This bourbon BBQ sauce uses molasses, lemon juice, bourbon and Worcestershire sauce as its main flavors. It has that tart, sweet, salty, rich and spicy combination that we think all great barbecue sauces need. Use this with chicken, ribs, pulled pork or even tri-tip.
Note that most (not all) of the alcohol from the bourbon will boil away while the sauce reduces, leaving bourbon's distinctive caramel-flavored tang.
Bourbon BBQ Sauce Recipe
Yield : Makes enough for 4-6 racks of ribsPrep :
Cook :
BBQ Sauce Ingredients :
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/3 cup dark molasses
- 1 medium yellow OR white onion, grated
- 1 chopped chile pepper, such as a serrano
- 1/2 cup ketchup or tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup bourbon OR Tennessee whiskey
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola OR peanut
- 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
- Salt to taste
Directions :
1. Heat the butter and oil in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
2. Grate the onion through the coarse grate of a box grater, or finely mince the onion if you don't have a grater.
3. Add grated onion and chile to the oil/butter combination and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until onions turn translucent. You do not want the onions to turn color.
4. Take the pan off the heat and add the bourbon. Return to the stove, turn up the heat to medium-high again and boil down the bourbon for 5 minutes.
5. Add the ketchup, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, and the sugar. Mix well and return to a simmer.
6. Cook the sauce for a few minutes to combine the flavors and then taste test it. Is it salty enough? (It should be from the Worcestershire sauce). If not, add salt. Is it spicy hot enough? If not, add a little cayenne powder. Is it sweet enough? If not, add some molasses.
7. Let the sauce cook down slowly until it thickens, about 20 minutes. Keep it on low heat while your ribs cook. Alternatively, you can make this BBQ sauce ahead of time and reheat it when you cook the meat. It will stay good in the fridge at least a week; We've held mine for two weeks with no problem.
2. Grate the onion through the coarse grate of a box grater, or finely mince the onion if you don't have a grater.
3. Add grated onion and chile to the oil/butter combination and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until onions turn translucent. You do not want the onions to turn color.
4. Take the pan off the heat and add the bourbon. Return to the stove, turn up the heat to medium-high again and boil down the bourbon for 5 minutes.
5. Add the ketchup, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, and the sugar. Mix well and return to a simmer.
6. Cook the sauce for a few minutes to combine the flavors and then taste test it. Is it salty enough? (It should be from the Worcestershire sauce). If not, add salt. Is it spicy hot enough? If not, add a little cayenne powder. Is it sweet enough? If not, add some molasses.
7. Let the sauce cook down slowly until it thickens, about 20 minutes. Keep it on low heat while your ribs cook. Alternatively, you can make this BBQ sauce ahead of time and reheat it when you cook the meat. It will stay good in the fridge at least a week; We've held mine for two weeks with no problem.
Thanks to www.simplyrecipes.com for Bourbon BBQ Sauce Recipe !!