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Table of Contents
A good BBQ sauce strikes the perfect balance between sweet, tangy, and smoky flavors, and our simple bourbon barbecue sauce does just that. Whether you’re brushing it on ribs, pulled pork, or grilled chicken, this brings bold, homemade taste to any barbecue dish.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- ONION AND GARLIC: Aromatics like onion and garlic create foundation of flavor for the sauce and we opt to use butter for sautéing them to add a little richness. You can substitute onion and garlic powder if absolutely necessary. Start with 1/4 teaspoon of each and adjust to taste.
- KETCHUP: Look for a brand of ketchup made with cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. Cane sugar thickens more effectively when simmered, helping the sauce develop the right consistency. It will also caramelize better when applied to meat.
- BOURBON: Because it’s made with corn, bourbon is the best choice for flavoring a barbecue sauce. The corn gives it a sweet flavor with notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak. You can substitute a Tennessee whiskey (also made with corn).
Overview
How To Make Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, and sauté chopped onion until soft. Add minced garlic, then stir in ketchup, brown sugar, bourbon, cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer, stirring often, until thick and glossy.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
If you’re like us, you like the control over flavor you get when you make your own sauces and don’t mind the little bit of work that’s involved to get just the right blend to suit your taste.
When you make this bourbon infused BBQ sauce, unleash your creativity and make some adjustments. Like it smokier? Add a little liquid smoke or smoked paprika. Want it sweeter? Up the brown sugar or add some honey or molasses. Boozier? Well, that’s an easy one.
BBQ Recipes You’ll Love
These dishes get their great barbecue flavor from this easy homemade sauce recipe. From grilled meats to oven-roasted favorites, they’re are easy to make any time of year.
- Oven Roasted Pulled Pork – cooked low and slow in the oven for delicious pulled pork – no smoker required
- Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs – slow-cooked in the oven for fall-off-the-bone tenderness, then finished under the broiler or on the grill
- Grilled BBQ Chicken – perfectly-cooked, juicy BBQ chicken using an easy indirect grilling technique
- Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Pulled Chicken – boneless, skinless chicken thighs infused with BBQ flavor in the pressure
Homemade Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons grated sweet onion
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1 cup ketchup, (see notes)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup bourbon, or Tennessee whiskey
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
Makes about 2 cups
- Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking, stirring often, until soft and aromatic, about 2 minutes longer.
- Stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, bourbon, cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce and bring the mixture to a slow simmer.
- Cook for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened and glossy.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
