor. 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 gentle simmer.
07 - Return the short ribs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce and vegetables, ensuring they are partially submerged.
08 - Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork-tender and pulls away from the bone easily.
09 - Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow the glaze to thicken and caramelize on top of the ribs.
10 - Remove ribs from pot and set aside, covered to keep warm. Skim excess fat from the sauce surface. Simmer sauce on stovetop over medium heat to thicken further if desired.
11 - Arrange ribs on serving platter and drizzle generously with the reduced maple-bourbon glaze. Garnish with fresh herbs such as parsley or thyme if desired.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The meat becomes so tender you barely need a knife
- The glaze strikes that perfect balance between sweet and smoky
- Most of the cooking happens hands-free in the oven
02 -
- Patting the ribs completely dry before searing is what creates that beautiful brown crust
- Letting the tomato paste cook until it darkens deepens the entire flavor profile
- The sauce may look thin before the final 30 minutes uncovered
03 -
- Buy the meatiest short ribs you can find
- Use real maple syrup, never pancake syrup