Description
Homemade bourbon BBQ sauce delivers complex flavors from Kentucky whiskey and classic barbecue ingredients. Rich, tangy condiment elevates grilled meats and provides a delicious complement to your favorite dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Whisk ketchup, bourbon, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, molasses, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika together in a medium saucepan until thoroughly blended.
- Heat and Integrate: Place saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and allow ingredients to meld and warm gradually.
- Simmer and Develop: Lower heat once mixture begins bubbling, maintaining a gentle simmer to concentrate flavors and create a rich sauce texture for 15-20 minutes.
- Season and Balance: Taste the sauce, seasoning with salt and pepper, then fine-tune by adding extra brown sugar for sweetness or apple cider vinegar for tanginess until achieving desired flavor profile.
- Finish and Store: Remove from heat, let cool briefly to enhance viscosity, then transfer to a clean, airtight container or glass jar. Refrigerate to allow flavors to continue developing and maintain sauce’s robust character until ready for use.
Notes
- Prevent Burning: Stir mixture frequently during heating to avoid scorching and ensure even flavor distribution.
- Simmer Smartly: Maintain low heat to develop deep, rich sauce without boiling, which can cause bitter taste and uneven texture.
- Taste and Adjust: Sample sauce progressively, tweaking sweetness or tanginess with incremental additions of brown sugar or vinegar for perfect balance.
- Storage Tip: Refrigerate in sealed container up to 2 weeks, allowing flavors to meld and intensify over time.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg