We prepared a London broil paired with a rich, homemade Jack Daniel’s bourbon barbecue sauce for a cozy date-night dinner. Our butcher cut a 2″ London broil that was ideal for the Char-Griller Akorn Kamado. Patti decided to make a robust bourbon barbecue sauce and used Jack Daniel’s bourbon as the base, resulting in a flavorful, slightly sweet and smoky sauce that complemented the beef perfectly.
Date night is one evening a week set aside for us. Sometimes we fire up our pellet smoker or kamado, other times we cook inside and dine on the patio. Our outdoor setup includes a Green Mountain wood pellet grill/smoker, a Char-Griller Akorn Kamado, ambient lights, candles and a comfortable patio area where we enjoy good food, wine or strawberry margaritas, music and an easy, relaxed atmosphere.
Check Out Our Cookbooks
We also publish pictorial “how-to” barbecue cookbooks that showcase recipes and techniques for two-person meals, date nights and small gatherings.
London Broil with Jack Daniel’s Bourbon Sauce — An Akorn Kamado Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: about 10 minutes at 400°F (204°C)
Grill: Akorn Kamado
Charcoal: Stump Chunks Sugar Maple Lump Charcoal
Pellets: Green Mountain Texas Blend BBQ Pellets
Note: For additional smoke, we sprinkle a few wood pellets directly over the hot coals or use a smoking wedge to add flavor to the kamado.
Ingredients: London Broil
- 1 — 3½ lb London broil (top round)
- Generous amount of a beef-friendly seasoning rub (we used a cattle-call style rub)
Ingredients: Homemade Jack Daniel’s Bourbon Sauce
- 2 cups Jack Daniel’s Bourbon
- 1 bottle all-purpose barbecue sauce (we used an apple-chipotle variety)
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- ½ cup fresh garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon beef seasoning rub
Directions: London Broil with Homemade Jack Daniel’s Bourbon Sauce
Preparing the Meat
Trim the London broil if necessary and rub it generously on both sides with your seasoning blend. Allow the meat to come to room temperature before grilling — this helps it cook more evenly. Preheat the Akorn Kamado to around 400°F (204°C). Place the steak directly on the hot grill grates.
For a 2″ thick London broil, grill approximately 5 minutes per side, turning once and quarter-turning each side halfway through to create a crosshatch sear. We pulled ours at 125°F (54°C) for a very rare result, but a pull temperature of around 120°F (49°C) will finish slightly more rare after resting. Keep in mind the steak will continue to rise 5–10°F while resting. Use an instant-read thermometer for accurate results.
Making the Sauce
In a medium saucepan, combine the bourbon, barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, tomato paste, minced garlic and seasoning rub. Whisk together over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes to meld the flavors and slightly reduce. Remove from heat and refrigerate for at least four hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to blend fully.
Let’s Eat!
About our Recipes
We develop and test recipes on the patio using a variety of grills and smokers, including wood pellet grills, kamados, gas grills, and charcoal setups. Our goal is to provide methods that are adaptable to many types of equipment so home cooks can reproduce the flavors whether they use pellets, lump charcoal, wood, or gas.
The two key factors for success are time and temperature. Follow those guidelines and adjust for your preferred doneness. Recipes are intended as a starting point — feel free to adapt spices, cooking time and accompaniments to match your taste.
We encourage experimentation. Try variations of the sauce — reduce the bourbon for a milder profile, add a touch of honey for more sweetness, or sharpen it with extra vinegar or mustard for a tangier finish. The sauce works well as a brush-on glaze during the last minutes of grilling or as a dipping sauce served on the side.
Live your passion and cook what you love.
— Ken & Patti
Check Out Our Cookbooks
Our cookbooks focus on approachable, photographed BBQ techniques and recipes for two, date nights and small gatherings.
Acknowledgments
We appreciate quality ingredients and tools that make outdoor cooking easier and more enjoyable. Use a reliable instant-read thermometer for accurate meat temperatures, quality hardwood charcoal or pellets for consistent heat and smoke, and a well-maintained grill for even results.