Chef Paul Nagan is the executive chef of range restaurant in Denver, Colorado. He graduated with honors in a culinary course at Johnson & Wales University. Nagan also has a Bachelors Degree in Economics & Business from Iowa’s Cornell College. His most notable accolades include winning the 2015 Chef & Brew Festival Best Pairing Award, as well as top finishes at the Colorado Taste of Excellence Competition and the National Taste of Elegance Competition of San Diego.
Chef Paul Nagan of Range Restaurant in Denver, Colorado
Chef Paul was allowed a lot of culinary creativity at range, so much so that he was able to identify it as his own style: New American West. He wanted to capture the essence of cooking in the West. Cooking techniques like smoking, grilling, roasting, pickling and preserving are quintessential to their menu and they source from Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West as much as possible.
We asked Chef Paul for a recipe he thinks best represents the summer season. He handed us his Smoked Bison Back Ribs with Root Beer BBQ Glaze recipe and told us that, “This recipe is versatile with meat and could be applied to pork or beef ribs, in case bison is hard to come by in your area. The Root Beer BBQ Glaze embodies everything we love about summer; sweet, sticky and smoky. This is the perfect main event for any backyard gathering and your friends will ask you to host all summer long. At range, we serve these ribs with crispy sweet potato steak fries and house pickled green tomatoes.”
How To Make Chef Paul Nagan’s Smoked Bison Back Ribs with Root Beer BBQ Glaze
Smoked Bison Back Ribs with Root Beer BBQ Glaze Recipe by Chef Paul Nagan
INGREDIENTS:
Ribs
2 racks bison back ribs
2 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. ground New Mexico chile
1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Root Beer BBQ Sauce
2 cups ketchup
1 cup tomato sauce
1 bottle local craft root beer
1 bottle ginger beer
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce of choice
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chile powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Place all rib spices in a small bowl and stir to combine.
2. Rub ribs liberally on both sides with spice mixture.
3. Wrap each rack individually in plastic wrap, then foil.
4. Place ribs in a 250 degree Fahrenheit oven for two and a half hours until ribs are tender, but not falling off the bone.
5. Once ribs are just tender, place ribs into an electric smoker on low setting (210-215 degrees Fahrenheit) for an additional hour and a half. Use hickory or apple wood for best results.
6. While ribs are cooking, prepare the Root Beer BBQ Sauce. Place all ingredients for BBQ sauce into heavy bottom pot and bring to a low boil.
7. Allow sauce to reduce over medium-low heat until it reaches a syrup consistency. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.
8. Once sauce is of the proper consistency, adjust seasoning if needed.
9. Once ribs are tender, remove from smoker and place onto a hot grill.
10. Spread sauce evenly over ribs, then close the grill to allow sauce to form a glaze from the heat. Serve on a platter with extra BBQ sauce on the side.
range is located at 918 17th Street, Denver, CO 80202
[mappress mapid=”218″]Nearby Landmarks: Magnolia Hotel Denver, 16th Street Mall, and Courtyard Dever Downtown
Phone Number: (720) 726-4800
Hours of Operation: Mon – Fri 06:30AM – 10:00 PM
Sat 07:00AM – 10:00PM
Sun 06:30AM – 09:00PM