How to Make Jack Daniel's Marinades and Barbecue Sauce

Co-authored by Kady Richardson and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: November 15, 2022 References

For a marinade that's packed full of flavor, reach for Jack Daniel's whiskey. The warm smoky taste of the whiskey works perfectly in a classic marinade or a marinade with Coca-Cola—either is great on steak, chicken, and seafood. If you'd rather slather Jack Daniel's barbecue sauce on your meal, we've got a recipe for that, too! In this article, we'll show you how to make two easy Jack Daniel's marinades and a rich Jack Daniel's barbecue sauce.

Ingredients

Jack Daniel's Marinade

¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of Jack Daniel's whiskey
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of soy sauce
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup (25 g) of green onions, minced
1/4 cup (50 g) of light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt
1 dash of Worcestershire sauce
Black pepper, to taste

Makes 1 ¹⁄₄ cups (300 ml) of marinade

Jack and Coke Marinade

¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of Jack Daniel’s whiskey
1 cup (240 ml) of Coca-Cola
¹⁄₃ cup (79 ml) of light soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of hot sauce
1/3 cup (65 g) of brown sugar, packed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (2 g) of ground black pepper

Makes 2 cups (470 ml) of marinade

Jack Daniel's Barbecue Sauce

1 small onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of Jack Daniel's whiskey
2 cups (470 ml) of ketchup
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of white or apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of tomato paste
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup (65 g) of packed brown sugar, light or dark
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of pepper
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt

Makes 3 cups (840 g) of barbecue sauce

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Jack Daniel's Marinade

1
Pour whiskey, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce into a bowl. Get out a medium-sized bowl and pour in ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of Jack Daniel's whiskey, ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of soy sauce, and 1 dash of Worcestershire sauce.^{[1]
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- It's fine to use low-sodium soy sauce.
- You can use any Jack Daniel's product you like—try Tennessee Honey for a slightly sweet marinade or Tennessee Apple for a light fruity flavor.
2
Add Dijon mustard, green onions, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Spoon ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of Dijon mustard into the bowl with the liquid ingredients and add 1/4 cup (25 g) of minced green onions, 1/4 cup (50 g) of packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt, and black pepper according to your taste.^{[2]
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- For a sweeter marinade, swap out pineapple juice for the Dijon mustard.
- For a more savory flavor, add 1 teaspoon (2 g) of onion or garlic powder.
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3
Whisk the marinade until the sugar dissolves. Don't worry if the marinade is thin—it will coat the meat or seafood, and it's definitely packed full of flavor. You can make the marinade ahead of time, but don't add the meat or seafood until you're ready to start marinating them.
- If you'd like to make the marinade really hands-off, put all of the marinade ingredients into a large sealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake until the sugar dissolves.
4
Pour the marinade over meat or seafood. Put your choice of steak, chicken, pork chops, or seafood like shrimp or scallops into a dish. Then, pour the marinade over the food and flip them over, so they're coated in the marinade.^{[3]
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- If you're marinating the food in a bag, just put the food into the bag and seal it shut. Turn the bag over a few times to coat the food in the marinade.
5
Marinate the food for at least 1 hour before you cook it. If you're marinating seafood, don't marinate it for more than an hour or it will lose its firm texture. If you're marinating beef, chicken, or pork, you can marinate it in the fridge overnight. This gives the meat a chance to absorb a lot of flavor.^{[4]
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- It's fine to leave the food marinating at room temperature if you're cooking it within the hour. If not, cover the dish and stick the food in the fridge while it marinates.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Jack and Coke Marinade

1
Pour whiskey, cola, soy sauce, lemon juice, and Worcestershire into a bowl. You'll need ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of Jack Daniel’s whiskey, 1 cup (240 ml) of Coca Cola, ¹⁄₃ cup (79 ml) of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of Worcestershire sauce.^{[5]
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- Use a container that's large enough to hold the meat or chicken you'd like to marinate.
- If you prefer, make your marinade in a large sealable plastic bag. This makes for easy clean-up.
- Feel free to use Diet Coca-Cola or a flavored Coke product.
2
Whisk in hot sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of hot sauce, 1/3 cup (65 g) of packed brown sugar, 3 minced cloves of garlic, and 1 teaspoon (2 g) of ground black pepper. Whisk until the brown sugar dissolves.^{[6]
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- If you're making the marinade in a bag, seal the bag shut and squeeze it until the brown sugar dissolves.
3
Add steak, pork, or chicken to the marinade. The sweet smoky flavor of the Jack and Coke marinade is fantastic with chicken, steak, or pork, although it does overwhelm the more delicate flavors of seafood. Place the meat into the marinade and turn it so it's completely coated in the marinade.
- If you're marinating the food in a bag, place the food into the bag and seal it shut. Then, flip the bag over to coat the food in the marinade.
4
Marinate the meat for at least 8 hours before you cook it. Put the meat in the refrigerator and let it marinate for up to 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally. The longer you marinate the meat, the more flavor it will absorb.^{[7]
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- It's fine to make the marinade in advance, but don't marinate the meat for more than 24 hours or the texture can become mushy or tough.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Jack Daniel's Barbecue Sauce

1
Chop 1 small onion and 4 cloves of garlic. Peel the onion and use a large knife to carefully chop the onion into pieces. Then, peel 4 cloves of garlic and mince them.^{[8]
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Research source} Don't worry about the size of the onion and garlic pieces since you'll be blending the sauce later.
2
Put the onion, garlic, and whiskey into a medium-sized pot. Set the pot on the stove and put your chopped onion and garlic into it. Then, pour in ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of Jack Daniel's whiskey.^{[9]
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- You can use your favorite type of Jack Daniel's to customize your barbecue sauce. Try Tennessee Honey, Tennessee Apple, or Winter Jack.
3
Simmer it over medium-high heat for 7 to 10 minutes. Once the liquid starts to bubble vigorously, turn the heat down to medium and let it simmer with the lid off. Keep cooking it until the onion turns clear and softens.^{[10]
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- Adjust the heat as needed—if it stops bubbling, turn the heat back up until it begins simmering.
4
Add the rest of the barbecue sauce ingredients. Stir in 2 cups (470 ml) of ketchup, ¹⁄₄ c (59 ml) of white or apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of tomato paste, ¹⁄₄ c (59 ml) of Worcestershire sauce, 1/3 cup (65 g) of packed brown sugar, 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of liquid smoke, 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt.^{[11]
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5
Cook the sauce over medium heat for 20 minutes. Keep the lid off of the pot and stir the sauce occasionally as it bubbles.^{[12]
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Research source} Some of the liquid will evaporate as the sauce cooks—this concentrates the flavors.
6
Puree the barbecue sauce in a food processor. Turn off the burner and let the sauce cool until it's safe to handle. Then, slowly pour it into a food processor or blender. Puree the sauce until it's totally smooth.^{[13]
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- If you have one, you can use an immersion blender to puree the barbecue sauce.
7
Refrigerate the barbecue sauce for at least 1 day. Transfer your Jack Daniel's barbecue sauce to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. Wait a day before you use it, so the flavors develop.^{[14]
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- Use the barbecue sauce within 1 week.

Community Q&A

Question

Can this marinade be made and refrigerated for later use?

Community Answer

Yes, it will not affect the flavor if you pre-make it and refrigerate for later use.
Question

Can I make hamburger patties using the marinade?

Community Answer

Yes, just about any marinade designed for use on beef will be good in hamburger patties, including this one.