If you’re looking for a recipe that will WOW your guests every time (and your tastebuds) you’re in the right spot! This party ribs recipe is easy and can be customized a number of different ways. Want more sweet? Add sweet. Want it spicier? We can do that too.

In the recipe below I’ll show you how I do it, if you make any changes to it, leave me a comment and let me know.

Ingredients for a recipe on a wooden surface: a bottle of hot honey, a stick of butter, a cup of brown sugar, a measuring cup of yellow liquid, a small container of dark liquid, and another with various spices.

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Let’s Prep

First things first—get your hands on a full rack of baby back ribs or spare ribs. For this party ribs recipe, I like to slice the ribs into individual pieces right between the bones. These will be easy to serve and eat at any party or backyard BBQ. Trim up the ribs by removing any loose bones from the end, or hard fat that's attached to the meat.

Raw pork ribs for a party ribs recipe neatly arranged in a row on a wooden cutting board. The ribs are pink and marbled with fat, showcasing fresh and uncooked meat with visible bones. The wooden surface has a patterned grain.

Time to rub the ribs. Slather on a thin layer of yellow mustard to help the dry rub stick if needed, then coat them generously with your favorite bbq rub. I always make sure to hit all the sides of the ribs, ensuring every bite is packed with flavor.

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A gloved hand holding a strip of raw meat seasoned with a reddish spice blend, with more seasoned meat visible in a tray in the background.

Let’s Cook

Fire up your smoker and set it to 250°F. If you’re aiming for the best way to get tender, smoky ribs, low and slow is the way to go. Use wood chunks like hickory or applewood for that classic smoky flavor. Place the ribs directly on the grates, meat side up, and let them soak in that smoky goodness for 2 hours.

Keep an eye on them, though—if they start to look dry, spritz them with a mix of apple juice and apple cider vinegar.

A foil tray filled with glazed, grilled pork ribs topped with pats of butter and sprinkled with brown sugar on a wooden table. The ribs are richly colored and glistening, suggesting a savory and sweet preparation.

After 2 hours, it’s time for the foil wrap. Grab an aluminum pan, pour in ½ cup of bourbon, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 4 pats of butter, and cover it all tightly with heavy-duty foil.

Pop that pan back on the smoker for another hour. This step locks in moisture and takes your ribs from great to melt-in-your-mouth tender.

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While the ribs are doing their thing, it’s time to whip up the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, bourbon, hot honey, butter, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Bring it to a gentle boil, then let it simmer until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Be careful not to let it boil too hard—you don’t want burnt sugar!

Close-up of glazed barbecue ribs on a grill. The ribs are coated in a shiny, rich red sauce, and are placed in a row on the metal grill grate, suggesting theyre being cooked or smoked, with a few grill marks visible.

Let’s Eat

Once the ribs are tender, pull them from the foil and place them back on the smoker grates. Now comes the fun part—brush on that bourbon brown sugar glaze generously. I like to hit the top of the ribs a couple of times during the final 15-20 minutes to build up a nice bark.

The result? sticky, caramelized, juicy ribs that are downright irresistible.

Serve these ribs hot, with extra glaze on the side for dipping. Pair them with classic BBQ sides like coleslaw, cornbread, or baked beans. If you somehow end up with leftover ribs, store them in an airtight container in the fridge—they reheat beautifully.

A spoon lifts thick, brown caramel sauce from a metal pan. The sauce glistens and drips slightly from the spoon, with a golden sheen on its surface. The pan beneath is coated with a thin layer of the same caramel.

This party ribs recipe is hands down the best thing to serve at your next BBQ. The combination of smoky, sweet, and spicy flavors is unbeatable, and the cooking time is well worth the reward. Whether you’re a fan of St. Louis style ribs, baby backs, or individual ribs, this recipe has you covered.

So grab your smoker, some extra paper towels, and get cooking—because these ribs are the real deal!

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A plate of glazed ribs on a blue and white patterned plate with a bottle of whiskey in the background, set on a wooden table.

Bourbon Brown Sugar Party Ribs

Sweet and Saucy!

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 3

Total Time: 3 15

Servings:

Calories: 755kcal

Ingredients

1 Baby Back Ribs full rack sliced by the bone
1 Cup Brown Sugar Packed
⅓ Cup Bourbon
½ Cup Hot Honey
8 tablespoon Butter
3 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions

Preheat smoker to 250F
Prepare ribs, trim any loose bones on the ends and remove any hard fat. Slice each rib in between the bones and season liberally with your favorite BBQ Rub
Place each rib on the smoker and close lid to cook for 2 hours. Check them after 45 minutes to see if they are dry and need a water spritz.
After 2 hours, place ribs in an aluminum pan with ½C Bourbon, 4 tablespoon Butter, 2 tablespoon Brown Sugar, cover tightly with foil and place back in smoker for 1 hour.
In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, bourbon, honey, butter, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar and blend the ingredients.
Reduce the heat to low and let the glaze simmer for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Be careful not to let it boil too hard, as the sugars can burn.
Taste the glaze and adjust the heat or sweetness as needed. For more heat, add a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes; for more sweetness, add a drizzle of honey.
Remove the glaze from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. It will thicken more as it cools.
Remove ribs from foil pan, and place directly on grill grates. Brush the ribs with the bourbon brown sugar glaze on all sides and place back in the closed smoker for 5 minutes to glaze.
During the final 15-20 minutes of smoking your baby back ribs, brush the glaze generously over the ribs. Repeat 1-2 times for a sticky, caramelized finish.
Warm any leftover glaze to serve on the side for dipping or drizzling over ribs

Nutrition

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Table of Contents

Let’s Prep

Let’s Cook