These maple bourbon-braised short ribs are sorta like candy. Yep, they’re that sweet. Not that we’re complaining. Just saying, be prepared for dessert and dinner in one lovely mashup. The author serves these alongside mashed sweet potatoes, which is lovely…although any mash would be lovely served alongside to soak up the short rib awesomeness.
Maple Bourbon Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
For the braised short ribs
- 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 1/2 cups store-bought or homemade beef broth or homemade vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
For the glaze (optional)
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the braised short ribs
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Pat the short ribs dry and season them generously with salt and pepper. In a 5-quart (4.7-l) Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Working in batches, add the short ribs and sear until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and let the Dutch oven cool ever so slightly. Leave all that glorious mess of oil and drippings from searing the ribs in the Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the bourbon and maple syrup and cook until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the broth, rosemary, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Nestle the short ribs in the sauce. The ribs should be almost completely covered with liquid; if necessary, add a little more broth or water (about 1/2 cup) to cover the ribs.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cover, transfer to the oven, and cook, stirring every 45 minutes, until the ribs are very tender, 2 to 3 hours. Transfer the ribs to a serving platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil and let them rest for at least 10 minutes.
Make the glaze (optional)
- In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the maple syrup and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until reduced to a thick glaze, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve
- Uncover the ribs. There may be some congealed fat on top of the ribs, which can be scooped off before serving. Divvy the ribs among plates and drizzle the glaze, if using, over the ribs. Serve right away.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This braised short ribs recipe was a roaring success! The sweetness of the maple and bourbon permeated the tender meat, making every bite succulent and delicious.
Like most braised dishes, these short ribs were even better the next day. The glaze was a nice touch but wasn’t really necessary as the meat was so rich and flavorful on its own.
I served it with chipotle mashed sweet potatoes to add some heat to the plate and roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and balsamic vinegar. It was a perfect pairing!
The recipe worked perfectly and had well-written, clear instructions. My only quibble is that there was a lot of grease on top of the dish that needed to be spooned off before serving. However, I made it a day ahead of time, and after a night in the fridge, the solidified fat was easy to remove.
This is easily my favorite recipe that I’ve had the pleasure to test so far—rich beef flavor and a fragrant, tangy-sweet sauce. I used an excellent single-grain Ontario rye whisky, which has been described as having a “feistiness of flavor” that I find appealing.
The recipe was simple and yielded fantastic results that left us all wanting more. I used just over 3 pounds of bone-in short ribs, and it made enough for 3 people when served with skillet potatoes and charred broccolini.
I gave the ribs a nice sear—about 3 minutes per side—and used roasted garlic I had prepared earlier in the week. The sauce was just about enough to cover the meat; I only needed to add another 1/4 cup of water.
The ribs were cooked to a perfect texture after 2 hours. I also added a little whisky to the glaze for extra flavor, and next time, I’ll definitely make more of the glaze—it was so good!
WOW! This braised short ribs recipe produced the best short ribs I’ve made in a long time. The ribs were tender and juicy, with little fuss in the making. After 2 hours in the oven, they were done to perfection—no additional broth or water needed.
I remembered to stir once, then forgot the rest of the time, but no harm done as nothing stuck to the pan. The glaze was quick to make, taking just 6 or 7 minutes, and then we were ready to serve.
I paired the ribs with mashed sweet potatoes, and they were the perfect accompaniment. The sweet potatoes were simply mashed with salt, pepper, and butter, so they didn’t compete with the flavor of the ribs. My tasters noted that the ribs weren’t overly sweet, even with the amount of maple syrup in the recipe and glaze.
The bourbon added a light, subtle note to the dish. Next time, I might add a splash to the glaze to bring out more of its flavor. We served the meal with sautéed greens and iced tea for a complete and satisfying dinner.
A simple recipe with stellar results. I think these would work wonderfully with bone-in short ribs, and I suspect the glaze would also be fantastic on pork ribs.
This braised short ribs recipe with maple and bourbon takes two classic all-American flavors—bourbon and maple syrup—and combines them into a deeply flavorful sauce for short ribs. Since short ribs need to be cooked low and slow, there’s plenty of time for these flavors—plus onion, garlic, and rosemary—to sink deep into the meat.
Of course, the flip side is that the aromas fill the kitchen and make you want to snatch the ribs out of the oven long before they’re ready. This recipe is a good lesson in patience!
The preparation is pretty straightforward: searing the ribs on all sides, sautéing the onion and garlic, and then reducing the bourbon and maple mixture to concentrate the flavors. Everything—all in one pot (the ever-valuable Dutch oven)—goes into the oven to braise to perfection.
The trickiest part was making the glaze. If you cook it too long (as I did), it cools into candy. Tasty candy, no doubt, but definitely not a glaze. Keep an eye on it, and you’ll be rewarded with a luscious, sticky glaze that perfectly complements the tender ribs.
I’ve made a lot of short rib recipes over the years, but this braised short ribs with bourbon and maple recipe may now be at the top of the list! DO NOT skip the glaze! The slightly sweet and smoky flavor of the glaze perfectly finishes it all off.
It took a full 2 1/2 hours for my short ribs to become totally tender. I cooked them the day before serving, then cooled and refrigerated them overnight in the same Dutch oven I used for braising. The next day, I removed the hardened fat from the top and gently reheated everything for an hour before serving.
The liquid in the recipe was sufficient for the braising—I didn’t need to add more. I served the ribs over sweet potatoes as suggested, but they would also be amazing over mashed Yukon Gold potatoes or homemade noodles.
I don’t think we can wait for winter to make these again!
I was always intimidated to make short ribs but this recipe made it easy and resulted in an Incredibly delicious and tender dish. The combination of bourbon and honey made the short ribs sweet – but not too sweet – and the other ingredients only added to the richness. The recipe worked beautifully. The glaze could be an added bonus but I personally felt the ribs were sweet and delicious enough without it.
Alan, I’m thrilled the recipe helped you tackle short ribs with confidence! They can seem intimidating, but once you’ve nailed them—and clearly, you have—they become a go-to for show-stopping meals. I love that you found the balance of sweetness just right and that you enjoyed the ribs even without the glaze. Thanks so much for sharing your experience—it means the world!