Apple Bourbon BBQ Sauce

From the Big Green Egg Website

This sauce goes with the Baby Back Apple Bourbon Ribs, but it can really go with almost anything! I can see this working well on a hot dog or cheeseburger.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ cup bourbon
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups ketchup
• ¾ cup packed golden brown sugar
• 2 to 4 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped*
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1 lemon, cut in half

Instructions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté until very tender, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the paprika and mustard powder.

Stir in the bourbon then the vinegar and simmer for 3 minutes.

Stir in the broth, ketchup, brown sugar, chipotle chilies, Worcestershire sauce, salt and black pepper.

Add the apples and squeeze the juice from the lemon into the sauce.

Bring the sauce to a simmer over high heat then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly, stirring.

I let this simmer for the entire time that the ribs cooked before applying the sauce (so about 3 hours). It’s like a marinara sauce. The longer it cooks the better it gets.

Note: Chipotle chilies are very spicy. Add them to the sauce at your discretion.

I ended up using a ½ teaspoon of ancho chile powder. Got the job done.