RECIPE: Denver Ribs with Gin & Juice BBQ Sauce
The juniper in gin complements the natural flavor of venison, while the warm and earthy spices paired with a sweet and tangy BBQ Sauce come together for a symphony of flavor. It’s a pairing that will send your taste buds to new levels of deliciousness.
Mark Cockcroft
Ingredients
- 2 packs Maui Nui Venison Denver ribs
- 1/4 cup gin
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 2 tsp fine sea salt, plus additional as needed
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or sunflower), divided
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 275°
In a small bowl, mix together the coriander, black pepper, rosemary, allspice, and salt.
Using a paper towel, pull off the thin membrane on the back/bone side of the ribs (a small pairing knife helps get a starting point to grip). Rub the ribs with 1 Tbsp oil and then sprinkle all over with the spice mix.
Place ribs on a baking sheet and cover tightly with foil. Cook in the oven for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until tender but not completely falling off the bone.
Meanwhile, add the remaining Tbsp oil to a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic powder, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. Cook, often stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, often stirring, for 2 minutes or until slightly darkened.
Carefully add the juice, gin, honey, vinegar, and bay leaf. Stir to combine and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until reduced by about half and thickened to a nice syrupy consistency, whisking occasionally. Taste and add salt and a splash of vinegar as necessary – it should be a nice mix of sweet and tangy with notes of spice from the gin and aromatics. Remove bay leaf and set aside.
When the ribs are tender, remove the foil and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn it to broil with the rack about 6 inches from the element.
Brush the ribs all over with the bbq sauce (reserve at least 1/3 to drizzle at the table) and broil, meat side up, until the ribs and sauce are nice and bubbly with just a touch of caramelization.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. When you can safely handle them cut between the bones into individual ribs and arrange them on a platter.
Drizzle with the remaining sauce or pass it around at the table. If the sauce has cooled too much and has thickened up, just gently reheat it, adding a splash of water if necessary to loosen it up. Enjoy!