Bourbon and BBQ

[bknox]

I have been making BBQ sauce with Bourbon. So far I like the smell but can't nail down a recipe. This started with using maple syrup in bbq sauce but it seems we typically have more bourbon around than maple syrup and we transitioned to the bourbon.

Here is what I have. I believe it can be better and will continue to work with it and any input would be helpful.

Bourbon BBQ Sauce:
6 oz Tomato Paste
6 oz water
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard
2 teaspoons Worchestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 Tablespoons Rowan Creek Bourbon

Heat all ingredients in a pan and simmer to desired thickness.

Enjoy,
Bryan

 

[JoeV]

Bryan,

I might add a bit of cayenne red pepper and/or some smokey paprika to give it a little bite. Just my 2 cents. Oh, and where's the garlic???

Joe

 

[bknox]

How about it. I totally left out the garlic. Thats what I get for cooking with Bourbon. I think with garlic and the cayenne bite I will much closer to the flavor I am looking for. I was thinking about using some smoked Paprika but was afraid it would overpower the Bourbon flavor. I guess I need to give it a shot, hopefully soon. I will post the results.

Thanks for the look Joe.

Bryan

 

[AllenOK]

I didn't see any liquid smoke in the fomulation, but, that might overpower the bourbon. Are you serving this with smoked meats?

 

[bknox]

Alan,

The liquid smoke was a bit much. I tried that early on. With the smoke from the pit and in the sauce it was all smoke.

Typically I smoke meats when I am cooking outside and am shooting for something to compliment that. I felt Bourbon and natural smoke is excellent but the trouble I am having so far is the bourbon flavor surviving the cooking/smoking process. Maybe less vinegar and more BOURBON!

 

[DramaQueen]

I have been making BBQ sauce with Bourbon. So far I like the smell but can't nail down a recipe. This started with using maple syrup in bbq sauce but it seems we typically have more bourbon around than maple syrup and we transitioned to the bourbon.

Here is what I have. I believe it can be better and will continue to work with it and any input would be helpful.

Bourbon BBQ Sauce:
6 oz Tomato Paste
6 oz water
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard
2 teaspoons Worchestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 Tablespoons Rowan Creek Bourbon

Heat all ingredients in a pan and simmer to desired thickness.

Enjoy,
Bryan

This may be your problem: You need more bourbon. No really. I usually put about 5 Tbsps. into this amount of sauce. The alchohol cooks out so you need more to flavor the sauce. Do this: Fill a small glass with bourbon, measure 4 or 5 Tablespoons into the sauce and drink what's left over. I said a SMALL glass.
Also I add 1 or 2 Tbsp. of applewood smoked bacon fat. Ohhhh, this is terrific.

 

[bknox]

No problem with more Bourbon OR drinking the left over. I like the applewood smoked bacon fat idea. I make a bacon fat salad dressing I will have to post.

I think the flavor of the smoked bacon fat would be nicer than liquid smoke and milder. Thanks for the tips. Hopefully over the weekend I can nail this down and post the final version for everyone.

Take care,
Bryan

 

[AllenOK]

I have a couple different hot bacon vinaigrette recipes that are out of this world!

Keep up with the R&D on the BBQ sauce. I'd love to find out what it's like.

 

[TATTRAT]

This may be your problem: You need more bourbon. No really. I usually put about 5 Tbsps. into this amount of sauce. The alchohol cooks out so you need more to flavor the sauce. Do this: Fill a small glass with bourbon, measure 4 or 5 Tablespoons into the sauce and drink what's left over. I said a SMALL glass.
Also I add 1 or 2 Tbsp. of applewood smoked bacon fat. Ohhhh, this is terrific.

But that is the beauty of reduction...though the alcohol cooks out(not all of it)it will not weaken the bourbon flavor, it will intensify it.

It sounds like a blasphemous thing to do, but if you can I would...Reduce down a WHOLE bottle of good bourbon to a "syrup" and keep that on hand.

just my $.02

 

[bknox]

That is a great idea but feel my brain will not allow me to pour that bottle into the pan. I may weep. ;-)

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[Ask-A-Butcher]

This is too easy, but I find the end product excellent.........

Here is a quick, and good, change of pace.

1 cup commercial bbq sauce (I used a KC style)
¼ cup apple juice
1 tsp your favorite BBQ rub
1/4 cup bourbon (+ or -)

Combine the first three ingredients in a non-reactive pan on the stove. Heat gently, stirring until mixed well. Take off stove and stir in bourbon. MMmmmm.....good

This is on the sweet side, so you could add some cayenne or hot sauce if you so desired.

This is equally good on Brisket, Pulled Pork or Ribs.

 

[bknox]

I got a lot closer to what I am looking for over the weekend and when I get time will post the recipe.

I think I am going to take Ask-A-Butcher's advice and switch out some lemon juice for apple juice and more bourbon. Currently I have adjusted the recipe based on previous advice in this post and think the next tweak may be the final one. Nice call on the apple juice, thanks.

Bryan

 

[AllenOK]

Now why didn't I think of that?!?!?!

The sauce recipe that I make at work calls for peach nectar. It's great. Nice and tangy, with "something" that you just can't quite put your finger on. I'd bet some bourbon added to the sauce, at the end, would be excellent.

 

[bknox]

How about it. Typically I will use Tamarind paste in BBQ sauce. I like the bitter counterbalance to the sweet as I like a fairly sweet BBQ sauce.

 

[Jeekinz]

Simillar to AAB, I just add some to a prepared sauce and let it simmer a bit. I also found that cooking the sauce on the meat rather than dipping makes a little nicer flavor.

The bourbon syrup is a great idea.

 

[AllenOK]

I'll have to remember the tamarind idea. I like the flavor of tamarind, but hardly ever use it. It's probably perfect for using in BBQ.