Hickory-Smoked Pork Ribs with Maple-Bourbon Glaze

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender pork ribs slow-smoked over hickory wood, finished with a sweet and tangy maple-bourbon glaze that caramelizes beautifully. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 315 minutes, pairs pork ribs, hickory wood chips, kosher salt for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 550 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 300 min Serves 4 American cuisine 550 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 225°F using hickory wood chips (2 cups) for smoke flavor. Meanwhile, mix 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 2 tbsp brown sugar in a small bowl to create a dry rub.
  2. Step 2: Pat dry 3 lbs pork ribs and evenly coat both sides with the dry rub mixture. Place ribs bone-side down on the smoker grate, close the lid, and smoke for 4 hours until the meat starts to pull back from the bones and is tender.
  3. Step 3: While ribs smoke, prepare the glaze by combining 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 2 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes until slightly thickened and fragrant.
  4. Step 4: After 4 hours, brush the maple-bourbon glaze generously over both sides of the ribs. Continue smoking for 1 hour more, basting every 20 minutes, until the glaze is sticky and caramelized.

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