Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation BBQ sauce recipe needed

OK - minor emergency here

For several years I made my sauce starting from a base of a variety of commercial sauces that I liked. From there I cooked it down and spiced it to my liking. Never really made the same sauce twice as I could easily vary it with the spices and the base I chose.

Finally found a "from scratch" recipe that I really liked and of course I altered it a bit to suit my tastes. Was VERY happy with those results and made more to keep around. Getting low now but found today that my wife did not keep the recipe as planned. Don't have the original electronic copy and obviously not my notes on the changes I made either. Time to start over again.

Looking for a good starting point on a homemade sauce. I tend to prefer thick, a little sweet, smoky, and a bit of spice. Think molasses, crushed red pepper, chipotle, etc. Anybody have one they would be willing to share for my new starting point?

I'm 35 years old and haven't used straight from a bottle commercial sauce since I was 16 so I'm looking for a place to get back on track with a real homemade sauce.

Thanks in advance.

I'd love to assist but I simply do not make or use it. Just do not care for the tomato based stuff. Although, I am curious to see what Karnis makes up. For me I go the hot pepper vinegar route.

Appreciate the thought anyway. I've thought of using this as a chance to start working with some vinegar based stuff just as a change of pace but I'd definitely have to do both for now

Here's one I've used, slightly modified from Miss Lynn, it's a coke/ketchup recipe that's easy and taste great to my unsophisticated palate. Especially good with chicken thighs.

1 can of coke
1 1/2 c of ketchup
1 finely chopped onion
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c worcestershire sauce
1 t chili powder
1 t salt
2 T honey
2 T brown sugar
1 clove garlic

saute onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent, added the rest of the ingrediants, bring to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Makes a quart.

Sounds interesting and thanks! - keep 'em coming.

I have a recipe that I wrote down but don't have handy.

I usually wind up tweaking it a bit each time for heat or sweet depending on my mood, or those making the request. Here's the basics of it.

Wet
Big Bottle of Ketchup
+ or - 1 cup of Mustard
+ or - 1 cup of Vinegar (apple cider usually)
Juice of 4-6 Lemons
10-12 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
Stick of Butter (don't skip this)

Dry (a tablespoon or so of each)
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Red Pepper Flakes
Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/2 to 1 cup Brown Sugar depending on tastes.

optional
Honey

Combine and simmer a while, at least 30 minutes. I usually have a few lemon wedges floating on top during the simmer. It has to "turn"...the sugar has to caramelize in it a bit or you won't know how to adjust the other spices, because the taste will change a good bit when the sugar "turns". At the end, mine is a deep orange, with a distinct lemony and red pepper kick, and a touch of sweet, and is a bit thinner than ketchup...it should be a "sauce". I may use the honey for ribs if I want to glaze them, but I personally don't care for it. Use your imagination on adjusting the tastes to the sweeter side, the more acidy side, or the heat.

.280Rem - thanks. That looks fairly similar to what I had before and I'm the same way about tweaking each time. I've never made the same batch twice.

Just for the heck of it, order some dry rub and sauce from the Rondezvous in Memphis. You will like what it does to your ribs.

Yep - some great stuff is available - I just like to make my own. I do sometimes use a few of the DizzyPig rubs but for the most part I prefer to mix the dry stuff as well.

Thanks.

I don't do the thick sauces anymore, I have fully converted to vinegar style sauce for most barbecue. But thick tomato based Kansas Style sauces still can't be beat for making BBQ meatballs, or little smokies, or cowboy beans and biscuits.
Here's what I use:

� 1 1/2 c. Catsup/Ketchup
� 1/2 c. Brown sugar; firmly packed
� 1 c. Malt vinegar
� 3 tbsp. Prepared yellow mustard
� 1/3 c. Vegetable oil
� 2 Cloves Garlic; minced or 1 Tbsp garlic powder.
� 1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce
� 1 tbsp. Hot sauce
� 1 tbsp. Lowrey's
� 1 tbsp. Smoked Hungarian Paprika
� 1 tsp. Red pepper flakes
� 1 tsp. Cumin
Liquid smoke to taste.

Mix all ingredients in a 1 quart saucepan.
Bring to a simmer stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Thanks! I made a modified version of .280Rem's on Saturday. Spiced it up quite a bit and it turned out pretty well. Very different from what I made the previous time but that's part of the fun - trying different things to see what works. Used a little and gave a bottle to my brother in law. Next round I'll likely go a bit darker but we'll see.

One of these days I'll have to take on the vinegar based stuff as I've never made it from scratch and should learn how. Gotta have different tricks in the bag.

Don't know what you used, but I went and dug my recipe up, and I forgot to put chili powder in the above recipe. Glad yours turned out good. Mine's a little different each time too.

Chili powder was one of the things I added. Love that taste so I just couldn't leave it out.

I prefer the best of both worlds , a tomato AND vinegar based sauce , not a thick sauce but thin & red. There's no such thing as a "recipe" , because there is always room to "tweak" the sauce.


Mike

I tend to like a bit thicker and darker for the sauce but I agree about the other part. Mine has never come out the same twice as I'm always adjusting to current taste decisions. Tweaking is ALWAYS part of the mix

I just needed a place to start with the base.

1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup honey
1 cup catsup
1 cup wine vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme

Put oil in large pot and saute onions and garlic. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Especially good for basting chicken or pork chops, and/or served at the table.

Makes about 1 quart...one of my favorites.

Thanks, Stan - I wouldn't have thought of the oregano / thyme but I'll have to give that a try.

Wow, I thought I was the only one that felt this way.

y'all might want try this one


1 cup Ketchup
1 cup apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
4 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Mix all ingredients together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for
30 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Makes 2 cups