Baked Bourbon & Beer BBQ Pork Ribs – Thank Me Later

Just in time for the USA’s Independence Day – July 4th celebration, this Barbecue recipe is guaranteed to have your friends and family begging for more. Thank me later.

After my World Whisky Day 2020: Easy Brown Liquor Cocktails blog post on May 16, 2020, I got to thinking about the upcoming Memorial Day holiday in the USA and how I used to make my own Barbecue Sauce back in the ‘old days’. After scouring the internet, I found Jennifer Meyering’s Bourbon Stout BBQ Sauce recipe and tweaked it to my own fond memories.

Be warned, it’s a two-day process! The ribs need to marinate for two days and the sauce needs to fuse the flavors together for at least one day.

Look over this long list of ingredients, carefully, to make sure you have everything you need.

TWO DAYS PRIOR

Meat Ingredients

• 4-6 pounds of pork ribs
• 3 Tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar
• Marinade (we like Grill Mates Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade Mix; 1 pack per 2 pounds of ribs). Note: If making your own marinade, make enough to cover and drench the ribs.

Grill Mates Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade Mix

Meat instructions

• Cut ribs into smaller size (1-4 bones per cut)
• Use a large pot and add water enough to cover all ribs plus 3 Tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar
• Parboil for 10 minutes per pound (or until tender)
• Drain the water and fat then cover with cold water
• After cooling, skin the ribs by removing the membrane (silverskin)
• Prepare enough marinade to cover the ribs
• Refrigerate marinated ribs in sealed clear plastic bags for 2 days, turning over every morning and evening to work in the marinade thoroughly

Baked Bourbon & Beer BBQ Pork Ribs – ready to refrigerate

ONE DAY PRIOR

Sauce Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (we like Colavita Roasted Garlic)
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 bottle (14oz) ketchup (we like Heinz Ketchup)
• 3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce (we like Red Hot Original)
• 1 Tbsp ground paprika
• 1 Tbsp onion powder
• 3 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 1 bottle (12 oz) beer (we like Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale)
• 1 bottle (375ml) of bourbon (we used Wild Turkey 101)
• 2 Tbsp liquid smoke (we like Figaro Hickory Liquid Smoke)
• 1 cup of honey

I recommend purchasing 4 bottles of the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale as you’ll need one more bottle for cooking. In addition, the beer is delicious on its own.

Sauce Instructions

• In a large saucepan, heat both olive oils together over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring frequently until garlic is soft and fragrant.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
• Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and let cool completely. Transfer to glass jar, cover with plastic wrap, and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

ON THE DAY OF COOKING

Baking Instructions

• Set out ribs (still in plastic bags) until room temperature
• Pour 1 bottle (12 oz) beer (we like Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale) into the bottom of a pan with a rack
• Stack ribs on the rack
• Set oven to 350
• Bake ribs for 20 minutes
• Turn ribs over and put back in for another 20 minutes
• Cut ribs into smaller one bone pieces
• Baste ribs with Bourbon & Beer Sauce and turn over, every 10 minutes for another 20-30 minutes until tender

DONE!

The ribs will be tasty with just the Bourbon & Beer Sauce baste alone but they will be even better with the sauce on the side at the table!

Baked Bourbon & Beer BBQ Pork Ribs – finished and ready to eat

My two friends really enjoyed these ribs!

NOTE: If you have some leftover sauce, freeze it. It will retain its potent flavor even after a month and you can use it on any meat.

Let me know if you used this recipe or similar in the comments below.

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