There are so many regional varieties of BBQ sauce - Memphis, Carolina, Texas, Kansas City... but my favorite by far is my homemade smoked sauce! It's tangy, slightly sweet, and has a beautiful smoky flavor that lingers in your tastebuds. I know, it's easy to buy sauce, but when you can make your own for a fraction of the cost, and not to mention it's easy and you know what goes into it, why not? It's free of high-fructose corn syrup and preservatives, and it's delicious. If you don't have a smoker, that's ok - you can skip that step and still have amazing homemade sauce that is sure to impress your summer BBQ guests!
Here's how to make it:
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup (my homemade ketchup as a base makes it extra delicious!)
4 TBS brown sugar
4 TBS Worcestershire sauce
2 TBS apple cider vinegar
2 TSP garlic powder
1 TSP onion powder
1/2 TSP mustard powder
1/2 TSP chili powder (if you want a little spice!)
1/2 TSP fine sea salt
mesquite wood chips (if smoking it)
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until well-combined.
Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.
If you're smoking it, pour it into a metal pan (I used an 8" baking pan),
Add soaked wood chips to the smoker and bring temp to 225° F.
Smoke for 2-3 hours. I recommend tasting it at 2 hours and continue to cook if you want more of a smoky flavor.
Let the sauce cool completely before using it.
Brush it onto chicken, ribs, or your meat of choice and enjoy!