Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade for Steak, Chicken & Pork (2024)

ByLisa LottsPosted onJuly 1, 2020March 21, 2023Updated onMarch 21, 2023

Whether you’re looking for a brown sugar bourbon marinade for chicken, pork or beef, this quick and easy bourbon whiskey marinade is by far the BEST. This has been our go to bourbon whiskey steak marinade for ages — you’ll love it on a flank steak. We use Jim Beam for the brown sugar bourbon marinade but any bourbon whiskey will do. Your favorite protein just a little bit of soaking time, and it’s ready for the grill (but if you can soak it longer, all the better). Best of all, this quick and easy recipe uses pantry staples – no fussy ingredients.

This is my great Aunt Betty’s recipe and flavor-wise, it’s a doozy. This brown sugar whiskey marinade is loaded with assertive flavors that, when blended together, are so much greater than the sum of its parts. So let’s get started.

Ingredients for bourbon marinade

• Garlic
• Brown Sugar (light or dark)
• Soy Sauce (I use reduced sodium)
• Bourbon Whiskey (I use Jim Beam)
• Olive Oil
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• Black Pepper

That’s it! Most of these ingredients are probably already in your pantry, so if you’re stocked and have 5 minutes… well, you’ve got the makings of a dynamite dinner.

A quick funny: I made this whiskey marinade to season some steaks for my husband’s family and they went ga-ga for the flavor. In fact, my sister in law asked for the recipe — and proceeded to make it … using her husband’s $150 bottle of McCallan. He was understandably upset.

Best bourbon whiskey to use for marinade

I use Jim Beam. It’s affordable, flavorful and perfect for this recipe. Since it’s about $15/bottle and the recipe only uses 1/4 cup — you’re only using about a dollars worth of bourbon. That said, you can use whatever type of bourbon whiskey you have on hand, but I’d advise staying away from the really good stuff, otherwise, there could be a feud.

Flavor of Bourbon Whiskey Marinade

You might think the soy sauce gives this bourbon marinade an Asian flavor profile, but that’s not the case. The bourbon marinade is a cohesive blend of all the flavors and soy sauce acts as the “salt element” of the whiskey steak marinade. Bourbon lends a smooth, smoky touch and the brown sugar bridges the gap. The crushed red pepper doesn’t make it overly spicy either, so even if you’re skittish about heat, you don’t need to be for this recipe.

Best cuts to use with the marinade

Use the marinade with many different cuts of meat. Just put your chosen protein in a zip top bag and pour the marinade over it, press as much air out of the bag as possible and seal it. Refrigerate the meat to marinate. When you’re ready to grill, remove the steak from the marinade, and pat it dry with paper towels. Let the meat rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before putting it on the barbecue. Why? You don’t want to throw cold meat on a hot grill. Click here to see why and other tips for successful grilling.

Whiskey steak marinade

This marinade makes beef taste “beefier”. Try it for flank steaks, London broil and sirloin. The brown sugar, soy and bourbon whiskey will permit the steak flesh within an hour of soaking, but for more robust flavor, several hours or even overnight will really penetrate the meat.

Marinade for pork

Use this blend for quick cooking cuts of pork like chops, pork tenderloin or even a pork loin roast.

Bourbon chicken marinade

Chicken leg pieces and wings are best for this bourbon marinade, those darker meat cuts really absorb the flavors. That said, there’s no reason you can’t use it with chicken breasts too (bone-in, skin-on or boneless).

I typically make this bourbon marinade in the morning (when I’m drinking my coffee) and soak the steaks, chops or legs all day, so that by the time the dinner hour rolls around, the brown sugar bourbon flavor has really permeated and it’s ready for the grill.

Side dishes to go with whiskey marinated grilled meats

• Pearl Barley Kale Chopped Salad
• Tomatoes Provencal
• Jeweled Yellow Rice with Pine Nuts
• Balsamic Dijon Mushrooms

More marinades and rub recipes:

• Homemade Teriyaki Marinade
• Mojo Criollo Marinade
• Cilantro Lime Tequila Marinade
• Authentic Creole Seasoning
• Chipotle Dry Rub
• Famous Kansas City Rub

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