Burnt Peach & Bourbon BBQ Sauce
A classic BBQ sauce combined with burnt peaches and smoky bourbon whiskey. It’s sweet, tangy & perfect with smoked & grilled meats, especially pork!
Here’s an easy homemade BBQ sauce that’s flavoured with burnt peaches and a generous amount of bourbon whiskey. It’s sweet & tangy like all good BBQ sauces with flecks of burnt peach running throughout.
You get the smokiness from the bourbon whiskey & sweetness from the juicy peaches, plus the syrup that you get in a tin of peaches which gives this BBQ sauce extra sweetness and a glossy finish. It’s perfect stirred through tender pulled pork or used as a glaze for smoked ribs. Then again, I’ve been eating it with pretty much anything, it’s that good!
This is the perfect sauce to make when you’ve got your barbecue lit already, as you’ll need to grill the peaches. You can even cook the sauce on your grill as well. You can grill the fruit in a griddle pan instead though, if the weather’s not playing ball.
For more side dishes & sauces, take a look at our collection of sides! There’s lots to choose from here, from homemade chips, to cornbread, slaws, pickles & loads more.
Ingredients For Burnt Peach BBQ Sauce
- Peaches – This BBQ sauce is made with canned peaches & we’re using the fruit & the syrup. I’d recommend using peach halves instead of slices, as they’ll be easier to grill.
- Bourbon – Any good bourbon whiskey will work for BBQ sauce or you can leave it out, to make this sauce alcohol free.
- Ketchup – I used Heinz tomato ketchup but any brand will work.
- Sugar – For the best flavour & to give this sauce a deep colour, we’re using dark brown sugar & black treacle.
- Vinegar – Using apple cider vinegar adds sweetness to BBQ sauce but white wine vinegar or pickle juice will work as well.
- Mustard – Yellow mustard adds tanginess to our sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Adds a savoury, tangy flavour to BBQ sauce & also adds seasoning.
- Dried Spices – We’re using classic dried spices for this sauce, including cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder & cumin.
How To Make Burnt Peach & Bourbon BBQ Sauce
This batch of BBQ sauce is best made when you’ve already got your grill fired up! It only takes 10 minutes to cook once you’ve burnt the peaches, so it can simmer away whilst you grill your meat.
1. Burn Peaches On A Barbecue
The first step is to drain a tin of peaches then dry them well with kitchen paper. Don’t throw the syrup away though, as it will be added to the sauce.
Next, you’ll need to grill the peaches for 2-3 minutes on each side until they’re well caramelised and practically burnt. If you don’t fancy lighting your barbecue just for this, you can grill the peaches in a griddle pan on the stove instead.
2. Simmer On Stove
Once you’ve grilled the peaches, add them into a large saucepan along with ketchup, sugar, bourbon, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, spices and the syrup from the tin of peaches.
This mix now gets cooked over a medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, until the sugar & spices have dissolved and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. You’ll need to mash the peaches into the sauce with a spoon as the sauce cooks as well.
3. Blend Smooth
Once cooked, blend the sauce smooth in a jug blender (or with a stick blender) then give it a taste and season with salt as needed. I don’t worry about passing the sauce, as I like to keep the flecks of burnt peach in.
Serving Suggestions For Burnt Peach BBQ Sauce
This barbecue sauce can be used exactly like a regular BBQ sauce. It’s sweet, tangy and perfect with drizzled over smoked meats (pulled pork especially), it can be used as a glaze for ribs and as a dip to serve with fries, grilled veg, mozzarella sticks & loads more. It would also work great as a burger sauce!
Tips & Tricks
- Grill your peaches until they’re well caramelised. Don’t worry if they look burnt, this is key to adding maximum flavour.
- Don’t pass the sauce, to keep the flecks of burnt peach visible.
- For an extra smoky flavour, cook your BBQ sauce on your barbecue.
- Use a good quality tomato ketchup as the base of your sauce. I used Heinz.
- Taste your sauce once it’s cooked then add in more seasoning, vinegar or sugar if you think it needs it, for a perfectly balanced flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions
To cook BBQ sauce on an Aga, use the simmering plate. If you’re grilling the peaches on the stove, use a the boiling plate.
Canned peaches are better for BBQ sauce as they are cooked, which means they’ll break down into the sauce. You can use fresh peaches but you’ll need to use ripe ones & cook them for a bit longer on the grill, until they’re soft.
As peach & bourbon BBQ sauce contains fruit, it’s best eaten within 1 week of being made & should be stored in the fridge.
Yes, you can cook BBQ sauce on a barbecue! To cook BBQ sauce on a barbecue, cook it over an indirect heat to mimic a medium-low stove. You can cook BBQ sauce in a pan or in a foil tray.
More BBQ Recipes To Try!
- Cherry Cola Whiskey BBQ Sauce
- Tangy Apple Slaw
- Honey Butter Buttermilk Cornbread
- Creamy Mustard Butter Beans With Smoked Ham Hock
- Candied Jalapeños (Cowboy Candy)
- Rice Krispie Fried Mozzarella Sticks With Hot Honey
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Burnt Peach & Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- Large Saucepan
- BBQ/Grill
- Jug Blender
Ingredients
- 420 g Tinned Peach Halves (See Notes)
- 400 g Tomato Ketchup (See Notes)
- 150 g Tinned Peach Syrup (From The Peaches)
- 100 g Dark Brown Sugar
- 75 g Black Treacle
- 40 g Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Bourbon Whiskey
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp French's Mustard
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- ¼ tsp Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
- Open the tin of peaches then drain them through a sieve. Once drained, place the peaches onto a plate lined with kitchen paper, so they can dry slightly before you grill them.Don't throw the syrup away, we'll be using it!
- Whilst the peaches are draining, light a barbecue with charcoal then set up for direct cooking. You're aiming for a medium-high heat.
- Once your grill is up to temperature, grill the peaches for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they're burnt & caramelised.
- Next, add the burnt peaches into a large saucepan, along with all of the other sauce ingredients. Season the sauce lightly with salt now as well.
- Set the pan over a medium-low heat then cook gently until the sugar & spices have all dissolved and the sauce is thick. This will take 5-10 minutes. Mash the peaches up with a spatula as the sauce cooks.
- Once cooked, take the pan off the heat, leave to cool slightly then blend smooth in a jug blender or with a stick blender. Give the sauce a taste then season with salt if needed.
- Transfer the finished sauce into a container, leave to cool completely then store in the fridge. Don't worry about passing the sauce unless you really want to! I like the fleck of burnt peach you get without passing.
