Bourbon BBQ Sauce
This smoky Bourbon BBQ Sauce is a tasty combination of sweet and spicy. Refrigerate it for a day or two before brushing on ribs, brisket or grilled chicken!
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A couple of weekends ago, we checked out a new smokehouse in the area. Whenever I go to a new smokehouse, I always order the brisket first. Brisket is an easy way to test the quality of the restaurant. Bad brisket? I won’t be back. Good brisket? I’m intrigued – tell me more.
My wife does the same except she orders ribs. Bad ribs? One and done. Good ribs? Let’s come back here!
No matter whether it’s brisket, ribs or another smoked meat, a good barbeque sauce is an absolute requirement. This place had an assortment of sauces, and one of them was a Bourbon BBQ Sauce. We like bourbon – in fact, our collection is ~600 bottles at last count. That’s not the point of this post, though. We also like barbecue sauce. Needless to say, we were all in on a barbecue sauce made with bourbon!
Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Making homemade BBQ sauce is really not that difficult. Seriously! It’s actually a bit surprising how easy it is to make a good barbeque sauce at home. This Bourbon BBQ Sauce only took ~45 minutes to make, and most of that time was letting it simmer on the stovetop.
One important rule about making homemade BBQ sauce is letting it rest. Like soups and stews, sauces get better over time. I made this Bourbon BBQ Sauce on a Thursday, and then we used it with ribs on the smoker the next day. On Day 1, the sauce was good, but you could still taste each individual ingredient. By Day 2 or 3? The flavors all meld together into something magical!
How to Make Homemade BBQ Sauce
If you have a saucepan, then you can make homemade BBQ sauce. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples. Add in a few other items like garlic, onions, jalapenos and a good glug of American whiskey, and that’s it.
The sauce simmers on the stovetop for a bit, and then it gets pressed through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the onions, garlic and jalapenos. Don’t worry – the solids get removed, but the flavor is still there! This Bourbon BBQ Sauce is a bit on the spicy side thanks to the jalapenos, but we felt like it was just the right amount of heat. Of course, you could reduce, eliminate or even add more (!) jalapenos to adjust the heat level.
Ingredients for Bourbon BBQ Sauce
- Bourbon Whiskey. No need to reach for the top-shelf or rare bottle of bourbon here. Go with a shelf staple instead. Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam and Jack Daniels are all solid options.
- Garlic and Onions. Adds flavor to the sauce. They get strained out after cooking.
- Jalapenos. Adds flavor and heat. 2 large jalapenos left us with a sauce that was spicy without being too insanely hot. Feel free to use less (or more) jalapenos based on your personal preferences.
- Ketchup. Most BBQ sauces are tomato-based. This version uses ketchup as a shortcut to cooking tomatoes down with sugar.
- Brown Sugar. Adds a deep sweetness that pairs well with the bourbon.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. Adds a tangy flavor. Vinegar also helps tenderize the meat if you brush this Bourbon BBQ Sauce on ribs, chicken, etc. while cooking.
- Tomato Paste. Boosts the tomato flavor. You could use more ketchup and then omit the brown sugar, but I like the depth of flavor from the brown sugar.
- Worcestershire Sauce, Liquid Smoke, Salt and Pepper. Seasonings and spices that round out this sauce and make it absolutely delicious!
Storing Leftover BBQ Sauce
Leftover homemade barbecue sauce should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. While it can be frozen, I don’t recommend it. Use it fresh – this sauce can literally go on anything from grilled chicken breasts to smoked chicken wings to ribs to burgers to pulled pork….and the list goes on.
If you’re looking for a fun way to mix things up, then make a batch of this bourbon barbecue sauce! We’re quite picky with barbecue sauce around here, and this one earned a solid two thumbs up. Cheers!
Did you make this Bourbon BBQ Sauce recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see how you used it!
Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- ¾ cup bourbon whiskey
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ¾ cup diced white onions
- 2 large jalapenos chopped
- 2 cups ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp liquid smoke
- ½ Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Using a medium sauce pan, add whiskey, garlic, onions and jalapenos; simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until onions have softened.
- Add remaining ingredients (ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, salt and pepper); stir until well combined.
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Pour mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove onions, garlic and jalapenos.
- Let sauce cool and then refrigerate in an air-tight container for 1-2 days. (Note: This sauce can be used at this stage, but it will taste much better if you let it rest for a day or two in the fridge!)
Looking for some tasty ways to use this sauce? Check out some of these ideas:
It’s a very pretty sauce! I find liquid smoke kind of weird. But maybe I’m weird, cause I know it’s used a lot. But I’d rather add hickory to the charcoal.
I’m with ya there, Mimi. Liquid smoke is odd for sure, but it is really helpful in a couple of recipes. This sauce is pretty fantastic!
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use soy sauce and bourbon as i dont use alcohol at home i never had bourbon bbq sauce before perfect for snacks love your recipes as alwys brightens up my day everyday after work
Hey Ramya! In place of the bourbon, I would use a combination of apple juice and soy sauce. Let me know how this turns out!
Love the flavor that bourbon imparts in bbq sauce — never thought to make my own, but that’s gonna change — got some baby back ribs that I need to try it on!
BBQ sauce is so silly easy to make at home – and it’s pretty fantastic! Definitely give this one a shot, Michelle. Bring on the baby back ribs!! 🙂
I was just saying to Keith that we should try making our own bbq sauce – your timing is perfect! This one checks all the boxes – so excited to try it!
Haha – it’s like I was listening in on your conversation! Give this one a try, Marissa – it’s pretty fantastic!
this sounds so delicious David. Anything with Worcester can’t be wrong!:)
Haha – I’m with ya there, Sherry! 🙂
Ooo I love sweet and sticky BBQ sauces with ribs or brisket. And I’m also love to use alcohol in recipes. Connection? Not much except this sauce looks and sounds terrific! Great flavour profile and loving those smoky notes.
Thanks so much, Ben! I’ve gotta say this BBQ sauce turned out really well. We used it on ribs, but I have plans to make another batch for brisket soon!
Woa- 600 bottles of bourbon?!?!?! Now thats one heck of an epic collection! My question is have you tasted every single one?
Speaking of tasting, I usually buy store bought BBQ and no matter how delicious it tastes, I’m willing to bet your homemade one is even better!
Haha – I was wondering if anyone would catch that line. 🙂 We’ve tasted most of them…not quite all yet though. Switching over to sauces, we’re the same way – we usually buy store-bought sauce. It’s tasty. No issues there. But this homemade version is insanely easy, and it’s really (!!) good! 🙂
Your recipe for the Bourbon BBQ Sauce sounds absolutely amazing. The combination of smoky, sweet, and spicy flavors, along with the addition of bourbon, sounds like a winning combination. It’s interesting how the flavors meld together even more after letting the sauce rest for a day or two – that’s a tip I’ll definitely keep in mind.
Yes! Homemade sauces are like soups – you should plan on making them the day before you want to use them. The flavors all meld together into something magical! Thanks, Raymund!
Your post makes me wish we had a smoker, but we do have a BBQ, and with Summer almost here it will be in frequent use, I love this sauce. I just need to buy the Bourbon, We love Brisket a well. Yum, great post thanks David.
There’s something magical about a brisket on the smoker! 🙂 Now you can turn a traditional grill into a smoker – just light the outside burners (or pile the charcoal into 2 piles on either side) and then place the meat in the middle. It’s not quite as easy as a smoker, but it can be done for sure!