Name: Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade (for Chicken, Steak, Pork, and More!)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 pounds meat or veggies of choice; ½ cup bourbon (see Recipe Notes); ⅓ cup brown sugar, firmly packed; ¼ cup balsamic vinegar; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard; 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated; 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1 tablespoon freshly chopped); optional: pinch crushed red pepper flakes; kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season

Calling All Whiskey Lovers! 🥃 This Easy Bourbon Marinade Recipe is for You!

This easy marinade recipe is one I developed with Chris, my whiskey-loving husband, in mind. Wanting to make a special grilled meal even more special for him, I grabbed a bottle of bourbon and got to work. (Wife of the year, right? 💁🏻‍♀️)

The resulting recipe, this brown sugar bourbon marinade hits all the right notes. Any harsh bite from the rich barrel-aged whiskey is mellowed out when combined with tangy balsamic and Dijon mustard. While bourbon’s natural caramelly sweetness is enhanced with brown sugar.

It’s so perfectly balanced that it’s a hit with whiskey lovers and haters alike. (Trust me here…I’m not a whiskey fanatic but I love this bourbon marinade!)

Brown Sugar Bourbon marinade shown in a small ball jar, sitting atop a light blue surface with a fresh sprig of rosemary & crushed red chili pepper flakes on the surface in the foreground & in the background. — Tangy and sweet brown sugar bourbon marinade adds bold yet balanced flavor to anything you’d ever want to throw on the grill.

The really fun thing about this whiskey marinade is that it’s super simple and versatile too! Made with 7 ingredients in 5 minutes or less, it works just like an all-purpose grilling marinade.

Use it to make the best bourbon chicken, or to add even more flavor to your favorite grilled steaks, kebabs, or pork chops. It’s also great on seafood like shrimp and salmon…seriously, everything!

Summer grilling just got a little boozier, and we’re so not mad about it! 😎

Want more marinades for grilling season? We’ve got you covered! Check out PWWB’s 15 Go-To Grilling Marinades.

Key Ingredients

The best thing about this brown sugar bourbon marinade is that it’s so flavorful but it’s made with just 7 very simple ingredients.

It does not get better than steak house-fancy flavors made from pantry ingredients!

Bourbon, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, whole grain mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, dried rosemary, and crushed red pepper flakes arranged on a light blue surface. — 7 simple ingredients make up this easy marinade – be sure to shop your pantry and liquor cabinet first before heading to the store!

Here’s what you need…

Bourbon – Of course! There’s no need to grab a top-shelf bourbon for this bourbon marinade recipe since it’s being mixed with other flavor-forward ingredients. We always have a handle of Bulliet or Jim Beam on hand for our favorite cocktail. It works beautifully for this marinade recipe, too.
Balsamic vinegar – Its tangy, rich flavor mellows out any harsh notes of the whiskey. For best results, use a nice, aged balsamic vinegar.
Brown sugar – For a touch of sweetness that caramelizes on the grill! For an extra rich, caramelly flavor use dark brown sugar. If you prefer a more natural sweetener, coconut sugar, honey, pure maple syrup, and agave will work too.
Aromatics – Namely garlic (of course!), mustard (either Dijon or whole grain work great here), and rosemary (feel free to use fresh or dried).
Olive oil – A little bit to hold the marinade together! Since this grill marinade has so many other big flavors, you don’t need to use an expensive oil. If you prefer grilling with high smoke point oils, use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or whatever neutral oil you love most as an alternative.

Grilled buffalo wings arranged on a gas grill over direct heat to char grill them. A pastry brush brushes additional Frank's RedHot over the wings.

Grill Like a Backyard Pro ⭐

Step-by-step tutorials (like how to light the grill without burning your eyebrows off) & obsessively-tested tips (for juicy, charred results). Designed for meat lovers & vegetarians alike!

How to Make This Easy Bourbon Marinade

The other thing to love about this brown sugar bourbon marinade recipe? It takes practically no time and minimal effort to make.

It’s a really simple one bowl, 5-minute operation!

Chicken thighs in a large glass mixing bowl, marinating in Brown Sugar Bourbon marinade. The bowl sits atop a light blue surface. — From chicken to…

Diced sirloin steak marinates in brown sugar bourbon marinade inside of a large glass bowl. — steak and everything in between this easy marinade adds instant flavor to anything you love to grill!

To make this brown sugar bourbon marinade, simply add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl, whisking to combine, and add your protein or veggies of choice. That’s it!

Suggested Marinating Time: Marinating time varies based on the type of protein you use. Having tested this recipe with a variety of different proteins and marinating times, here’s what I suggest:

Mild proteins like chicken and pork should soak in this bourbon marinade for at least 6 hours and up to 3 days.
Rich or gamey proteins like beef and lamb should soak in this bourbon marinade for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.
Veggies last even longer – you can marinate them for at least 20 minutes or up to 5 days.
Delicate proteins like seafood (i.e. salmon, shrimp, flaky white fish) have a shorter marinade time – aim for at least 20 minutes and no more than 1 hour.

Chicken thighs in a Ziploc bag, marinating in Brown Sugar Bourbon marinade. The bag sits atop a light blue surface. “Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade" is penned in the bag's memo area. — The flavors of this homemade brown sugar bourbon marinade meld together, even more, the longer it sits! Refer to the notes above for suggested marinade times.

Meal Prep

Despite the suggested marinating times for this all-purpose marinade recipe, you can still get ahead on your dinner by prepping the marinade in advance. Prep the marinade and store it in a jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to start marinating, simply give the marinade a shake and pour it over whatever meat or veggies you’re using it on – easy!

Step-by-Step Video

Serving Suggestions

One of the things we love most about this brown sugar bourbon grill marinade is that it is so versatile.

You can use it to add rich bourbon flavor to anything you like to throw on the grill during the summer months – meat, veggies, seafood, you name it!

A few favorite pairings to try…

Chicken. If you love bourbon chicken, this is the marinade for you! It adds so much flavor to lean cuts like boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs. You can also use it on bone-in skin on parts, like legs and drumsticks.
Seafood. It creates an awesome bourbon glaze on grilled salmon and grilled shrimp skewers!
Pork. Grilled pork chops or pork tenderloin practically beg for brown sugar and bourbon!
Beef. Another great option, since the flavor of the marinade is big enough to stand up to rich beef. Use on your favorite steaks, like grilled ribeye or flank steak, or to make epic beef kabobs!
Veggies. Yes, veggies! This bourbon marinade is great with hearty grilled veggies, like onions, mushrooms, and baby potatoes…yes please! Grill them on their own, or skewer them onto satisfying summer kabobs with your favorite proteins.

No Grill? Use Your Stovetop or Oven!

If you do not have access to a grill, this marinade also works great with any other preparation – stovetop, skillet meals, sheet pan meals, etc. Tip! ⇢ You can create a similar caramelized, grilled effect by using a grill pan on the stove or baking in the oven and finishing under the broiler.

Sirloin steak kabobs are arranged atop a white plate alongside grilled baby potatoes. The meal has been garnished with fresh snipped chives and crumbled bleu cheese. — **My ideal plate? ⇢** Diced sirloin steak marinated in brown sugar bourbon marinade and skewered with veggies then grilled until crispy and charred. Serve with grilled baby potatoes, a sprinkling of bleu cheese, freshly snipped chives, and coarsely ground black pepper!

I can’t wait for you to try this Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade recipe! It’s tangy, sweet, boozy, and perfect with anything you throw on the grill!

If you do give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations!