Mississippi Bourbon Rib Sauce

Infuse bold Southern flavors into your barbecue with this Mississippi Bourbon Rib Sauce—a smoky, tangy, and slightly sweet concoction that’s perfect for elevating your ribs to restaurant-quality status. This easy-to-make sauce combines a harmonious blend of ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, and a generous splash of bourbon for a rich depth of flavor, balanced by apple cider vinegar’s tang. Smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder add a tantalizing kick, while Worcestershire sauce and yellow mustard bring a savory complexity. Ready in just 30 minutes, this versatile sauce is ideal for glazing ribs, brushing on grilled meats, or serving as a dipping sauce. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or perfecting your game-day spread, this crowd-pleasing recipe will quickly become your go-to for smoky and bold barbecue bliss.

Nutriscore Rating: 53/100

Prep Time:5 mins

Cook Time:25 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup Ketchup
• 0.5 cup Brown sugar
• 0.25 cup Bourbon
• 0.25 cup Apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Molasses
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Onion powder
• 0.5 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• 0.5 teaspoon Ground black pepper
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt

Directions

Step 1

In a medium saucepan, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, bourbon, and apple cider vinegar. Stir together over medium heat until well combined.

Step 2

Add the molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and yellow mustard to the saucepan. Mix thoroughly until the sauces are fully incorporated.

Step 3

Stir in the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Ensure the spices are evenly distributed throughout the sauce.

Step 4

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 5

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings, if needed, to suit your preference. Add more brown sugar for sweetness, bourbon for boldness, or cayenne for heat.

Step 6

Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the sauce cool slightly. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Step 7

Use immediately to glaze ribs or transfer to a clean jar or airtight container for storage. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Shake or stir well before using.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	515.6 grams (515.6g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	800

Total Fat 1.20g	2%
Saturated Fat 0.20g	1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.00g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 2586mg	112%
Total Carbohydrate 169.20g	62%
Dietary Fiber 2.30g	8%
Total Sugars 145.00g
Protein 1.90g	4%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 198mg	15%
Iron 5mg	27%
Potassium 1021mg	22%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 1.6%

Protein: 1.1%

Carbs: 97.4%