Whiskey Peach BBQ Sauce Recipe | Hey Grill, Hey (2024)

posted September 20, 2022

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Whiskey peach BBQ sauce is a tangy and sweet flavor punch for your mouth. Slather this sauce liberally all over smoked chicken, low and slow BBQ ribs, or even use it as a dipping sauce for anything and everything.

Whiskey Peach BBQ Sauce

Whiskey peach BBQ sauce is the sauce you never knew you needed in your life. It’s got a little bit of everything, and it’s completely amazing on just about any BBQ. It’s a rich and sweet sauce that is truly one-of-a-kind.

This sauce is incredible on Whiskey Peach Smoked Pulled Chicken, Whiskey Peach Baby Back Ribs, and my recipe for Smoked Chicken Thighs. And if you don’t have the time to make this sauce from scratch, Hey Grill Hey is here to help! We have this sauce in our store packaged and ready to ship right to your door! Pick up a bottle today!

Ingredients for Whiskey Peach BBQ Sauce

The key to all great BBQ sauces is a great balanced blend of sweet, and savory, with a little punch of spice. This whiskey peach BBQ sauce gets the perfect amount of sweetness from peach preserves and a kiss of brown sugar, savory notes from the whiskey, and the perfect blend of spice from the homemade Sweet Rub.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this sauce:

  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 3/4 cup peach preserves
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup whiskey
  • 2 Tablespoons molasses
  • 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub

My Sweet Rub can be made from scratch using the recipe for Best Sweet Rub, or you can purchase a bottle from the Hey Grill Hey Store.

How to Make Whiskey Peach BBQ Sauce

It’s a breeze to make this sauce. All you need is a medium saucepan and a spoon and you’re ready to go! Here’s how to make whiskey peach BBQ sauce:

  1. Combine ingredients. Pour all ingredients into a medium saucepan. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring frequently.
  2. Simmer. Once the sauce reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the sauce doesn’t burn. It should thicken up during this time to a nice BBQ sauce consistency.
  3. Cool. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
  4. Use or store. This sauce is ready to be used immediately, but I feel it tastes better the next day. Store the sauce in an airtight container or a glass mason jar until ready to use.

Tips for Making Whiskey Peach BBQ Sauce

Before you jump into making this sauce, I have a couple of tips to help you get the most flavor out of your sauce!

  • Make in advance. I believe all homemade barbecue sauces are better the next day. Make your sauce a day in advance, cool completely, and then transfer to an air-tight container. Keep in the refrigerator overnight (or for at least 8 hours) to let all of those tasty flavors mellow together. It creates a much more cohesive and delicious sauce. My favorite sauce containers are these wide-mouth glass canning jars. Perfect for storing in the fridge or even giving as gifts.
  • Play around with flavors. If you wanted to switch up the flavors in this sauce or you needed to substitute some of the ingredients, I thought I’d give you a few ideas to make this your own. You can easily swap the whiskey for bourbon, or if you wanted to skip the alcohol altogether I recommend using apple juice. If you’re not into (or can’t find) peach preserves, this sauce works great with apricot jam, apple jelly, or even orange marmalade. Each of those will add different flavors to the barbecue sauce, but should have the right consistency and sweetness to make the delicious sauce!

More Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes

Making your own homemade BBQ Sauce recipes is a great way to add fresh flavors to your BBQ. I’ve got a handful of other sauce recipes in addition to this whiskey peach BBQ sauce recipe on my site, so if you feel like browsing around check out a few of our most popular homemade BBQ sauce recipes below.

  • Kansas City BBQ Sauce
  • Honey BBQ Sauce
  • Teriyaki BBQ Sauce

Whiskey Peach BBQ Sauce Recipe

Hey Grill Hey is dedicated to helping you make better BBQ so you can feed the people you love and become a backyard BBQ hero. If you’re looking to up your BBQ game, join The Grill Squad. It’s my members-only BBQ group that is packed full of awesome pitmaster classes and other amazing perks (like a running discount on my store!) Check it out today!

This post was originally published in January 2018. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.

Whiskey Peach BBQ Sauce Recipe | Hey Grill, Hey (5)

Whiskey Peach BBQ Sauce

Susie Bulloch

Whiskey peach BBQ sauce is a tangy and sweet flavor punch for your mouth. Slather this sauce liberally all over smoked chicken, ribs, or even use it as a dipping sauce for anything and everything.

Prep Time : 5 mins

Cook Time : 25 mins

Total Time : 30 mins

Servings : 2 cups

Calories : 868kcal

Print Recipe Save to Pinterest

Ingredients

  • 1 cup ketchup
  • ¾ cup peach preserves
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup whiskey
  • 2 Tablespoons molasses
  • 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub (link in recipe notes)

Instructions

  • Make the sauce. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

  • Use or store. Cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate overnight for the best flavor and then use liberally on grilled or smoked chicken, pork, and fish.

Notes

Sweet Rub

  • Purchase it from the store HERE: Sweet Rub
  • Make it from scratch using this RECIPE: Best Sweet Rub Recipe

Nutrition

Calories: 868kcal | Carbohydrates: 200g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 1157mg | Potassium: 924mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 156g | Vitamin A: 1005IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 280mg | Iron: 8mg

Ready to Become a Backyard BBQ Hero?Join The Grill Squad today!

Everything BBQ Sauce
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Whiskey Peach BBQ Sauce Recipe | Hey Grill, Hey (2024)

FAQs

How can I make homemade BBQ sauce better? ›

To me, a good BBQ sauce has the right mix of smokiness, tanginess, sweetness, and spice. If your sauce isn't sweet enough, add some brown sugar or molasses. If the sauce isn't tangy enough, add some apple cider vinegar. If the sauce needs some heat, add your favorite hot sauce or red pepper.

Do you put BBQ sauce on before grilling? ›

Focus on searing the meat and then cooking it until it reaches a safe inside temperature at the thickest part. Sauces are best applied near the end of cooking to prevent burning. Only baste it with sauce during the final five minutes of cooking. The taste will blow you away without any burned mess on your grill.

How to make homemade BBQ sauce thick? ›

You might try 2TB Flour and a 1/4 cup cold water and mix thoroughly before adding to the BBQ sauce. Depending on the type of BBQ sauce you are wanting, other ingredients can be added as well to some mixtures to add a bit of thickness, such as; tomato paste, or honey.

Is it worth making your own BBQ sauce? ›

Skip the store-bought stuff! Homemade barbecue sauce is delicious, incredibly versatile, and oh-so easy to make with pantry staples. Trust us — you're going to want to bookmark this top-rated recipe for classic barbecue sauce.

How do you keep BBQ sauce from sticking to the grill? ›

Clean and Oil the Grates:

Once clean, lightly oil the grates using a high smoke point cooking oil like canola or vegetable oil. This thin layer of oil creates a non-stick barrier between the food and the grates.

How do you keep BBQ sauce from burning on the grill? ›

Jake's Famous Foods explains that sugar burns at between 265 and 275 degrees Fahrenheit. So if you're barbecuing at a temperature higher than this, you should avoid adding the barbecue sauce early on. If you do, even barbecue sauce that isn't high in sugar will eventually burn.

Can you grill BBQ sauce? ›

As mentioned above, the problem with using barbecue sauce directly on the grill is that it burns, due to the high sugar content. However, on the way to burning, sugar caramelizes. If you keep control of the timing you can use barbecue sauce to create a beautiful glaze for your food.

How to make BBQ sauce James Martin? ›

For the BBQ Sauce:
  1. 250ml tomato ketchup.
  2. 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar.
  3. 1 shallot, diced.
  4. 1 garlic clove crushed.
  5. 4 tablespoons bourbon whiskey.
  6. 4 tablespoons maple syrup.
  7. 2 tablespoons molasses.
  8. 1 eating apple, cored and chopped.

What is homemade BBQ sauce made of? ›

In a medium saucepan, stir together all of the ingredients: tomato sauce, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, molasses, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, dry mustard, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

What's the difference between grilling sauce and BBQ sauce? ›

Sauces intended for grilling should contain less sweeteners (usually brown sugar or molasses) than barbecue sauces. Sugar will burn over the direct heat and leave you with a bitter taste.

What makes BBQ sauce taste better? ›

Spices: With big bold flavors, the subtly of spices in bottled sauces tends to get lost. Adding garlic or onion powder are standard flavors for barbecue, but get a little creative and try out different chile powders, peppers, cumin, or dried herbs to add body to the sauce.

What is the most common ingredient in BBQ sauce? ›

The base ingredients of barbecue sauce usually include tomato sauce or ketchup, vinegar, and sweeteners, such as molasses or brown sugar. Other common ingredients include Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, onion powder, and various spices, which can include paprika, cumin, and chili powder.

Why is Chinese BBQ sauce different? ›

Besides, this sauce doesn't have the unappealing red food coloring that some restaurants use. Just simple and natural ingredients, plus tons of flavor. Unlike American-style barbecue sauces, traditional Chinese barbecue sauce doesn't contain tomatoes.

How do you add depth to BBQ sauce? ›

Create depth by adding dark chocolate and coffee to your barbecue sauce. These two, feature a bitter-sweet combo that can truly enhance the blend of spices and flavors present in your bottled barbecue sauce. Enhance your Barbecue Sauce using almost anything, including your favorite beer.

What gives BBQ sauce its distinct flavor? ›

Ingredients vary, but most include vinegar or tomato paste (or a combination) as a base, as well as liquid smoke, onion powder, spices such as mustard and black pepper, and sweeteners such as sugar or molasses.

How can I make my sauce better? ›

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

How do you make BBQ sauce more liquid? ›

If it has a good strong flavor you could thin it with something complimentary like a little water, beer, or whiskey. If it needs a little acidity thin it with some vinegar or citrus juice and then balance that with some sugar or honey.

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