Maple Bourbon Glazed Short Ribs (Printable)

Tender beef ribs glazed with rich maple-bourbon sauce, slowly braised to perfection.

# 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

# Steps:

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 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
05 - Add tomato paste and stir for 1–2 minutes until darkened. Deglaze with bourbon, scraping up 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. Cover tightly with the lid.
08 - Transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2.5–3 hours until the meat is fork-tender and easily pulls away from the bone.
09 - Remove the lid for the final 30 minutes of cooking to allow the glaze to thicken and develop a rich caramelized finish.
10 - Remove the ribs and cover to keep warm. Skim excess fat from the sauce and simmer on the stovetop over medium heat until thickened 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 Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of maple and bourbon creates this incredible depth that feels fancy but comes together with mostly pantry staples
  • These ribs cook low and slow, meaning you can do the prep work and then just let the oven do its thing while you relax
  • The glaze thickens into this sticky, finger-licking sauce that you'll want to drizzle over everything
02 -
  • The searing step is not optional, that brown crust is where most of the flavor comes from
  • Don't rush the deglazing step, those browned bits on the bottom are pure gold
  • The sauce will seem thin when it goes in the oven but it thickens beautifully as it reduces
03 -
  • Room temperature ribs sear more evenly, so take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking
  • If the sauce isn't thick enough at the end, simmer it on the stove while the ribs rest

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