Maple Bourbon Braised Short Ribs
The title of these maple bourbon braised short ribs says it all. Meaty short ribs are braised in a brew of bourbon, maple syrup, beef broth, tomato paste, and herbs until amazingly tender.
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
Calories: 680kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 679mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g