These bourbon peach ribs are a fun, freakin’ delicious twist on classic smoked BBQ ribs. Sweet peaches, spicy chipotle and the robust flavor of Pendleton Bourbon (all good things, am I right?) create an overwhelmingly flavorful rack of ribs that will be the hit at all your summer cookouts.
I’m so stoked any time I get to cook with Pendleton Whisky, since this tasty whisky brings an incredible depth to any BBQ dish. I’ve used Pendleton for my Smoked Party Ribs, Steak au Poivre and Hot Smoked Salmon, and much more. It never disappoints. This recipe isn’t any different. Pendleton Bourbon has notes of caramel, vanilla and rye, a fabulous blend that complements the sweet juiciness of the peach glaze perfectly. These bourbon peach ribs will absolutely up your BBQ game — hands down your next great cook!
Post sponsored by Pendleton Whisky
Why You’ll Love Bourbon Peach Ribs
The sticky-sweet flavor of these whisky glazed peach ribs is just off the charts. And here’s even more good news: you don’t need to wait until peach season to make this classic bourbon BBQ. I’m making the glaze with finely diced canned peaches and peach preserves, so we get peaches two ways in the flavorful sauce and gourmet ribs whenever we want. You can definitely make this fun recipe with fresh peaches too! Just didn’t want you holding out for the perfect moment to dive into these incredible ribs.
You’ll notice this recipe for bourbon peach ribs doesn’t have much of a classic crutch, since the glaze at the end makes up for it. We will crutch to preserve moisture in the ribs, but not to create any bark. We’ll also use a spritz throughout to keep the slabs of ribs nice and tender. The slow cook takes a while, but your favorite things in life are worth waiting for, right? It’s basically hands off, so make yourself a bourbon peach smash, kick back and let the delicious smells of peach bourbon BBQ sauce make your mouth water.
Want more recipes with peach notes? Check out my Peach Wings, Habanero Peach Smoked Ribs, and Smoked Chicken Thighs with Spicy Peach Glaze.
Bourbon Peach Ribs Ingredients
- Ribs: We’ll make these bourbon peach ribs with three racks of spare ribs. For the dry rub, I’m using my Cowboy Candy Seasoning. The jalapeño, sugar and vinegar flavors in this delicious rub were just made for these ribs.
- Spritz: To keep the ribs moist while we’re smoking, we’ll spritz them every 30-45 minutes. Grab some water and Pendleton Bourbon for your spritz.
- Bourbon Peach Glaze: This glaze is next level. You’ll need white sugar, brown sugar, peach jelly, canned peaches, more Pendleton Bourbon, chipotle hot sauce and apple cider vinegar.
Bourbon Peach Smash
If you’re looking for a freakin’ delicious drink that fits right in with the peach theme of your bourbon peach ribs, make a bourbon peach smash! Muddle about 1/2 cup diced peaches, a few mint leaves, and 1/2 ounce of simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Then, add two ounces of Pendleton Bourbon, 1/2 ounce lemon juice and a few ice cubes to the shaker. Shake the mixture for 15 seconds or so, then strain into a glass over more ice. Pour in some ginger beer or club soda to top it all off. Repeat for all your friends.
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How to Make Bourbon Peach Ribs
First step in this fabulous recipe: trim your three racks of pork ribs of any excess fat. Then, square off the ribs and carefully remove the membrane on the back of the ribs. Season thoroughly with 2-3 tablespoons Cowboy Candy Seasoning or your favorite seasoning blend.
Preheat your smoker for indirect cooking (around 225 degrees Fahrenheit). Add some wood chips or wood chunks to the smoker for extra flavor.
Once your smoker hits temp, place the ribs to the smoker on the indirect heat side. Cook for about 6-7 hours, or until the outside is a light ruby red color and the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees F.
Make sure to spritz the ribs — I’m using a mixture of 1.5 cups water and 2 ounces of Pendleton Bourbon — every 30-45 minutes.
About 30 minutes before the bourbon peach ribs are done, place a skillet over a medium-high heat fire. Add all the ingredients for the bourbon peach glaze — 1 cup white sugar, 1/4 brown sugar, 1/4 cup peach jelly, 1/8 cup finely diced canned peaches, 2 ounces Pendleton Bourbon, 2 tablespoons chipotle hot sauce and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar — to the skillet. Let the glaze simmer until thickened (about 10 minutes), making sure to stir frequently. Once done, pull off and let cool.
When the ribs have reached temp, remove them from the smoker. Carefully dip the ribs in the glaze and place back on the smoker at 275 degrees F. Cook the bourbon peach ribs for another 30 minutes, until they are caramelized on the outside but tender on the inside.
Once done the bourbon peach ribs are done, pull them off and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
What to Serve with Bourbon Peach Ribs
You can’t go wrong with classic BBQ sides for these bourbon peach ribs. Think coleslaw, cornbread (jalapeño cornbread, anyone?), corn on the cob, collard greens, macaroni and cheese or baked beans. And don’t forget a whisky drink to round out your dinner!
Leftovers and Reheating
If you’ve got leftover bourbon peach ribs, wrap them in aluminum foil or an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-5 days. A low, slow oven is the best way to reheat these juicy ribs so they don’t dry out. Place your leftover ribs on a baking sheet, cover tightly with heavy duty foil and reheat the wrapped ribs at 200-205 degrees. You’ll want some more of that peach glaze or your favorite BBQ sauce to top it all off!
More Ribs
FAQs
If you don’t want to use alcohol for the bourbon whisky peach glaze, you can substitute in apple juice, apple cider, or a little extra apple cider vinegar with some light brown sugar.
Sure! Baby back ribs usually have more meat on the top of the ribs than on the sides of the ribs. The bones are more curved and they come from the upper part of the pig’s back. I’m using spare ribs for the bourbon peach ribs, which are sometimes called St. Louis style ribs. These come from the belly of the pig and have more meat between the bones and fat between the ribs. You typically get more tender ribs with baby backs, but the flavor of spare ribs is awesome.
I definitely recommend it for better flavor and texture. But if you’re having a hard time and decide to spike this step for the bourbon peach ribs, don’t worry, the membrane won’t hurt you.
Here’s a quick overview of the best way to remove the membrane. First, flip your ribs so the bones are curled toward you. Then, use your fingers or a paring knife to slide under the membrane (also known as the silver skin) and lift it to remove that first piece from the bones. Finally, grab a paper towel and pull slowly but firmly across until you’ve removed the whole thing.
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Bourbon Peach Ribs
Ingredients
Ribs:
- 3 Racks of Spare Ribs
- 2-3 tbsp of Cowboy Candy Rub
Spritz:
- 1.5 cups Water
- 2 oz Pendleton Bourbon
Bourbon Peach Glaze:
- 1 cup White Sugar
- ¼ cup of Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup of Peach Jelly
- ⅛ cup Canned Peaches finely diced
- 2 oz Pendleton Bourbon
- 2 tbsp Chipotle Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Instructions
- Trim the pork ribs of any excess fat, square off the ribs and carefully remove the membrane on the back of the ribs.
- Season thoroughly with Cowboy Candy seasoning or your favorite bbq seasoning.
- Preheat your smoker for indirect cooking around 225F. Add some wood chips or wood chunks to the smoker for added flavor.
- Add the ribs to the smoker on the indirect heat side. Cook for about 6-7 hours or until the outside is a light ruby red color and 185F internal. Make sure to spritz the ribs every 30-45 minutes.
- About 30 minutes before the ribs are done, add a skillet over medium high fire. Add all the ingredients for the Bourbon Peach Glaze to the skillet and let simmer until thickened (about 10 minutes) making sure to stir frequently. Once done, pull off and let cool.
- When the ribs are done, pull them off. Carefully dip the ribs in the glaze and place back on the smoker at 275F. Cook the ribs for another 30 minutes until they are caramelized on the outside but tender on the inside.
- Once done, pull the ribs off and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
