Comforting Barbecue Sauce

This Cajun-rooted barbecue sauce gets its name from the cup of Southern Comfort that goes into the pot. The whiskey liqueur adds a warm, peach-tinged sweetness that rounds out the tangy ketchup and steak sauce base while the hot sauce keeps things honest. It simmers low and covered for 2 to 3 hours, giving the flavors time to meld into something deep and complex.

The vegetable base sets this apart from bottled sauces. Four cups of chopped onions, plus celery, red bell pepper, and parsley all get sauteed in peanut oil until soft before anything else goes in. That’s a serious amount of aromatic foundation, and it gives the finished sauce body and texture that no store-bought version can match.

Peanut oil handles the high heat of the initial saute without smoking, and its neutral flavor lets the vegetables and Southern Comfort shine. Add the garlic after the onions soften so it doesn’t burn and turn bitter.

Pro Tips

• The alcohol cooks off during the long simmer, leaving just the flavor. Don’t worry about the sauce being boozy.
• This makes a huge batch, 3 quarts to a gallon. Portion it into jars and refrigerate. It keeps for several weeks and the flavor actually improves after a day or two.
• For a smoother sauce, hit it with an immersion blender after cooking. Leave it chunky if you like visible pieces of onion and pepper.

Variations

• Swap Southern Comfort for bourbon or dark rum for a different flavor profile.
• Add a few tablespoons of liquid smoke if you want that charcoal-grill character without firing up the smoker.
• Stir in a spoonful of brown sugar or molasses if you prefer a sweeter, stickier sauce.