It’s in the Sauce
Barbecued chicken and pork taste oh-so-much-better basted in sauce. But the biggest dilemma is in choosing which one to buy. Stores give serious shelf space to the endless varieties available, and yet, I haven’t found one I really like.
I make my own barbecue sauce. It’s quick and easy to prepare and I can get it as sweet, tangy, smoky, or spicy as I want.
Following is a basic sauce that starts with ketchup. Adjust it to your taste. Consider adding other ingredients such as onion, garlic, finely chopped peppers, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, hickory smoked salt, celery seed, mustard, or jam. You also can add other sauces from your refrigerator including a little salad dressing, sweet and sour sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Worcestershire, or steak sauce.
Try making some barbecue sauce yourself. You’ll be surprised how good and easy it really is.
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Barbecue Sauce Starter
1 cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons oil
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup vinegar (I usually use fig balsamic)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. For a thicker sauce, continue cooking until desired consistency.
©2013, Mary K. Doyle