Recipe: Maple-bourbon ribs

Total time: 2 hours

Servings: 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 sweet onion (such as Vidalia), half minced, half sliced

2 jalapeños, seeded and minced

1/4cup bourbon or rum

1/2cup ketchup

1/2cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon coarse-grain mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4cup pure Vermont maple syrup

Salt and pepper to taste

1 bunch fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

4 pounds baby back ribs, fat trimmed, membrane removed

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced onion and jalapeños and sauté, stirring, until soft and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the bourbon (or rum) and cook 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Add the ketchup, vinegar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and mix well, then add the maple syrup. Simmer, stirring often, for 30 minutes, until the flavors have blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. While the sauce is simmering, put water in a large steamer or a roasting pan with a rack. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaves and sliced onion and bring to a simmer. Lay the ribs on the rack over the simmering water. Cover and steam 30 minutes. Transfer to a shallow dish and pour the hot sauce over. Let stand 15 minutes.

3. Heat the grill until smoking. Brush excess sauce off the ribs. Grill, basting lightly with sauce, until done, turning often to keep from charring too much, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Each serving: 830 calories; 35 grams protein; 54 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 49 grams fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 167 mg. cholesterol; 610 mg. sodium.