Best Homemade Bourbon BBQ Sauce for Pulled Pork

Great barbecue needs great barbecue sauce. Transform your next barbecue event with this mouth-watering Bourbon Barbecue Sauce. Ditch the store-bought sauces and make the best barbecue sauce that you have ever tasted with the perfect balance of tangy, spicy, and sweet.

This homemade barbecue sauce recipe will have your family and guests wanting more. Whether you're slow cooking a pork shoulder or making a BBQ chicken pizza, this sauce will be your go-to condiment.

Bourbon Barbecue Sauce is the best reason I know for not drinking bourbon. It is simply the best homemade barbecue sauce. If you have never made your own BBQ sauce, you are in for a treat. It's very easy to make and tastes so much better than anything store-bought. The best part is that you can play with the ingredients to come up with your own favorite sauce.

Austin, Texas has more than its fair share of distilleries. So, I just had to use a Texas-based bourbon for my Bourbon Barbecue Sauce. I chose bourbon from Garrison Brothers, the very first legal Texas bourbon distillery. Bourbon adds a very distinct, aged-oak element that elevates the sauce from good to great.

Could you use less expensive bourbon? Sure, but why would you? Use a little good bourbon in your sauce and then drink the rest.

My personal preference for dishes like pulled pork and baby back ribs is a Kansas city-style sauce, a little sweet but packed with flavor. This barbecue sauce hits the mark.

This recipe was used in my recipes for Smoked Dino Bones, Smoked Beef Short Ribs, St. Louis Spareribs, Smoked Pulled Pork, Smoked Hot Wings, Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends, Smoked Brisket and Burnt Ends and Ultimate BBQ Baked Beans.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Serving Suggestions
• Variations
• Storage
• Top Tip
• Final Thoughts
• Paring
• 📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Are you ready to whip up your very own batch of Bourbon BBQ Sauce? Let's look at the ingredients you'll need to create this flavorful sauce that will take your barbecue to the next level.

• Apple Cider Vinegar - This is the backbone of any great barbecue sauce. A vinegar-based sauce has a tangy flavor that goes great with pulled pork.
• Worcestershire Sauce - Adds complexity and depth and enhances pork dishes.
• Spices - A blend of black pepper, chili powder and garlic powder add a hint of heat and a burst of flavor to your sauce.
• Sweetness - Skip the high-fructose corn syrup and opt for sweet brown sugar, molasses and honey to create a healthier and more flavorful sauce.
• Tomato Base - The combination of ketchup and tomato paste gives your sauce that classic barbecue sauce texture and taste.
• Extra Flavoring - A touch of onion rounds out the flavor profile of this delicious BBQ sauce.

See recipe card for quantities.

Ready to get started? Gather these ingredients and follow the steps for a mouthwatering Bourbon BBQ Sauce that will have your guests coming back for more.

Instructions

1. Cook the onion and olive oil in a large, nonreactive sauce pan over medium heat until softened.
2. Turn OFF the heat and add the bourbon (it's highly flammable).
3. Add all remaining ingredients. Turn the heat back on. Stir well and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes, stirring often. The longer it cooks, the more flavorful it will be. But watch it and stir it often - you want a thick sauce, not a burned one. Strain the sauce to remove the onion and serve.

Serving Suggestions

• Pulled Pork - Slather this sauce on slow-cooked pulled pork for awesome BBQ sandwiches.
• Pork Chops - Brush the sauce on the grilled pork chops during the last few minutes of cooking for a wonderful caramelized glaze.
• BBQ Chicken Pizza - Use it as a base sauce for a homemade BBQ chicken pizza, better than any home delivery pizza.
• BBQ Chicken Tacos - Add the sauce to some diced, cooked chicken for a creative twist on taco night.
• Ribs - Coat a rack of ribs with this sauce for a mouth-watering fall-off-the-bone experience.
• Dipping Sauce - Dip anything from chicken wings to veggie sticks.

Variations

If you want to experiment with different flavors, try any of these ingredients commonly used in barbecue sauce: cayenne pepper, dry mustard, red pepper flakes, maple syrup, pineapple juice, tomato sauce, soy sauce and smoked paprika.

Storage

Store leftover homemade BBQ sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Be careful, this sauce will stain plastic storage containers. Mason jars work well for this because they will not stain and you can wash them in the dishwasher.

Top Tip

Simmer the sauce on very low heat and stir often. You don't want it to burn.

Final Thoughts

This Bourbon Barbecue Sauce is a great recipe to have in your culinary repertoire. It's an easy recipe, made with a handful of ingredients, and sure to become one of your personal favorites.

Remember, the best barbecue sauce is the one that best suits your taste. Whether you prefer a Kansas City-style or a Carolina-style BBQ sauce, this versatile sauce can be easily adjusted to your preference.

The next time you’re planning a barbecue, give this recipe a try. It's sure to become a favorite of the whole family. Enjoy!

Paring

These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe.

📖 Recipe