Fresh, summer peaches and rich bourbon simmered together with a few select ingredients are turned into incredible BBQ sauce. It’s no secret that I love to grill out and I’m always working for new ways to liven up chicken and other meats. Well…it looks like I’ve found a winner with this recipe. 
Recently, on my weekly visit to the farmers market, I picked up some beautiful peaches from the eastern part of NC. I was not sure what I was going to make with them besides the family favorite, peach tart. I wanted a little inspiration, so, I grabbed a few of my favorite cookbooks and settled in with a cup of coffee and my notebook. I soon realized I needed to kick up my grilling game so I decided to come up with a new sauce that of course, included my lovely peaches.
Homemade BBQ sauce is not really hard to make since most recipes start with the same basic ingredients. My “new” sauce would stick to the tried and true method, so, I sautéed some onion and garlic for a savory beginning. Next, I added a layer of spice flavor with some chili powder and smoked paprika.
On a whim, I added the surprise flavor of rich, Kentucky bourbon. I mixed it with ketchup and a few other ingredients, took my pan OFF the heat and gently swirled all those incredible flavors together. Last but not least, I put my cast iron skillet back on the flame and added the star of the recipe…fresh peaches. I took one little taste and I knew, oh, my goodness, I knew this was going to be something special. Just so you know, I chopped my peaches in my small food processor. I wanted them to be in little bits but not totally processed since I wanted true peach flavor in the sauce.
With my chicken thighs cooking on the grill, I let my sauce simmer a bit to intensify the flavor. Finally, it was time to slather on my sauce and bring this dish home. The smoke of the grill added another lay of deliciousness to my dish and I was excited to bring the family to the supper table.
With fresh ingredients and a little creativity, I pulled off a special family dinner. Maybe the best part of all is that now I have a new BBQ sauce that is sure to become a tradition, a must-make favorite for years to come.
Peachy Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 cup minced onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/3 cup bourbon
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 cup finely chopped peaches
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- dash black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in cast iron or heavy bottom pan. Add onion and cook on medium until golden. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder and smoked paprika and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Mix in a small bowl, mix together bourbon, mustard and ketchup. Take pan off heat and slowly stir in ketchup mixture. Place back on heat and continue to stir.
- Add in brown sugar and honey. Stir to blend. Gently pour in peaches. Cook all ingredients for 5 minutes. Add cider vinegar and pepper.
- Turn down heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. *Add water if a thinner sauce is desired.
- Use on chicken, pork or shrimp. Can be store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
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