Homemade barbecue sauce is almost ridiculously easy to make and I can promise you that it tastes better than anything you can buy at the store. This is a spicy, rich, slightly smoky barbecue sauce that is perfect with beef, chicken, or pork.
A few weeks ago, my husband requested a bourbon barbecue sauce. We were making ribs and he wanted to dip them in a spicy sauce. I didn’t get a single picture of the sauce at the time, because we ate almost all of it. I made this sauce again a couple weeks later for pulled pork and again, it disappeared before I managed to snap a photo.
This time I planned ahead and made the sauce early in the day, so that I could get a picture. I chopped up some roast chicken and tossed it generously with the barbecue sauce. We made it into sandwiches this time, but we’ve also stuffed saucy barbecue chicken into potatoes.
If you don’t happen to be a fan of bourbon, here are a few more great barbecue sauces:
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/4 - 1/3 cup bourbon
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 2 - 4 tablespoons Sriracha sauce or the hot sauce of your choice
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Stir together all the ingredients in a heavy large saucepan or medium heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Let cool and then transfer to a large glass jar or airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Enjoy!
Start with a 1/4 cup of bourbon and 2 tablespoons of hot sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer and taste it. Add a splash more bourbon or a bit more hot sauce to adjust the flavors as you like. My family liked it with a full 1/4 cup of Sriracha and a 1/4 cup of bourbon. (Although, my husband liked it best with a bit more bourbon the second time we made this.)
ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Cold Chocolate Snacking Cake
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Apple Nachos
THREE YEARS AGO TODAY: Spicy Honey Chicken Salad
Matt Robinson says
Absolutely love this sauce, can't wait to try it!
Anonymous says
How can you love it if you haven't tried it?
Mary says
I'm sure Matt was simply saying that he loves the flavors in the sauce. I've often said I loved a dish before I've tasted it. The look, the ingredients, the flavors, any number of things can make it appealing.
(Thanks, Matt! I hope you like it as much as we do!)
Chris says
I think this will rock on some grilled chicken wings, some of my favorite flavors.
Nicole @WonkyW says
This looks awesome! I love a little spice in my bbq sauce.
Jax says
This is GREAT! I used 3 tbs of sriracha and I think 2 would have been plenty (I like the heat but might be too much for my kids). I was worried about using the molasses as I am not a big fan but it works great! Can't wait to slather this on my pulled pork sliders topped with grilled pineapple!
William Taylor says
I make my sauce for restaurant use thus much larger quantities with a couple additions. Try adding a coffee reduction and a good dark rum to your recipe. Muy RICO!
Kathy says
Rum instead of Bourbon? or in addition?
Suzana says
What can I sub for molasses?
Mary says
You can sub honey or brown sugar. It won’t taste the same, but it should work fine.
Aleksandra says
Let me tell you, this sauce is amazing! Thanks for sharing. Usually I check reviews first before I cook sth. This time, after I’ve read ingredients didn’t have to. Everything I love is here 😉 Didn’t have enough regular molasses, so I added pomegranate one. Didn’t have bourbon, so I used green Johnnie Walker. Delicious! Will definitely do it again! 🙂
Alexia says
Looks like a good combination of sweet and savory flavors. This will go great with chicken.