Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

This barbecue sauce has serious depth. Molasses brings dark sweetness, red wine vinegar and lemon add sharp acidity, dry mustard and soy sauce layer in savory heat, and a third of a cup of bourbon ties it all together with oaky warmth. Thirty minutes of simmering concentrates everything into a thick, glossy sauce that clings to meat.

Start by sauteing two full cups of chopped onions in butter and olive oil until tender. That’s a lot of onion, and it’s intentional. They break down during the simmer and become the body of the sauce, giving it texture and natural sweetness that sugar alone can’t match.

The garlic gets two minutes of cooking after the onions soften. Just enough to take the raw edge off without burning it. Then everything else goes in at once: molasses, ketchup, vinegar, mustard, pepper, lemon juice, lemon rind, soy sauce, paprika, and bourbon.

Thirty minutes of gentle simmering lets the bourbon’s alcohol cook off while its caramel and vanilla notes stay behind. Stir occasionally to prevent the sugars from scorching on the bottom.

Pro Tips

• Use a heavy saucepan. Thin pans have hot spots that scorch the molasses.
• The sauce thickens as it cools. If it seems thin at the end of simmering, it’ll be right once it hits room temperature.
• Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a covered container. The flavor improves after a day.
• Brush on during the last 10-15 minutes of grilling. Applied too early, the sugars burn.

Variations

• Smoky chipotle: Add a minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce for a smoky, spicy kick.
• Apple bourbon: Replace the ketchup with applesauce for a fruitier, less tangy sauce that pairs well with pork.