eat make read

Warm weather is coming our way and that means barbecue. In fact, I think this may be the summer of barbecue for me. I’ve already become addicted to the orange chipotle sauce, but I was looking for something with a little less spice. That’s when I discovered this genius idea: bourbon barbecue sauce! I love bourbon and I love barbecue, it kind of sounds like a match made in heaven.

I know I say this all the time, but this is easy stuff! Not as easy as squeezing store-bought sauce from a bottle, but it’s pretty close and come on, the flavor you’re going to get in this sauce far outweighs that stuff. There are only seven ingredients, bourbon, ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, brown sugar, shallot and fresh rosemary. All you need to do is mix those up and simmer it on the stove to thicken it for about ten minutes and you’re ready to go. Easy!

I used the sauce on a pork loin and put it in the crockpot, occasionally basting it with the delicious bourbon barbecue goodness. You definitely taste the bourbon, but it’s almost like it gives it a little boost, heightening the flavor rather than getting an overwhelming boozy flavor. It’s a slightly sweet sauce, but the soy sauce brings in a nice hint of salt while the rosemary actually adds a bit of sophistication. It’s definitely a keeper.

P.S. The following night I mixed the rest of the barbecue with the leftover pork and along with some beans for tacos. Topped with a little fresh salsa… amazing!

bourbon barbecue sauce
adapted from epicurious
makes about 1 1/4 cups

1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 scallion, chopped fine
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

Combine ingredients in small saucepan and reduce until it thickens a bit, about 10 minutes.