This is one of the most satisfying things I’ve made in a long time.
It’s sauce. It’s just sauce.
I know.
But would you look at it. Rich, burgundy colored, speckled with coarse black pepper and onion bits!
Shut. It. Up.
Where’s the chicken. Tell me you brought the chicken.
We’re making this sweet barbecue sauce in 10 easy steps.
Step 1: saute chopped onions. Do it.
Step 2: add minced garlic. Saute that too.
Step 3: add bourbon. Yes.
I mean… obviously.
If you don’t want to add bourbon. Guess what? You don’t have to.
Step 4: add orange juice and orange zest.
Step 5: that was cider vinegar. Add that too.
Step 6: molasses. Sexy.
Step 7: Worcestershire sauce. Necessary and proper.
Step 8: brown sugar and white nail polish.
Step 9: ketchup x 2.
Step 10: Add salt, pepper, and coriander. Boil and simmer and simmer and serve.
This barbecue sauce is sweet and deep. It’s tinted with the flavors of bourbon and orange, spiced with coarse black pepper and coriander, and brightened by cider vinegar.
The cooked onions and garlic remain and little minced bits in this sauce… if that bugs the heck out of you, you could totally put this sauce in the blender to smooth out. Be careful blending hot liquids, leave a bit of room in the lid for the mixture to breathe.
Sweet, orange, slightly spicy… what a beautiful barbecue glaze. I love that we can make this happen!
The chicken? I used The Pioneer Woman’s recipe for Barbecue Chicken.
Bourbon Orange Coriander Barbecue Sauce
makes about 2 1/2 cups
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar (1/3 cup if you’d like it less sweet)
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add onions and saute until translucent and slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Lower heat to low and add bourbon. Scrape the browned bits of onion and garlic from the bottom of the pan as the bourbon heats. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, until reduced and thickened.
Mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Serve over cooked chicken, on top of meat loaf, cheese burgers or veggie burgers.
Lee
Mix this with pulled duck. OMG X
Annie
Wow! I am so going to use this on grilled pork loin.
Becky
Finally made this sauce today and WOW – it’s even more delicious than I anticipated! Great recipe :)
Tapioca Pearls
A heavenly dessert! I have always loved tapioca. It is so versatile and delicious.
alex d
All recipes offered by Relish are amazing. I have used so many of them for me and my family and I have never gotten any bad feedback, not even from my kids. I even use them to entertain my guests for parties through out the year and they always are a hit. They offer recipes for different times of the season, holidays, and obviously countless recipes of different cuisines.
Nicola @ unhip squirrel
I finally made this! It was so so so so good. Thanks for the inspiration!
http://unhipsquirrel.blogspot.com/2011/09/pulled-pork-with-bourbon-orange.html
Rae
Made this yesterday.
Put it on chicken bits.
D to the lushious.
The end.
Jessica @ bake me away!
I stopped eating meat at the end of 2009 and still crave chicken…especially when barbecue sauce is involved. Maybe I should try this with tempeh or something. I now have bourbon in my life and a high percentage of the blame goes to you. Thanks!
Schnatzi
I made this for fourth of July with chicken breasts and it was delicious. Heavenly. The boyfriend likes Bourbon and I like the boyfriend, so I made this and learned to like bourbon as well! Thank you!
Nicola @ unhip squirrel
wooowwww… I’m floored. I need to make this immediately. I don’t have a barbeque, but I love the idea of slow-cooking some chicken in it… hmm, might have to wait until the weekend!
Megan P.
Hey Joy!
This sauce looks great, can’t wait to try! Do you think it could be canned and preserved? It seems like a great thing to give as a gift! I’m super into canning these days (much easier than you think!) and I’d love to have can it! :)
irma
Just made this sauce last night,no bourbon in the house,unfortunately. But it was amazing and will definitely make it again. My daughter made it to put on her pulled pork. She said it was scrumptious.Thank you so much for sharing!
EB
“Shut. It. Up” hahahaha love it
Seanna Lea
I will have to make this sauce for the next time I am making veggie burgers. It will be nice to be able to make plain ones and give them interest from the outside.
LCo
Joy – made this sauce for my July 4 BBQ and it was a huge hit! Totally easy, but totally full of unique and dynamic flavor. Loved it. Thanks.
Katherine Collins
My fiance and I made this last weekend, then slow cooked some chicken breasts & thighs in it, THEN pulled them apart and drizzled more of it and slapped it on a bun.
It was so good.
Wendy h
Oh, MAN!!! I just made this for our 4th of July supper… it is DELICIOUS! Thanks for sharing. Bourbon kinda makes everything better.
Andrea Juranis
I made this BBQ sauce and this chicken recipe for July 4th and it was a total hit! everyone loved the Sauce – thank you!!! I will definitely be making it again, this time i will try it on breasts – the chicken kind:-) Thanks again – you rock!
Kimberley
Oh shizz! That looks amazing. I kinda wish I’d seen this yesterday, when I made some BBQ chicken. I only have myself to blame. Also that white nail polish is hot.
Lorena I.
Oh boy, I can’t stop by this blog ‘vause I always leave drooling over myself or dying of hunger… that can’t be healthy!!!! hehehehehee
Love your blog, kisses from Spain
Diana @ a girl, a dog and an oven
Ohhhh, Joy this looks so good! Hubby is lately obsessed with the grill, I’m definitely trying this soon!!!
Lauren
Made this yesterday! It was so good… I loved the orange flavor. Great job Joy!
Pam
The addition of brown sugar and “white nail polish” threw me at first, but then I realized what you were saying. LOL. The recipe (and photographs) look fabulous. Thanks!!
Meghan
Fabulous! Made it tonight to marinade some chicken for a bbq tomorrow. I LOVE it. Tossed the chicken in most of it, reserved some for basting, and then pretty much licked the pot clean. Thanks lady!
Anne-Marie
I made this recipe last night and it was a big hit! It looks beautiful, it smells good, and it tastes wonderful. THANKS, JOY!!
The Newlywed Chefs
Sweet, sweet, BBQ heaven! Thanks for this recipe!
One in a Brazilian
I think I have all of the ingredients at home. Sweet! I can’t wait to BBQ!!!
Kim
We made this delicious sauce for a smoked Boston Butt. The BBQ sauce was amazing, and everyone was raving about it. Thanks!
Katie
Um… YUM.
Lucia
I love the dark ruby colour of this sauce. I can almost fell its velvety texture on my tongue. What a barbecue!
Katrina
Now this is a sexy sauce! Love this. So tasty looking.
Kim, Tracy & Thomas ( friends from SLO)
Hi,
Thanks to this post we are now having a pre-4th of July BBQ. Wish you could be here. Let us know next time you are up our way and we shall share some of our homemade beer with you! Have a great 4th!
Love to you,
From your SLO fans
Kim, Tracy & Thomas
joythebaker
i love everything about this!
Becky
Oooh, this sauce looks divine!! *bookmarking*
Unique
I just tried this over tempeh- turned out EXCELLENT. Thank you! just discovered you and your awesome podcast, btw- you rock, madam. :)
michelle
I’ve never had bourbon. I know, I know…crazy. I’m buying some tomorrow for this sauce.
anna
bourbon IS sexy! i don’t like drinking it, but i love anything cooked with it. yummmm.
what katie's baking
i like your nail polish!
this looks really good!! maybe you could ship it?
brenna
i love the steps! i love your recipes but sometimes i get a little mixed up, but these steps make it so easy to get to the delicious part faster and without mistakes!
naomi
ohhhh god. i love bourbon and i love you.
Stacy @ Say It With Sprinkles
I love bbq sauce so much, I can eat it with a spoon =)
Laura@alwaysroom4dessert
I just turned on the food network and it’s the best thing I ever ate SAUCE edition and they’re showing a bbq sauce, I then just got a call from a friend saying bbq tonight! Now I check your page and it’s an ahmazing sounding bbq sauce, somebody’s trying to tell me something..MAKING THIS! Thanks Joy!
mariah
Oooooh . Dear. Lord. This is the best.
Cathy Adkins
I make a sauce very similar to this, never thought of adding orange juice & zest but now I’ve gotta try it! Last time I made it was last week, and I had to tripple the batch because friends were wanting to take some home. My kids eat it on everything!
I love the white nail polish but I couldn’t make it work for me. My polish chips/wears off almost instantly.
Kelly
Oooh I never thought of putting orange into barbeque sauce. Inspired. Sounds (and looks delicious!)
miri leigh
This sauce looks so rich and beautiful! Thank you!
Aimee
I love how step-by-step your recipes are! As soon as I stop eating this sweetened condensed milk I’m going to put the ingredients on the shopping list!
Amy
Whoops! I meant to “serve”.
Amy
I made this last night to sever with pulled pork. People swooned! Thanks for sharing the BBQ love.
Vanessa
Joy, this sounds fabulous.
Can you tell me how long this would keep outside the fridge? I’d love to send it from Germany to the USA, which would take about a week. Do you think this is possible or will it go bad?
Please do let me know.
Thank you so much for all your wonderfulness!
V.
joythebaker
i don’t think this should be left out for a week. it might get weird.
eliz
Boil and simmer and simmer and serve. It’s like the food-obsessed-joy-lovers double double toil and trouble. Our anthem, I love.
Carrie
Made this last night for upcoming 4th of July festivities … wow. I added some red chili flakes for a little extra heat. Can’t wait to smother the chicken with this sauce!
Lee
Love your description of the sauce. Sounds like a fine wine!
Emily
Love the white polish! What kind is it? Oh and do you speak from experience when giving the advice to leave room for the sauce to breathe if you put it in a blender? Thanks for that tip, I bet otherwise some people would have a huge mess on their hands! :-D
sheila @ Elements
Oh yum!!! I haven’t had barbecue chicken in like a thousand years, and now you’ve got me craving it! The sauce looks so incredibly good! I’m definitely gonna make this one of these days! :)
Lauren (La Maison)
Ohh emm gee. I want to make this right now! Too bad its 11:02 pm.
Jennifer Duncan
Bourbon?! Did I hear bourbon? mmm hmmm… AND molasses? Count me in! I’m going to have to take this to the beach with us on the 4th. Along with moon pies, boiled peanuts, watermelon and root beer. But I’ll have to puree it. My kids have a thing about onions. Silly boys! I think I’ll make the chicken like pulled pork, throw on the sauce, slap it between some buns. YUM! I’m going to need to need some slaw too. Do you have a great recipe for slaw? Something without heaps of mayo? :)
jennie
oh. my. gracious. this looks amazing. i want to make chicken right now. funny that you used a pioneer woman recipe, because as soon as i saw you take pictures of each ingredient going in the sauce, i thought of her. thank you for bringing this sauce into our lives.
teawithhazel
sauce looks good..going to give it a whirl..as for the white nail polish…do you think it would help eclipse the wrinkles and brown spots on work worn hands?..if so maybe i’ll buy several bottles.. :) jane
Anne
Holy YES. I’m def going to wrangle this into 4th of July somehow. Either that or a picnic lunch with friends. Omg. Yes. That’s what I’m going to do.
Oh, and the white nails – I’m loving them! I would never have guessed that they would look that cute. But do yours chip a lot because of cooking/baking? Mine do. Which is why I opt for toenails over nail nails. You know.
Stephanie
This might just make me switch from making burgers to chicken this weekend! My mouth is watering looking at those pics!
heather @ chiknpastry
Surprisingly, the peach bbq sauce in gwyneth paltrow’s new book is extra fab. although, hers doesn’t have bourbon…..
Marie Baars
The first thing I noticed was your white nails! haha
I could not do it…it would look exactly like white-out on me…but yours..just don’t.
But I have ugly nails and torn up cuticles and dirt jammed under the edges. White might not go so good with the dirt.
ps. WHO on earth has a work pool party? Unbelievable. I would not go. Or I would put myself in charge of something time consuming and important so I would not have to take off my clothes and go in the pool. The only time I think a work pool party is acceptable is if you are a lifeguard. Then you work at a pool so of course it will be a pool party, right? Right.
Kat @ Cupcake Kat
Wow this sounds like an excellent sauce
Lauren (PB&G)
Joy I just started salivating all over my keyboard.
Bourbon + BBQ sauce..
I am Homer Simpson.
Ani
This really looks delicious and so simple! I will definitely be giving this a go!
Becca
I am not a sauce person. The only sauce I think is worthy of using is ketchup. I am a big ketchup fan, buuuut… this sauce does look great and minus the onions, I would totally consider dowsing my chicken in this!
Nic@daydreamaboutfood
Loving the sauce- definitely trying this
Urban Wife
Bourbon makes everything better. The end.
Bailey W.
Def gonna have to try this minus the booze and with some tofu! I’ve never even thought about making a BBQ sauce so it’s gonna be mighty interesting!
megan
wow, everything you do is golden. this looks awesome.
Erika
Love the white nail polish – looks great on you!
Jill
Is it blasphemy if I make this sauce for tempeh! NO! :P
That nail polish is da BOMB. I am so adding white to my collection of blue and pink….
Gen
Wow you really know how to use Bourbon in gorgeous recipes! I can say you are a Bourbon (and butter ) specialist! ^^And it’s perfect with chicken.
Jessica
This is the most inventive BBQ sauce I have ever seen in my life.
EVER.
Oh sweet joys of barbecue this is brilliant!
You literally but everything my mother loves into a barbecue sauce for her to smother all over her most favoritest food. of. all. times. chicken.
She will be [insert Southern accent here] back in Tennessee, rockin’ in her rocker, groovin’ in bbq chicken heaven [end Southern accent] – I can’t wait!!
For seriouslies, Thank you
Your blog is the reason I wake up in the morning
No joke – its the first thing I do
Leanne @ Healthful Pursuit
omg, my boyfriend would LOVE this bbq sauce. We’re all about the sauces!
Maddie
Wow. Holy cow. This sauce is a beautiful gift to the world.
And it’s perfect because I had already planned on drinking mint juleps all day Monday, so I’ll have plenty of bourbon handy :)
Now I just want to barbecue everything in sight! A zillion thanks, Joy!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
You should bottle and sell that! Wow – I am now in search of something I can grill and slather with your special sauce. Goodness that really looks terrific!
Holly B @ Recipes from a Normal Mum
And as the sun comes out so does your wonderful BBQ recipe. I salute you. I love you.
NicoleD
YES! The color of the sauce is just gorgeous. If you don’t have a bourbon category on your site, I think you should add one immediately :)
Kulsum at JourneyKitchen
That’s masterpiece! Tell me what would you subs for bourbon? Don’t kill me. You haven’t lived in Kuwait!!
joythebaker
You’re right, I haven’t. Just leave the bourbon out. No biggie!
Krissa
Sounds wonderful!
Sarah
I have been wanting to make bbq sauce FOREVER!! But i never found “the” recipe. I wanted it to be perfect- sweet, smoky goodness. I’m thinking this fits the bill ( specially the onions!) I am also glad that the bourbon is optional ( im only a teen and no one in my family drinks). Is this easy enough and quick enough to make on weeknights? or maybe i can leave it simmering before i leave for church?
Adrienne @ MIDWESTERN BELLE
This looks amazing! I’ve never tried making my own BBQ sauce…I guess it’s time :)
Kristi @ 30 Pounds of Apples
O. M. G. This looks totally awesome. Makes me want to abandon the yogurt I’m eating for breakfast and nosh on rich messy bbq immediately.
Emily
(long time listener, first time caller)….
joy, this looks UN-FRIGGIN-REAL. this is definitely going on my fourth of july picnic to-do list. every single time i make one of your recipes, my friends flip out–i, of course, give you the credit, but you make me look like a genius :) i moved cross-country in the fall for a new job, and your recipes have definitely made me popular at work…so, you know, thanks for that! looking forward to what the summer in joy-the-baker-land brings!
joythebaker
you’re the genius… just so you know!
Sarah-Anne
yummy in mah tummy!! BBQ chicken is my all time fave way to make chicken…
Jesse
there is nothing like good barbeque. and this looks damn fine barbeque lady. sign me up.
Heidi @ Food Doodles
Mmmm, I am on a huge bbq sauce kick. I never really cared that much before and now it’s like I need to make that today! Yum!
Rocky Mountain Woman
oh yeah..babee….I want to add the Bourbon…I really want to add the Bourbon…
This is going on the menu for the fourth…
xxoo,
RMW
joythebaker
do this!!!
Leslie
Yum. And not as hard as I was expecting, either. I guess that’s a good thing. I wouldn’t mind diving into those chicken legs right about now.
Nice nails.
joythebaker
totally easy! you literally just stir a bunch of stuff together!
Sincerely Jill
I emailed this to my husband… I think he might just die when he sees this recipe. Bourbon in a BBQ sauce… yes, please.
Andrea @ From the Bookshelf
This will make a nice change fromt he usual BBQ sauce I make. Looks delicious! (Like the nailpolish too!)
Laura @ SweetSavoryPlanet
Love a good barbecue sauce and BBQ chicken rocks!
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen
Oh, wow. Perfect for 4th of July BBQs!
Rebeccca in STL
This sounds amazing! I would just drink the sauce straight up.
joythebaker
encouraged.
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles
It does looks ‘sweet and deep’. Oh my what can find in my fridge to drench this in? And when can I make it to the liquor store? I don’t have bourbon on hand anymore. ooops! Happy Friday, Joy!
Michelle
B vitamins!
Bourbon. Brown Sugar. BBQ.
joythebaker
TOTES!
Petra
Love the recipe. Looks so delicious. Love the nail polish, too. Nice!
:) Petra
Anna
This looks so good. Can I come over? THAAAAANKS
Jackie
mmmmm….can’t wait to try this! :)
Jacqueline
Perfect for the 4th!!!! I’m so glad I just read this before my trip to the store! Thanks!
Nelly Rodriguez
NOT something I want to be looking at at 9am, starving. I NEED that sauce!! Love the process pictures, you’re a rock star Joy!
Lynne @ 365 Days of Baking
Still have to try that bourbon…
The chicken looks like it’s so lick-your-fingers good!! Great pictures!!
Michelle
I just made some hamburger buns you could slather that sauce all over – just sayin! perfecto mondo!
http://ladystiles.blogspot.com/2011/06/easy-sesame-hamburger-buns.html
origamidumpling
Oooh that last shot is definitely the money shot! This recipe is diviiiiiine with all those ingredients. Love molasses!
sherri lynn
This sounds so good! I like the combinations of the molasses, orange juice/zest and the bourbon. Can’t wait to try this.
Catherine
I love this recipe and I will make this soon ! Thanks so much.
I love the white nail polish too ! I am glad I am not the only one that loves white nail polish, a favorite of mine especially in summer.
Baking Holly
This looks so good!! I just bought a zester so now I don’t have to skip that part!
Lena
Sounds divine! I must try this soon!
Heather (Heather's Dish)
seriously, homemade bbq sauce is the bee’s knees…it’s probably one of my favorite things to make! i love the addition of bourbon and coriander to this one!
Zoe
I just made bbq sauce last night. Pretty similar but minus the bourbon and onions. Yum Yum!
Charis
That looks perfect! And the chicken..oh my!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
Oh that looks stunning!
I love Worcestershire, molasses, brown sugar, vinegar and I love sauces, dips, dressings, and spreads. I could just drink them. Seriously.
Earlier in the week I posted about Dark Rum Caramel Sauce that I made and yes, I could just drink it.
Or your bbq sauce. With bourbon and orange. To die for! :)
Maris(In Good Taste)
Love homemade bbq sauce and with this list of ingredients you can’t go wrong!
Ruth
This looks amazing, Joy. I have a camping trip coming up and this could well feature on the barbecue menu! I love the nail polish too! :-)
lou
{you forgot to mention *add coriander* in the photographed procedure xo!}
joythebaker
you’re right!
Christianne
What would you say is a good beginners bourbon? Either for drinking or recipes. Thanks!
Kathryn
Everything is better with bourbon. Fact. And you are totally rocking those white nails.
erin
Oh, wow! I just listened to episode 5 of the Joy the Baker podcast where you talked about making this… and here it is… awesome. (yes, I’m behind. I usually listen to it on the train to uni and we’re on holidays… so yeah.) You guys are awesome. And, yay, second comment. This NEVER happens to me.
thank you for your blog and podcast. :)
Katie
ummmm…. yes please. I LOVE anything barbecue… but never thought to make my own sauce! genuis!
Maureen
This looks SO good!!! I can’t wait to try this on anything that goes on the grill.