Homemade Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce
Once you try this recipe for Homemade Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauce you may never buy store-bought again! This thick, tangy sauce that adds incredible flavor to all your barbecue meats or chicken.

After a long winter, the sun is shining, the flowers are blooming and the patio furniture is uncovered. Best of all it’s BBQ SEASON and time to enjoy the great outdoors with family and friends. So whether you call is a backyard BBQ, a cookout, or a picnic, it is time to relax and enjoy savory food and cool sips. Homemade Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauce is perfect to have on hand for this summer’s grilling.

If you want to impress guests at your next BBQ try making some homemade barbecue sauce. You will get rave reviews for this exceptional recipe. Tangy, smoky taste enhanced with the great flavor of Jack Daniel’s Whiskey. This superb barbecue sauce has a great thick consistency that works well on ribs, chicken, or steak. It also makes the best bbq sauce for Slow Cooker Pulled Pork that you will ever eat! For an extra special touch to your gathering make a large batch so your guests will have a jar to take home.
How to make BBQ sauce.
- Homemade Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauce recipe combines tangy, sweet, and smoky flavor into one sensation sauce that is easy to make! (full recipe below)
- The first step is to sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil in a large saucepan.
- Next, add all remaining ingredients to the saucepan.
- Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- If desired, stir in 1-2 more tablespoons of Jack Daniel’s whiskey for extra burst of whiskey flavor. Taste to season with extra hot sauce, pepper and salt as desired.
- Simmer for additional 5-10 minutes.

Enjoy Homemade Jack Daniels Barbecue Sauce on some great recipe like:

Homemade Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 3/4 cup fancy molasses regular molasses will also work
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
- 1/2 teaspoon Frank’s Red Hot Sauce add more if you like it spicy
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a large saucepan add olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic.
- Stir in all remaining ingredients.
- Bring to a slow boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low heat uncovered for 20-30 minutes.
- Taste and season as desired with more salt, pepper or hot sauce. You can also add another splash of Jack Daniel's whiskey. Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Brush onto meat, poultry, seafood of your choice for grilling.
- Use immediately or store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Nutrition

Homemade is always best and the addition of Jack Daniels is perfect
How true that is, I’m a big fan of trying to make everything from scratch.
I would like to make this as a gift. How long will it last in refrigerator? I would like to put it on the tag.
Hi Rob, I don’t know the scientific formula for how long this stays good but I have kept mine in the fridge for up to a month.
Now this is a BBQ sauce with a twist!
A little Jack makes everything taste better 🙂
I altso added 1/2 cup of jager maister 😉
That sounds like an interesting addition!
This looks incredible!
thank you.
I want to slather this on everything!
Hi Ashley, it sure does taste great on ribs, burgers, and all types of meat you BBQ.
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey in BBQ sauce?! Whoa, I need to try this!
My husband is a bbq sauce freak – he’s going to FREAK about me making this – in a good way of course 😀
I hope he enjoys it 🙂
I love making it, but I always triple the recipe, then can it. I’ve keep it for up to a year or more. The longer it sets the better it is. Ribs are great but pulled pork, hold onto your buns. It’s that good.
thrilled you enjoyed the recipe James. Great ideas to can it. I love it on pulled pork as well
when you can this sauce do you do it in a water bath and for how long??
Hi Jackie, I can’t really offer you advice on that as I have never canned my BBQ sauce. It never lasts that long.
u think I can canned this sauce??
I haven’t tried myself Manon, but I’m sure you could. It should also freeze well
Thanks for the awesome recipie for BBQ sauce made it once for pork chops and I will never buy store brands again! Goes great on French fries also. And it’s so easy to make and stored in a mason jar for up to 3 months. Thank you for this awesomeness in a jar!
Thanks Johnny, it is the only BBQ sauce I use now, love it, so glad you did too!
What is the best method to store this sauce and what is the shelf life? We love this sauce and Kroger doesn’t carry it now, so it will be great to make it from scratch. Thanks!!
Hi Linda, store in the refrigerator, it should be good for up to a month.
Hi,
I have kept mine in the fridge for over 3 months and it is still ok to use, it may be due to the Jack Daniels and Vinegar in the sauces etc
Laureen King,
I love making sauces to give as gifts for Christmas, birthdays etc. I love the jar you use. Where did you get it please? I usually use mason jars spruced up but this glass jar is great. So many ideas popped into my head would love to know if I can get them in bulk.
Hi Brenda, it is a jar I bought some gourmet olive oil in once many years ago
This sauce has amazing BBQ flavour, the booze adding a great dept of flavour. Interesting idea with the anchovies.
Hi! Can you do the pork tenderloin with sauce in the slow-cooker?
I think that would take great!
This is my go to recipe for everything I barbecue. I don’t use the liquid smoke because it’s not something in my pantry, and I add crushed pineapple to my sauce. You can totally make it sweeter or spicier according to your taste. Everyone always loves my short ribs in this sauce when I braise them in a Dutch oven low and slow. I usually have to triple the recipe to cover all of the meat, but the the sauce can be made days in advance which is great!
Thank you Joy. This BBQ sauce is a huge hit with all my family and friends and I make sure I always have some on hand.
Excited to use this recipe bc I love Jack’s Bbq but I am allergic to onion and I have make my own batch without it but the flavor in this sounds like I won’t be missing too much. QUESTION: Can I use grandmas unsulphered molasses instead of “fancy” molasses? I already have that on hand.
Maxine, the recipe should still taste great without the onion. Yes Grandmas molasses will work just fine.
Is this your recipe for Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Barbecue Sauce. I can’t find it in any stores now, and my family loved it when I made ribs with the Old No. 7. I will try your recipe as soon as I can get out of the house to shop for all the ingredients. I live in Upstate NY and we are still in lock-down due to Covid-19.
Hi Barbara, this is just my homemade recipe. I’m not sure how similar it tastes to Old No. 7. I hope you will be able to find the ingredients to make this homemade version. My family loves it. Do take good care during these trying times.
This was outstanding!! I was a tad short on the molasses and it was still perfect. I am going to make burgers using this sauce!
Wonderful Donna, glad you enjoyed the recipe!
It will be my only barbecue sauce now. I used a 1 tsp of onion powder and a 1 tsp of garlic powder and 1/2-1 tsp of cayenne for my “heat” and it was excellent. Everyone raved over the taste.
Thank you Eve, this is the only BBQ sauce I ever use.
After making the sauce can u store it the cabinet. For future use r do u have to used it right away.
Hi Gwen, it should be stored in the refrigerator and should keep 1-2 weeks