Copycat TGI Friday’s Jack Daniel’s Sauce – an easy, from scratch sauce that is great on chicken, fish, veggies – the possibilities are endless!
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I got an email way back in 2003 called Insider’s Recipes for Brand Name Foods that included this recipe. I love Jack Daniels sauce from Friday’s & this recipe tastes just like it.
WHAT DOES JACK DANIELS TASTE LIKE
Jack Daniels tastes similar to a bourbon. It’s a Tennessee whiskey, which is the same as bourbon except its been charcoal filtered so it’s a little less harsh and more charcoal flavors, which makes it great in a sauce (especially paired with grilled foods).
Today we paired this Jack Daniels with this boneless wings recipe & it tasted just like the Sesame Jack Strips appetizer from TGI Friday’s.
The second day (since there was a lot left), I made grilled chicken breasts & brushed the sauce over them. Delicious.
HOW DO YOU MAKE JD BBQ SAUCE?
Making Jack Daniels Sauce is probably easier than you think. You take everyday ingredients (listed below) and bring them to a boil. Once they’re boiling, you let it simmer until it thickens. Easy!
TGI FRIDAYS JACK DANIELS SAUCE INGREDIENTS
- Minced Garlic – I give instructions on how to roast a head of garlic below. If you want a short cut, you can buy the minced garlic in oil from the grocery store that I always keep on hand.
- Olive Oil
- Water
- Pineapple Juice – you can use the juice from the crushed pineapple can you’ll need
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Soy Sauce – you can use low sodium if that’s what you prefer
- Dark Brown Sugar – dark brown sugar has more molasses and a more complex flavor
- Lemon Juice – fresh is best!
- White Onion – white onions are sweeter & cleaner in flavor than yellow onions with a milder flavor
- Jack Daniels Whiskey
- Crushed Pineapple – buy a can and also use the juice from it
- Cayenne Pepper
IS JACK DANIELS SAUCE VEGETARIAN?
Jack Daniels Sauce is vegetarian – even better, it’s vegan! You can use it as a dipping sauce, a glaze, or a marinade so meat eaters and vegetarians alike can enjoy it.
HOW TO ROAST YOUR OWN GARLIC
If you have time (and inclination), you can roast your own garlic for this recipe. Here’s how:
First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Next, cut about 1/2″ off of the top of the garlic. Cut the roots so that the garlic will sit flat. Remove the papery skin from the garlic, but leave enough so that the cloves stay together. Put garlic into a small casserole dish or baking pan, drizzle olive oil over it, and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour.
Finally, remove garlic and let it cool until you can handle it.
TOOLS TO MAKE TGI FRIDAY’S JACK DANIELS SAUCE:
- Whisk – I actually need a new one and this one is calling my name.
- Medium Saucepan – I really like when pans are dishwasher dafe.
- Container – for storing the extra sauce.
- Silicone brush – for brushing this sauce onto chicken, veggies, etc.
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TGI Friday's Jack Daniels Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic OR 1 head of garlic - see instructions above
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/3 cups dark brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons minced white onion
- 1 Tablespoon Jack Daniels Whiskey
- 1 Tablespoon crushed pineapple
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add the water, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar over medium/high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat until mixture is just simmering.
- Add the minced garlic (OR if you're roasting your own garlic, over the saucepan, squeeze the sides of the head of garlic until the pasty roasted garlic comes out). Whisk to combine.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pan and stir.
- Let the mixture simmer for 40-50 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by about half and is thick and syrupy. Don't let it boil over.
Notes
Nutrition
Photos updated May 25, 2017
Melissa, thanks for being first to add some “sauce” today. Cheers
Your version looks much healthier than the version that I have been making! I will have to give it a try 🙂
How do you normally make it?
I love the flavor of this, but it did not thicken up. I let it “simmer” for about an hour and, when it showed no signs of thickening, I turned it up to let it gently boil. Can you shed any light on this?
I haven’t made this in a long time (thanks for the reminder that I should!) but it doesn’t get very thick, from what I remember. More syrupy. Did yours reduce at least?
After the simmer process, remove from heat and let cool. And then, put in a container and set in the refrigerator overnight. It will thicken up in the fridge.
Hello,
You could also try a bit of clearjel to help it thicken up.
It reduced a bit, but it just didn’t thicken. Guess I’m going to try adding some cornstarch or something to it and hope it doesn’t change the flavor.
This sauce is an 11 out of 10. I love putting the extra on the mashed potatoes. Now that I have this recipe, I don’t see a need for much else. Thank you ever so much.
Yay 🙂 I love it on potatoes, too!
Just can’t get enough of this sauce it was fantastic on my smoked baby back ribs!!!!
How long can it be refrigerated for?
Yum. My husband loves smoking ribs 🙂 I think about a week covered in the fridge will be fine.
Hi if you change the brown sugar to molasses I’ve found the sauce thickens better , love this sauce
Thanks for the tip 🙂
Omg this sauce is delicious but I used Dussé instead of Jack Daniels this second time and when I say i love you for this recipe ????
Excellent choice!
Love, love love this recipe!! Tastes just like the original sauce!! I added extra brown sugar & it got thicker when reducing. Will be making this again. Thank you!!
Yay
How much water do is ha e to use at the recipe? Please.
I don’t understand?
This will be my first time making the sauce. My friend made it for my old job so I’m making it for my new job to taste. Every time my friend made it, it didn’t matter if it was thick or not so thick it always tasted amazing. I don’t want to eat chicken without it. When I served it at old job we served it with bell peppers, onion and mushrooms. Boy it was a hit. I’m not a garlic person but this stuff is sooooooooooo damn good!!
This makes me so happy – thanks for reporting back!
Can this be a marinade?
I haven’t tried, and it would be a bit thick, but probably? I think of it more of a glaze/sauce than a marinade, but it should work.
today I tried to flavor jd sauce.
Your recipe is perfect … I would just have a little sugar of 200gr
and whiskey I tried johnnie walker black
bravoooo!!!
I made this today and it was great! I didn’t have any lemon juice or olive oil, so I omitted those (it’s too hot just to run to the grocery store for them). My family really enjoyed having something new to eat. THANK YOU for this wonderful recipe.
It is hot! I love hearing that though, thank you for reporting back!
I followed the instructions to a t and wasn’t able to get the sauce to thicken at all. Any idea what could have caused this?
It’s a fairly thin sauce but it should reduce a little & thicken. Other readers have mentioned adding more brown sugar to thicken it up or subbing in molasses.
Ok I’ll try that, thank you
Just a quick question, how long can you leave refrigerated? Thank you!
I think up to 5 days sealed in the fridge. Longer than that, I’d freeze it. (it’s probably fine longer because it has some natural preservatives in it, but I always am leery)
Thank you!❤
This is really a great recipe and thonk you for sharing it. I quick question….How long can you keep this is the frig and have you tried to can the recipe in 4 oz. jars? Thanks, Tom
Hi Tom – glad you like it! I think up to 5 days sealed in the fridge is safe. Longer than that, I’d freeze it. (it’s probably fine longer because it has some natural preservatives in it, but I always am leery). I have not tried to can it.