Smoked Pork Ribs with Bourbon Peach Glaze

Description

Baby back ribs are slow-smoked until tender then brushed with a sweet bourbon-peach glaze using June stone fruit. Combining trending BBQ techniques with seasonal ingredients, this dish delivers smoky depth balanced by fruity tang. Practical for outdoor cooking and yields fall-off-the-bone results.

Cultural Background

Barbecued ribs emerged as a 20th-century American innovation driven by industrial meatpacking and commercial barbecue stands rather than earlier Southern plantation traditions. Smoking techniques trace back to Indigenous Caribbean and Native American practices of slow-cooking meat over indirect heat on wooden platforms, later adapted by European settlers and enslaved Africans who brought seasoning and preservation methods. Southern BBQ culture, especially Memphis-style dry rubs and wet sauced ribs, popularized pork ribs as a staple, evolving from whole-hog barbecues into regional specialties emphasizing low-and-slow smoking.

Recipe Info

PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 4 hours 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 5 hours
SERVINGS: 4
DIFFICULTY: Medium

Ingredients

• 2 racks baby back pork ribs (about 4-5 pounds total)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard (for binder)
• 2 large ripe peaches, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Apple juice or apple cider (for spritzing and wrapping, about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for wrapping)
• Wood chips or pellets: apple or hickory

Instructions

1. Remove the membrane from the back of each rack of ribs using a paper towel for grip, then pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
2. Mix the brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl to create the dry rub.
3. Lightly coat both sides of the ribs with yellow mustard as a binder, then generously apply the dry rub to all sides, pressing it in; let the ribs sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes while you preheat the smoker.
4. Preheat a smoker to 250°F using indirect heat and add apple or hickory wood for smoke; place the ribs meat-side up on the grates and smoke uncovered for 3 hours, spritzing with apple juice every hour after the first hour to maintain moisture.
5. After 3 hours, remove the ribs and place each rack on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil; add a few pats of butter and a splash of apple juice or cider to each, then wrap tightly and return to the smoker for 1 hour.
6. While the ribs wrap, prepare the glaze by combining the diced peaches, bourbon, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and cayenne in a saucepan over medium heat; simmer for 10-15 minutes until the peaches break down and the mixture thickens slightly, then blend or mash to a smooth consistency and set aside.
7. After the wrap stage, carefully unwrap the ribs, brush both sides generously with the bourbon peach glaze, and return them to the smoker unwrapped for 30 minutes at 250°F, basting once more halfway through until the glaze is sticky and caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 195-205°F.
8. Remove the ribs from the smoker, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing between the bones to serve.

Tips

- Use a reliable meat thermometer to monitor internal temperature rather than relying solely on time, as rib thickness varies.
- Avoid over-wrapping or using too much liquid in the foil to prevent the bark from becoming soggy.
- Substitute fresh peaches with high-quality peach preserves if stone fruit is unavailable, adjusting sugar downward by 1-2 tablespoons.

Nutrition

Calories: 620
Protein: 42g
Carbs: 28g
Fat: 38g

Tags

Meat dish