Brown Sugar-Bourbon Barbecue Spareribs
 
Makes 6-8 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2½ teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
  • 2 (3-pound) racks pork spareribs, halved
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup bourbon
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ⅓ cup chopped green onion
  • ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ cup Creole mustard
  • 4 cloves garlic, grated
  • ½ teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Garnish: chopped green onion
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons salt, garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons black pepper.
  2. Pat ribs dry. Using a sharp knife, pierce thin membrane on back of ribs; peel off, and discard. Season ribs with salt mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
  3. Let ribs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 250°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
  5. Place ribs in an even layer on prepared pan; cover tightly with foil.
  6. Bake until ribs are tender but not falling apart, about 2 hours. Drain ribs, discarding any liquid.
  7. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring brown sugar, bourbon, ketchup, green onion, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, garlic, red pepper, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon black pepper to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 35 to 40 minutes.
  8. Heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush ribs with oil. Working in batches, cook ribs until grill marks form, 7 to 10 minutes, turning once and basting with brown sugar sauce. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onion, if desired. Serve with additional sauce.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/brown-sugar-bourbon-bbq-spareribs/