Jim Beam BBQ Sauce Recipe

Jim Beam BBQ Sauce

The best BBQ sauce is made from scratch with a few standard pantry staples and takes only 15 minutes to make. This Jim Beam BBQ Sauce is layered with flavors that meld together perfectly, ranging from sweet and tangy to a little kick-y with spice and smoke. The key is the ketchup base with extra brown sugar and a dose of bourbon for good measure. I use this homemade BBQ sauce for ribs, but it would be equally good on chicken, beef brisket or a pulled pork sandwich.

ingredients for Jim Beam BBQ sauce.

Scott and I have been devotees of Steve Raichlen for YEARS. His cookbooks break down BBQing, grilling and smoking into manageable, do-able tutorials and his expertise has a made my grill-master a more successful and confident cook.

This Jim Beam BBQ sauce recipe comes straight from Steve, and it’s one that we always go to for a quick and easy BBQ sauce for ribs, briskets, and chicken pieces.

It got me to thinking, that you should have the best BBQ sauce in your outdoor cooking arsenal too.

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Why you’ll love this BBQ sauce recipe:

  • It’s quick and easy to make.
  • Lasts for 10 days to two weeks in the refrigerator.
  • Is great for anything that’s better with BBQ sauce from chicken, pork and beef to vegetables and shrimp.
  • The alcohol cooks off, so you just get a hint of bourbon flavor.
  • You can adjust the flavors to your tastes.
brown sugar, Jim Beam bourbon, Ketchup, spice blend and liquid smoke.

Ingredients:

  • Ketchup – We use Heinz.
  • Bourbon – I use Jim Beam, but you can use your favorite one — just don’t use the expensive stuff – it’s BBQ sauce, after all.
  • Brown Sugar – to add additional sweetness.
  • Cider Vinegar – to give the BBQ sauce a nice tangy flavor.
  • Molasses – has a more intense flavor and adds depth to this bbq sauce recipe.
  • Worcestershire Sauce – for a rich umami kick.
  • Dijon Mustard – has white wine in it which gives the mustard a richer, smoother flavor.
  • Liquid Smoke – just a little goes a long way.
  • Hot Sauce – use your favorite brand – Tabasco, Frank’s, Hank Sauce, whatever you like.
  • Onion Powder – adds onion flavor without making a chunky sauce.
  • Garlic Powder – for a garlicky kick without big pieces of garlic.
  • Black Pepper – best if you grind it fresh.

These pantry staples come together to make the most amazing homemade bbq sauce for ribs (beef or pork), fowl or game. I’ve even been known to top a meatloaf sandwich with a spoonful…. Mmmmm… meatloaf.

adding ingredients to a saucepan.

Assembling Jim Beam BBQ sauce

  1. Add the ingredients to a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the sauce is thick and fragrant.
  3. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  4. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate overnight for the flavors to marry.

That’s it. So quick and easy, but trust me, you’ll never go back to bottled BBQ sauce again.

Jim Beam BBQ sauce after cooking is thick and rich.

Every ingredient in Steve’s homemade BBQ sauce recipe adds a distinctive layer of flavor that elevates it to the sublime. It is simultaneously smoky, sweet, tangy, tingly and spicy.

This is truly the best BBQ sauce I’ve ever tried (and I’ve had my fair share). Dip your french fries in it – it’s way better than plain ketchup.

  • Top a grilled burger with cheddar cheese and a dollop of the Jim Beam BBQ sauce – you’ll swoon!
  • Brush some shrimp skewers with a little before grilling, it’ll create a lip-smacking lacquer that’s custom made for that seafood.
  • Add a few teaspoons to your next Bloody Mary before you shake it for a subtle, but palpable flavor infusion.
  • And, of course, you’ll want this homemade BBQ sauce for Kansas Citybs (whether smoked, grilled, smoked or baked).
Homemade BBQ sauce for ribs in a bowl with a wooden spoon.

More homemade BBQ sauce you might like:

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Print Pin
4.70 from 13 votes

Tongue Tingling Jim Beam BBQ Sauce

Smoky, tangy and sweet with a little heat. This easy BBQ sauce from Steve Raichlen’s Barbecue Bible, uses a bit of bourbon (I use Jim Beam) to mellow and tie together the combination of punchy ingredients. This BBQ sauce mixes up in about 15 minutes, but it’s better if you refrigerate overnight for the flavors to marry.
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Condiments
Cuisine American
Keyword baked chicken, bbq, beef, brisket, pork, ribs, sauce
Dietary Restrictions Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 8

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup bourbon Jim Beam
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 ½ teaspoons liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce Steve recommends Tabasco — I used Hank Sauce
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  • Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and whisk together. Heat over medium high heat until the mixture starts to boil, stirring regularly.
  • When the mixture boils reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 6-8 minutes or until very fragrant and smooth.
  • Let the sauce cool to room temperature then transfer to a storage container and refrigerate overnight for the flavors to marry.
  • Sauce will keep for several weeks.

NOTES:

Serving size is about 1/4 cup.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 356mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

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6 Comments

  1. Robert Carman says:

    5 stars
    Jack Daniel’s is what I’ve used in past with similar recipes sourmash gives it a distinctive flavor constantly basting Is a must it turns to a candy bark

  2. Jacqueline Debono says:

    5 stars
    Love the combination of flavours in this BBQ sauce! I can wait for the outdoor grilling season to start but liked your idea of eating this with meatloaf. I wonder if I could use it as the sauce on top of a meatloaf!

  3. Pam Greer says:

    5 stars
    I am always looking for yummy barbecue sauce recipes, this one gets extra bonus points for having Jim Beam in it!

  4. 5 stars
    This is so perfect!! Love the right combination of flavors! Amazing!

  5. Lizet Bowen says:

    5 stars
    I think everybody needs to have a great BBQ recipe like this. I can’t wait to try it! and it’s going to be a great gift for all my ex-pat friends. 🙂

  6. Marlynn | Urban Bliss Life says:

    5 stars
    The bourbon adds such a nice rich flavor to this BBQ sauce! Love it!