Copycat TGI Friday’s Jack Daniel’s Sauce – an easy, from scratch sauce that is great on chicken, fish, veggies – the possibilities are endless!
Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce
I love Jack Daniels BBQ sauce from Friday’s & this recipe tastes just like it.
It’s a super flavorful sauce that always gets rave reviews. Making it yourself gives it that extra special touch (and no high fructose corn syrup!) and it has become a staple at our annual summer bbqs.
What does Jack Daniel’s taste like?
Jack Daniel’s 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 Daniel’s 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.
Helpful Tools
- Whisk – I actually need a new one and this one is calling my name.
- Medium Saucepan – I really like when pans are dishwasher safe.
- Container – for storing the extra sauce.
- Silicone brush – for brushing this sauce onto chicken, veggies, etc.
TGI Fridays Jack Daniel’s Sauce Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- 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 – use your favorite or try my homemade 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 – you can either buy a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey but a shot of jack daniel is all you really need so you can save money and just buy a shooter.
- Crushed Pineapple – you’ll use both the juice and the crushed pineapple in the sauce.
- Cayenne Pepper – gives the sauce a medium heat that is perfect on so many foods.
How to make Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
JumpMaking 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!
- STEP ONE: To a medium saucepan, add water, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a slow boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat so it is simmering, stirring occasionally.
- STEP TWO: Once it is simmering, add the minced (or roasted) garlic and whisk to combine. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and stir.
- STEP THREE: Finally, you’ll let the jack daniel’s bbq sauce simmer for 40-50 minutes over low heat, or until the sauce has thickened and reduced by about half. It should be thick and syrupy.
What to serve with Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce
- Grilled chicken breast
- Chicken wings
- Grilled fish or shrimp
- Onion rings
- Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
- Roasted zucchini
- Roasted potatoes
- Garlic Mashed potatoes
- Pork roasts
- Steak bites
How long does this sauce keep?
You can keep this Jack Daniel’s sauce safely up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container 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). I have not tried to can it.
Is Jack Daniel’s 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 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.
Need more sauce recipes? Try these different sauces:
Yum Yum Sauce
Spicy BBQ Sauce
KFC Copycat Honey BBQ Sauce
Click here to view my entire collection of sauces and seasonings.
TGI Friday’s Jack Daniels Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic OR 1 head of garlic – see instructions above
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup teriyaki sauce
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 ⅓ cups dark brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons minced white onion
- 1 Tablespoon Jack Daniels Whiskey
- 1 Tablespoon crushed pineapple
- ¼ 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.⅔ cup water, 1 cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup teriyaki sauce, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 ⅓ cups dark brown sugar
- 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.1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- Add remaining ingredients to the pan and stir.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 3 Tablespoons lemon juice, 3 Tablespoons minced white onion, 1 Tablespoon Jack Daniels Whiskey, 1 Tablespoon crushed pineapple, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 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
- Instructions for roasting your own garlic is above.
- The recipe makes approximately 1 cup once cooked down. For nutrition facts, I assumed a serving size is 1 Tablespoon.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @melissa_pplates so I can see!Photos updated May 25, 2017
Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
if you were to can it what method would you use? Would just a water bath work?
I’m sorry, I don’t know anything about canning.
Get a mason sterile obviously. Put the sauce to just at the top. Put the seal and lid on. In a stock pot boil the jard for 10 min. Let them come to room temperature and they will vacuum sealer as it cools. I preserve alot
It smells good. Tastes good. But it’s been simmering for over an hour and it’s still liquid.
same here–did it ever thicken? I feel I made a mistake…
did yours finally thicken?
Do you keep it refrigerated and if so. How long does it last??
Answered above – it has natural preservatives but I use it within 5 days.
I made this tonight and it came out great. I may add some red pepper flakes to change up the flavor a bit but it doesn’t need anything. It made more than I need so I’ll try to freeze and use on shrimp or chicken. We used it on Alaskan Cod which was decent. The recipe doesn’t give directions how to use it so I just glazed the fish after it cooked but for heartier cuts like chicken I think I’ll cost it then cook it to deepen the caramelization.
I made this a few days ago and it turned out fantastic. Seems a little loose but at the end it thickened up beautiful. Have always enjoyed this and will make it over and over. Having it tomorrow with chicken and shrimp. Can’t wait. Thank you!
Yaya 🙂
Do you really get a cup of juice from a can of crushed pineapple?
Can’t rate it, haven’t made it yet.
Yes, you should.
Hello,
Just wondering if the onion is fresh or dried. Thank you.
I use fresh but I’m sure fine will work.
Made this last night and it was so delicious. I didn’t have Jack Daniel’s so I used a better tasting Bourbon that I had. Roasting the garlic gave this the best flavor. I added a little more cayenne because I like the heat. I am so glad I made this sauce. It went great with my herb roasted pork loin. This sauce recipe is a definite keeper.
This sauce came out really good and I added in an extra tablespoon of whisky 😁👍. Since I didn’t have any fresh garlic I used 8-1/8 tsps. powdered and also used 1/2 tsp. powdered onion and added 1 more tablespoon of soy sauce & honey in place of the teriyaki sauce and I turned up the stove to a faster simmer and it was done in 40 min.
Thanks, Karen!
simmered for 1.5 hours…never thickened…what did I do wrong? I finally added flour….now it is thicker…. as for taste…not sure yet.
hmm, it should have thickened. How’d it go with the flour?
I tweeked a little to make it my own. I used dark brown sugar and I used shallots instead of white onion. I sautéed the minced garlic and shallots in some olive oil on medium low for about 15 minutes until soft and golden in color. I also had half of a fresh jalapeño that I needed to use so I minced that up and added that also. That is going to replace the cayenne I suppose, but I added a pinch of it anyway cause I like some spice. Some extra chopped up fresh pineapple doesn’t hurt either…..a tablespoon wasn’t enough in my opinion. I did not use water…..just all pineapple juice. I didn’t not have Jack Daniel’s so I used a much better Bourbon that I had in my cabinet.
It turned out fantastic and I love it as a dipping sauce for my grilled steaks, chicken wings or pork chops 😋 😀 😍
Sounds great!
It never thickened. I followed it exactly.
How long did you let it simmer? It thickens even after it sets.
This excellent recipe has become a favorite at our house. I’ve even made it for gifts. 🙂
Yay 🙂
Good afternoon,
If you double the Jack Daniels recipe do you still cook it for the same time or double the time?
I don’t know if fully double, but it will definitely take longer to reduce.
I’ve been making this recipe for quite a few years, as Savannah’s TGI Friday’s closed a LONG time ago. It tastes exactly like the original at the restaurant !! I use it on baked or grilled salmon, and have used it on other meats. SO GOOD !!
Thanks, Judy!
Our favorite sauce for burgers, chicken, stirfry, veggies, salmon & fish, Asian bowls, topping for white pasta, mix cream cheese & sour cream then pour some Jack Daniels sauce over it for a dip!!!!
It really is good on everything! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Wondering if you could mix up the sauce and put it over chicken to cook in the crockpot (low for 5 hrs)?
I think that would be delicious but because of the high sugar content, keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Probably more like 3-4 hours, depending on your crockpot.
Question- what brand of teriyaki sauce do you use?
We’ve used Panda Express before or homemade teriyaki sauce.
Love this recipe and I use it for pulled pork, chicken, steak and salmon! I find that if I double the recipe it has to sit over night in the refrigerator to thicken.
I’m so glad you like it! Agreed, doubling affects the ratios & it does take longer to thicken.
Thank you for taking the time to create and share this recipe! First thing I think is worth saying: this is more of a glaze than a bbq sauce (which I believe is in line with the Fridays presentation). That being said it did take a long time to reduce, but if you want a thicker sauce you’re gonna have to make a starch slurry. I think there are a few necessary alterations though. Personally I’d sub gochugaru pepper (I know that’s not available to everyone but it adds a slight smokiness, less hot, and adds some umami). However, cayenne is probably more true to the Fridays mix. I also think this desperately needed balance for the heavy sweetness of the pineapple (was it just me or is that the overpowering flavor?). The oil also seemed to not bind really well, so I added some dijon mustard and vinegar to fix both of those issues. Thanks again!
Thank you for the feedback!