This sweet Bourbon BBQ sauce recipe is really quick to prepare and surprisingly doesn't have any added sugar.
It isn't sugar free however because the sweetness comes from a healthy dose of maple syrup and molasses combined with what I would call the "traditional" ingredients common to many barbecue sauces and of course that dash of Bourbon to give such a distinctive flavor that makes this sweet Bourbon BBQ sauce recipe a perfect choice whatever meat you are grilling.
Note that there's quite a lot of “runny” fluid in this recipe so if you like it runny then this one is for you but if you're looking for something a little more viscous to use a mop for example then give the sauce a little longer time on the simmer and it will reduce nicely.
Preparation Time:- 10 mins
Cooking Time:- 20 mins
Total Time:- 30 mins
Ingredients:-
1oz or 25g butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped
4 floz or 120ml bourbon
6 floz or 175ml ketchup
4 floz or 120ml apple cider vinegar
4 floz or 120ml orange juice
8 tablespoons pure maple syrup
4 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Method:-
Place a saucepan on a medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil and fry the onions until golden (usually about 5-10 minutes). After that it's just a matter of throwing in the rest of the ingredients although I like to do it in a particular order.
Turn the heat down, stir in the ketchup and then gently add the Bourbon stirring all the time. Think of it like making a roux, you've got the flour cooked and thickened and it's now about letting the sauce down gently so you don't get any lumps in it. By adding the Bourbon gently you achieve two things:
The ketchup will let down to a thin sauce smoothly without forming globules.
Any bitterness from the alcohol will burn off (it's the flavor of the Bourbon that we want, not the alcohol).
Now stir in the rest of the ingredients, apply a bit more heat and gently bring it up to a simmer whilst continuing to stir and make sure that the ingredients are fully mixed in together. Let it simmer until it is the consistency of BBQ sauce that you want, stirring often.
