Jack Daniel's Rib Glaze

By
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches is a grilling and barbecue expert. He has written two cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 09/28/21
Jack Daniel's Rib Glaze

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 3 servings
Yield: 3 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
352 Calories
0g Fat
56g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories 352
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1221mg 53%
Total Carbohydrate 56g 20%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 48g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 6mg 29%
Calcium 52mg 4%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 341mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This Jack Daniel's rib glaze is a sweet and sticky sauce to be applied to ribs, whether grilled or smoked, shortly before they are finished. If you make the rib glaze one to two days in advance, the flavors will have more time to blend together.

This sauce is high in sugar content and sugar can burn at higher grill temperatures. Applying it at the end of the cooking process keeps the sugar in the sauce from burning as it forms a rich glaze over the surface of the meat. Feel free to serve some extra on the side, but be sure to warn any guests who wish to avoid alcohol.

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey was first distilled over 150 years ago and is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee. It is filtered through charcoal and aged in charred oak barrels, lending it a smoky quality. The company also makes its own line of bottled barbecue sauces, including a barbecue glaze and a honey barbecue glaze (made with their Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey Liqueur).

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (240 milliliters) Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey

  • 1 cup (240 milliliters) ketchup

  • 1/2 cup (120 grams) dark brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Jack Daniel's Rib Glaze ingredients

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the ingredients and mix well.

    Jack Daniel's Rib Glaze ingredients in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  3. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat to low if needed. Make sure to keep a close eye on this sauce as it cooks. The sauce should be thick by the end of simmering.

    glaze cooking in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool completely for about 15 to 20 minutes.

    glaze in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Use immediately after cooling or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days after preparation. Warm the refrigerated sauce on the stovetop for a few minutes before using. Apply to grilled or smoked ribs as desired.

    Jack Daniel's Rib Glaze in a container

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Alcohol Content Concerns

While simmering the sauce for 20 minutes will reduce the alcohol content, it will still retain about 40 percent of the alcohol originally in the whiskey. When you use it to glaze the ribs, most of the remaining alcohol should be evaporated.

If you are serving the rib glaze as a side sauce, it will still have some alcohol. If you are serving anyone who does not wish to be exposed to any alcohol (those in recovery from an alcohol use disorder, pregnant women, those with religious restrictions), provide an alternative sauce. If you are taking the glaze to a gathering as a side sauce, provide a label showing it is a whiskey sauce and contains alcohol.

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