If you've always wanted to make your own BBQ sauce but never have, I think this is the recipe for you. Why? After 14 years of making it, it's still the only BBQ sauce I use. I've never felt the need to even try a different recipe. This one is all I will ever need or want.
If you were to ask me how many BBQ Sauces I've bought or made over the years I would tell I can't remember exactly but the number is probably around 1,742. My search for the perfect sauce ended when I was given this almost award winning recipe from Team Canada pitmaster Mike Callaghan.
BBQ Sauce is made with 3 basic ingredients and a few spices so I have no idea how it can go so wrong but it can. Whether it's store bought or homemade, at its core most BBQ sauce is made up of vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup and a bunch of spices. Most homemade sauces aren't bad, they just aren't Do a sommersault down a hill with our thumbs up Fonzie-style good.
I used to make a BBQ sauce from scratch. It wasn't bad. It was a basic concoction of the basic ingredients. It was good. Good enough to eat even. Which is more than I can say for most bottled BBQ sauces I've ever purchased.
Then on April 14th of 2009 I hosted a television show and was introduced to an award losing BBQ sauce. It was the best I'd ever had.
On the show, grill master Diva Q cooked a pig on a spit (moderately horrifying) and made a delicious BBQ Sauce from scratch. The recipe was on loan to her from another BBQing champion Mike Callaghan. Without a doubt it was the very best BBQ Sauce I've ever tasted in my entire life.
I kept licking the spoon like it was a meat popsicle. I've been making that BBQ Sauce ever since. But that's not the end of the sauce story.
I've since become acquainted with Mike, the creator of the sauce, and discovered he's travelled North America with this sauce losing competition after competition with it.
In 2014 he won the "Memphis In May" World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest with his tweaked BBQ sauce.
But I don't care if the original is an award losing recipe I'm sticking to it. In fact I've never bought or made a single other BBQ sauce since I made my first batch of this ...
Award Losing Maple Bourbon BBQ Sauce
I actually use my own maple syrup (Canadian, eh) to make this sauce. You can learn how to make your own maple syrup in my seriously detailed post on it. It will answer every single question you might have about making your own backyard maple syrup.
This recipe has all the basic ingredients, plus a few extras in exactly the right proportions.
A healthy dose of brown sugar, vinegar, maple syrup and Jim Beam Bourbon are the stars of the sauce.
The bourbon adds flavour and bite. Throw in the cayenne and it's the perfectly well rounded BBQ sauce you've always looked for.
All you do is dump everything into a pot, simmer it for 15-30 minutes and you're done.
Store it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator and it's ready to go whenever you make ribs or chicken. I should note that this is a sweet & spicy homemade barbecue sauce, so if sweet and spicy isn't your thing a) you're a bit of a lunatic and b) you should STILL make this because I still think you'll like it.
You don't HAVE to use this on grilled or smoked foods alone (although the flavour of the sauce goes particularly well with smoked foods). Add it to chicken you're cooking in the oven or drizzled over roasted vegetables - whatever you want. I'm not gonna be the boss of you and your sauce.
The Award Losing Maple Bourbon BBQ Sauce!
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- ⅔ cup bourbon (Jim Beam is preferred)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoon maple vinegar*
- 2 tablespoon white sugar
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine everything in a sauce pan and simmer until thickened. About 15 minutes.
Notes
* If you don't have, can't find, or can't be bothered to buy maple vinegar you can substitute with 4 tablespoons of white wine vinegar mixed with 4 tablespoons of maple syrup)
So there you have it. Others may give you award winning this or award winning that. But really ... what other blogger is going to give you an award losing recipe?
That's what makes our relationship special.
Hey Karen,
Wondering if you'd clear up for me if the ginger is powder or fresh grated.
Thanks for the 🥈recipe.
Your favorite Las Vegas sister of perpetual indulgence,
Ben
I used powder
The link to Big Dog's explanation about the BBQ sauce doesn't work for me...
Thank you for this recipe, it will kow be a staple in my fridge! I made it and took it to a "wing sauce" party/competition. It didn't win, but everybody that tried it loved it! The oriblem was there was 22 sauces and very few were able to eat 22 wings haha! Mine was near the end of the table too. Next year I will be first so I can be at the beginning of the table LOL
No matter how long I cooked this (over an hour!) the intense alcohol flavour didn’t dissipate. So not only was it incredibly sweet, it was also kinda nasty.
Not going to be our go to for sure.
Saw this recipe and wanted to try it... This recipe is mostly about slathering sugars all over meats, etc. Man, is it uber sweet! My entire family thought it was a "sweet" change for BBQ chicken but everyone stated that it needed less sugar overall. When I asked if it was worth making again the general response was negative. Too sweet for a group of 40 individuals.
It is possibly the sweetest BBQ sauce I have ever tasted and I am age 61. I had a lot of left over chicken after dinner was consumed and that was a first for me. My family usually devours my BBQ. Just wasn't the case using your recipe. I made it again today to try to eliminate the overbearing sweetness. Cut way back on sugars, added a splash of liquid smoke, and added my fresh homemade red sauce to this recipe instead of Ketchup. A squeeze of fresh lemon brightened this sauce in it's flavor. I added two additional tablespoons of JB Bourbon. It is still a "sweet bbq sauce" but tastes fresher and not overbearing in ones mouth. I also thickened this recipe so that the sauce easily remains on the chicken during the BBQ process. I was able to use less of the sauce on each piece of chicken which helped with the rich sweetness. Really yummy with these simple adjustments. Thank you for sharing your recipe though. It resulted in a sauce that was very much like yours but suited my families tastes. Appreciate that!
Hey there. Just a question - have you tried using a different bourbon, other than the boring ol' Jim Beam White Label? Not even trying to sell you on another brand, but the Black Label and Devil's Cut are significantly more robust and I think they'd compliment the sauce quite well.
If you're interested, read up on the flavor profiles of either and give one a shot! If you do, lemme know what you think!
I stick to the less expensive Jim Beam white label and if I'm in a pinch I'll use Jack Daniels. Honestly once you add all the rest of the ingredients you really can't tell what type of whiskey or bourbon you've used. It just adds a bit of bite to the sauce. :) ~ karen!
We are having our annual rib cook off at the tailgate this weekend. Every year we have to change up our flavors and be more creative. This year I have soaked pineapple slices in Crown Royal Maple for about 10 days. Then dehydrated and ground them into a powder to form the base of my rub. I was Googling for a sauce to compliment it when I came upon this one you use. I cannot wait as I think it will compliment the rub perfectly. This contest is not like an official KCB or anything like that. Just a fun tailgating contest to test your creative skills. Hopefully I can bring home win #3 this year! This sauce should do it!
Have you ever tried canning this item? If so, how was it after it was canned? I am thinking long-term for gifts and such. Sounds wonderful!! THANKS!
Hi Tami! I just got your comment while replying to a bunch of comments on this post I just put up, lol. I thought that's what you were referring to canning, lol! Anyhow ... I've never canned the sauce. You'd have to check the bible of canning "The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving" to see what they say. But honestly I make this sauce and it keeps in the refrigerator for months! It isn't something that spoils easily or quickly. :) ~ karen!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I looooooooove it. I have made it several times. I changed only two things.
1. I substitute maple sugar (powdered maple syrup crystals) for the white sugar.
2. I use Jim Beam Devil's cut that has had cherries soaking in it in a mason jar. For example, I know we are grilling on the 4th of July. Last week, I filled about a 20oz mason jar with frozen cherries and then poured the Jim Beam Devil's Cut over them. I will that soak in the fridge for a month (a week works well too, but the longer the more flavor), until I am ready to make the sauce. I am also going to try it with peaches.
It cooks down to a great bbq sauce. The smoke and peat of the Jim Beam combined with the rich maple and sweet (but not too sweet) cherry flavor in the bourbon make for a sauce that is literally finger licking good.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I looooooooove it. I have made it several times. I changed only two things.
1. I substitute maple sugar (powdered maple syrup crystals) for the white sugar.
2. I use Jim Beam Devil's cut that has had cherries soaking in it in a mason jar. For example, I know we are grilling on the 4th of July. Last week, I filled about a 20oz mason jar with frozen cherries and then poured the Jim Beam Devil's Cut over them. I will that soak in the fridge for a month (a week works well too, but the longer the more flavor), until I am ready to make the sauce. I am also going to try it with peaches.
It cooks down to a great bbq sauce. The smoke and peat of the Jim Beam combined with the rich maple and sweet (but not too sweet) cherry flavor in the bourbon make for a sauce that is literally finger licking good.
The first time we tried this as listed but just bought Devil's Cut- may have to try the added cherry flavor as well. YUM!
Delicious! I only regret that I made 1/4 recipe. I didn't want to have extra sitting sauce sitting around, spoiling. I didn't know it would be good enough to drink. Thank you for sharing!
I know Alexandra! Can you imagine this recipe losing any award, lol?! Also, with regard to it spoiling, I've had some in the fridge for almost a year (made it in the summer and didn't finish the jar until next summer) and it was perfectly fine. Glad you liked it. ~ karen!
I have to say, this is an excellent, rich, flavorful BBQ Sauce! We love the layers of flavor, including the vanilla. On canning it (I would never want to be relied upon, so to speak), I'm thinking I might try that. It has a very high sugar content, vinegar & ketchup (vinegar & sugar again). All of these act like preservatives, to my understanding, so I might give it a try. As with all home canned foods, we have to each weigh our decisions! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Loving exploring your blog and projects! It's a challenge to stop reading, drooling and start doing. You've given me the nerve to try to use leveling compound on the concrete subfloor of a bedroom I want to transform into an office. Just finished repairing a couple of hairline cracks and filling carpet tack nail holes. Next, leveling compound! Thank you for posting this photo of BBQ sauce ingredients. I want to use the exact brand of ingredients when trying recipes, especially for the first time-if at all possible. Can't tell the name brand of the white vinegar or the name brand of cayenne or ginger in the spice tins. If possible, will you share the info, please? Happy New Year!
Hi Carla. Welcome to my site! I usually buy my spices in bulk so I can buy small amounts so they don't go stale. So they're probably from the Bulk Barn. The white wine vinegar is from a local Canadian Brand, President's Choice, which if you're from the States you won't have access to. Just buy a medium cost white wine vinegar and you'll be fine. Good luck with the floor! ~ karen!
I made this sauce on Saturday after finding it online, and used it for ribs. The sauce was a huge hit! I was asked what it was, and where I bought it, so I told them I had made it. I now have to forward the recipe. It was easy to make, and I had everything I needed in my kitchen. This one is a WINNER! Best bbq sauce I have ever had, hands down.
I just tried your sauce, and I can feel myself slipping into a diabetic coma as I type. A bit sweet for my taste, but I love your writing, so I'll keep reading as I continue my search for MY perfect BBQ sauce.
Made this last night for my daughter's 2nd birthday and it was a HUGE HIT all around. Even my picky nephew went back for seconds and thirds. He tried going back for fourths but my husband beat him to the last rib :)
So THANK YOU for posting this, it's the first bbq sauce I've ever liked!
PS. As I made this I had to keep washing the spoon I was stirring with because I couldn't keep myself from licking the spoon each time I stirred!
Hi Briana - Thanks for taking the time to let me know! It is a completely delicious sauce! Great on chicken too! ~ karen
Yeah, we did chicken and ribs last night, they were both AMAZING! I've been dipping my finger in the jar of leftovers already this morning! ;)
We have been making this for months now and L-O-V-E it. It's our house-BBQ sauce. :) Thank you so much!!
Do you think I should be able to put up a bunch of this with a water bath canner?
I'm not sure Jen. I've often wondered about that. Truth is though it'll last in the fridge forever! You'd have to check each of the ingredients and process the jars to whichever ingredient needs the longest processing time. ~ karen!
I too have tried many store bought sauces. I tried this and it was awesome. Thank you . . . thank you . . . thank you for sharing.
Thanks Gordon. If this was the losing sauce, you can only imagine what the award *winning* BBQ sauce tasted like, LOL. ~ karen!
Just made it as recipe states. Too much cayenne and too much Jim Beam for our liking. It would be nice to scale these down and then add to taste as it cooks. However I won't be making this again. Not they type of maple bourbon sauce I was hoping for.
Fair enough. I happen to love it. ~ karen
Best sauce EVER!
I just finished making the BBQ sauce using your basic recipe but with a few minor tweaks. It is delicious! Can't wait to mop it on pork ribs. My house smells REALLY good right now! Thanks for the recipe!
We have an alcohol free home, so would I substitute something else to make up for not using bourbon, or would I just leave it out? The big fat liar Internet says to substitute bourbon with vanilla extract and maple syrup, both of which are already in this recipe, or with a sparkling cider. Having never tasted bourbon I don't know if that's an acceptable substitute or not. Please let me know what you think. Making my own spaghetti sauce has convinced me that I can make my own BBQ sauce as well! Thanks for your inspiration.
Angie - Just leave the bourbon out, although I'm not sure what the consistency or taste of the sauce will be without it. The bourbon is partly what gives the sauce it's bite, or kick. Along with the ginger. Give it a shot and see how it works out! ~ karen