The BEST Glaze for Ribs....EVER!

The first time I ever ordered ribs in a restaurant, it was TGIFriday's and I chose the ones with the Jack Daniels glaze.  (Don't ever mistake the sauce for the glaze.  I'm hear to tell you that the sauce doesn't compare!)  I've had them several times over the years and every single time I think they are the very best I've ever had!  I dearly love that glaze.

I had never cooked ribs at home until about a year or so ago.  I knew that none could compare to Friday's but I was willing to try.  ; ) I Googled and searched and finally came up with a copycat recipe for that oh so delicious Jack Daniels glaze!  I am pleased to say that this is some of the most amazing stuff I've ever eaten!  And it doesn't contain even one drop of Jack Daniels.  LOL!  That's not exactly something I keep on hand and I wasn't about to go out and buy a whole bottle just to make this.  And you know how I am with recipes...they're only suggestions, you know. ; )  I....um....improvised, shall we say?  This is what I came up with and it works splendidly! Hope you'll give it a try.




Jack Daniels Copycat Glaze  <---click here for printable version
 
*First of all, drain 1 can of crushed pineapple, saving juice.  Press the pineapple to get as much of the juice as possible.  Add enough water to make 1 cup.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of the pineapple to use in this recipe and use the rest to make a nice pineapple upside down cake for dessert.  ; )

1 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 1/3 cups brown sugar (light or dark)
a sprinkle of garlic powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced onions
2 tablespoons crushed pineapple
1/4 teaspoon dried, crushed peppers

 In small saucepan combine pineapple juice, teriyaki, soy and brown sugar.  Whisk together and cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, add remaining ingredients, combine well and allow to simmer until reduced to a thick glaze.  This can take as long as an hour and a half.  Just watch the progress and stir it occasionally until it reaches the desired consistency.

Spoon or brush some of the glaze over cooked ribs or pork loin.  Use remainder for dipping.

~ The original recipe was a bit more complicated and I'm all about simplicity.

It called for roasting your own fresh garlic and I see no reason for

going to that much trouble when garlic powder does just as well. ~

~This glaze is so rich that you really need to use very little.

I nearly had a cow when I saw the tiny cup they brought with my ribs

at Friday's!  Then I tasted it and realized it takes very little

for a whole lot of flavor. ~

~As for how to prepare the meat on which you'll serve this glaze,

my best advice is to keep it simple.

I use a small amount of our favorite rub on my ribs,

wrap them in foil and put them in the oven 

to cook slowly over the course of 3 or 4 hours.  

Then I throw them on the grill just long enough to get that

lovely, smoky, hot-off-the-grill flavor.

Brush on the glaze and transfer from the grill to a serving platter. ~