Bourbon BBQ Sauce Recipe: Rich, Smoky Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Elevate your grilling game with this exceptional bourbon BBQ sauce that combines the deep, complex flavors of quality bourbon with the perfect balance of sweet brown sugar, tangy ketchup, and smoky liquid smoke. This thick, rich sauce delivers restaurant-quality results that transform everything from ribs and pulled pork to chicken and burgers into memorable culinary experiences. Unlike store-bought versions, this homemade bourbon barbecue sauce allows you to control every flavor element while creating a sauce with depth and character that complements rather than masks your grilled meats.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why This Recipe Works

This bourbon BBQ sauce succeeds because it achieves perfect balance through strategic ingredient proportions and proper cooking techniques. The brown sugar provides rich sweetness and helps create the sauce’s signature thick consistency when cooked. Ketchup forms the tangy tomato base, while bourbon adds complex flavor notes that develop during simmering. Liquid smoke contributes authentic barbecue flavor without smoking, while garlic and onion provide aromatic depth. The 20-minute cooking time allows alcohol to cook off while concentrating flavors and achieving the ideal consistency that clings to meat beautifully.

What Is Liquid Smoke?

Liquid smoke is a concentrated seasoning that gives meat a smoky or woody flavor. It can be found in most grocery store spice or condiment aisles, as well as on line. You only need a small amount as the flavoring is very intense. Liquid smoke comes in a few different flavors, such as hickory, mesquite, pecan, and cherry. Hickory flavor is perfect for this recipe.

What Kind of Bourbon for This Bourbon Barbecue Sauce Recipe?

Don’t break the bank for a pricey bourbon, but also don’t buy one just because it’s cheap – it’s likely to be harsh, and the taste will come through in the sauce. As long as the bourbon is tasty enough to drink, you’ll be good to go. If you aren’t a regular bourbon drinker, here are a couple of ideas:

• Jim Beam is a decent, inexpensive bourbon.
• Makers Mark is a more expensive, sweeter bourbon with caramel and vanilla notes that make a nice contrast to the smoky spice. 

What About the Alcohol in This Barbecue Sauce?

The amount of alcohol that remains in food after it is cooked depends on a number of things – how long the food is cooked, the size of the pot (larger = more alcohol evaporation), and what other ingredients are in the recipe. In this BBQ sauce with bourbon recipe, simmering the sauce for 20 minutes will reduce the alcohol content. The raw taste of the alcohol goes away, but the bourbon flavor remains. 

Will This BBQ Bourbon Sauce Keep?

Yes, store your bourbon barbecue sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks – a mason jar works great. Make a double batch and freeze some for later (it will keep for up to three months). It’s really nice to have BBQ sauce on hand whenever you need it. 

How to Use Your Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

There’s no end to the ways you can use this bourbon BBQ sauce. Here are some ideas you may not have thought of: 

• Use this bourbon barbecue sauce recipe as a pizza base instead of the traditional tomato sauce. Try BBQ sauce, grilled and chopped chicken, red onions, and cheddar on your next pizza. 
• Spoon onto tostadas, tacos, or quesadillas.
• Spread on a smoked Gouda grilled cheese.
• Dress up a baked potato.
• Slather on burgers, sliders, or pork chops. Smothered burgers topped with bacon are really good.
• Use as a dipping sauce for bone-in chicken.
• Spoon over chicken breasts, cover, and pop into a 400-degree oven for about 30 minutes.
• Use to make hot wings in place of hot wing sauce.
• Use as a glaze on meatloaf. 
• Add to a slow cooker pot roast.
• Perfect with smoked brisket.
• Serve with cocktail meatballs.
• Use to make baked beans.
• Mix with ranch dressing for salads. Or mix 1/3 cup BBQ sauce with 1/2 cup mayo, 1 tablespoon of diced sweet pickles, and salt/pepper to taste. 

Bourbon BBQ Sauce Recipe

Bourbon barbecue sauce is rich, thick, and perfect for ribs, chicken, pulled pork, French fries, and much more. It has just the right balance of sweetness and heat, and the bourbon flavor comes through really nicely. After one taste, I have no doubt this will become your new favorite BBQ sauce.

Bourbon BBQ Sauce is great for summer cookouts. Since this delicious sauce is made with bourbon, be sure to pair it with a cool and refreshing summer cocktail.

Ingredients

Flavor Foundation

• Quality bourbon – Provides complex flavor base with vanilla and caramel notes
• Drinking quality essential – Avoid harsh, cheap bourbon that will negatively impact sauce flavor
• Mid-range options work – No need for premium bottles, but avoid bottom shelf

Sweetness Component

• Dark brown sugar – Creates rich sweetness and deep molasses flavor
• Packed measurement – Ensures proper sweetness level and sauce consistency
• Moisture content important – Fresh brown sugar provides better texture

Tomato Base

• Quality ketchup – Forms tangy foundation and provides body to sauce
• Heinz recommended – Consistent flavor and acidity levels
• No-substitutes base – Essential for authentic BBQ sauce character

Smoke and Aromatics

• Liquid smoke – Delivers authentic barbecue flavor without actual smoking
• Hickory flavor preferred – Complements bourbon and brown sugar beautifully
• Small amount needed – Concentrated flavoring requires careful measurement

Aromatic Enhancement

• Fresh garlic – Provides savory depth and complexity
• Minced onion – Adds sweet aromatic base that complements other flavors
• Dried vs. fresh options – Both work well depending on preference and availability

How to Make Bourbon BBQ Sauce

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar and bourbon.
2. Add ketchup, liquid smoke, garlic, and minced onion. Stir until well blended.
3. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

Popular Sauce Recipes

• Chick-fil-A Dipping Sauce
• Cocktail Sauce for Shrimp
• Garlic Wings Sauce
• Mexican Green Sauce
• Mexican White Cheese Sauce
• Pizza Dipping Sauce
• Quesadilla Sauce
• Sonny’s BBQ Sauce
• Taco Sauce
• TGIF Jack Daniels Sauce Recipe

Favorite Summer Drink Recipes

• Chick-fil-A Frozen Lemonade
• Beer Margaritas
• Starbucks Pink Drink

Check out my easy sauce recipes and the best summer recipes here on CopyKat!