Well, at least we can find peace in sauces. Peace in sauces?? What does that even mean? Well my friends, it means that the search is over for an easy, no-brainer, 10-minute BBQ sauce recipe for when you forgot to grab some at the store, or for when you want to add a little “umph” to that pulled pork you worked on all day long. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have the perfect sauce for your meal in 10 minutes, every time? It’s the little things, guys. One morning last week I was in full REM mode: totally out, not a ray of sun yet, probably drooling. Suddenly in my subconscious I hear a baby-toddler voice whisper directly in my ear, “Cann-aye have popsicle?” My eyes fly open and land on the SCISSORS that are inches from my eyeball. How else would I open the Otter Pop he was holding in the other hand? It was 5:45am. (Who knows how high he climbed and what deathly moments ensued in his quest for the scissors. I’ve blocked the imaginings from my mind.) Why do people even drink coffee? I don’t get it. All you need is a scissor-wielding 2-year-old, he will perk you up in no time. I was talking to my sister about this a few weeks ago. She read a study that said moms with newborns have the same nighttime sleep quality as PTSD patients, because they know they could be called from sleep into wake-time action at literally any moment. There is no real peace. Like I said. No. Peace. Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram The tangy kick and the hot-but-not-too-hot spices are perfect for cutting the richness of fatty smoked pork, brisket, or tri tip. It’s also perfect for chicken, pork tenderloin, spare ribs, etc! I love how adaptable it is.
ketchup Worcestershire sauce white vinegar molasses kosher salt and black pepper paprika and smoked paprika chili powder liquid smoke, optional
We are starting out with some ketchup for instant flavor. I tested this recipe a few times with straight up tomato sauce and some extra sugar/vinegar, because that’s all ketchup is, right? Wrong. It was just not as flavorful. There is something magical about ketchup. Don’t you turn your nose up at me. You will appreciate what you have if you just go to Australia. They still haven’t figured out how to do ketchup right, and every French fry I ate in that country was a disappointment. (Sorry Australia, I do love you. Even though you wrap your hot dogs in sandwich bread and top it with tomato sauce…you have lots of other redeeming qualities 😉) Anyway. Get yourself some Heinz and then add in all the other stuff. It couldn’t be more easy. Worcestershire sauce is the secret ingredient in so many recipes. It brings that umami flavor we all love, even if we don’t recognize it. I saw on a New Orleans blog recently (which is a super fun read, by the way!) the author referred to “Lea and Perrins” the way you would call it Coke instead of soda, or Kleenex instead of tissue, or the way I call it Lawry’s instead of seasoning salt. I love this brand so much that I think I’m going to adopt the Lea and Perrins moniker. They deserve it. Molasses is the only sweetener I use in this recipe. I love it because of the complex, nutty flavor it adds, even more interesting than plain brown sugar. (Which is made from granulated sugar with some molasses mixed in, did you know that?) Don’t add too much, just a few tablespoons. This is not a sticky-sweet sauce. Bring the TANG. Add in all the rest of the ingredients, including a dash of liquid smoke. This ingredient is technically optional, but I love the depth that it adds to the sauce! I think it’s especially important to add in if you are not pairing it with grilled or smoked meat (like anything slow cooked would benefit from liquid smoke for sure). It’s not as good as the real thing (actually cooking with smoke), but I do love the aroma and big flavor it adds. The other optional ingredient you can add to this recipe is water. If you have the time, add some water, bring the sauce to a simmer, and let bubble for 30-60 minutes. The water will cook off over that time, leaving you with a perfectly saucy sauce. I love this method because it gives the ingredients all a chance to get cozy together, enhancing flavor. BUT…if you don’t have time for that (I get it! I get it!) just leave out the water, simmer for 5 minutes, and bam, you’re done. Perfect bbq sauce in 10 minutes.
Add some liquid smoke. Technically this is optional, but it adds that hot-off-the-grill smoky note to your sauce and I can’t live without it. Add water and time for even more flavor. If you have a little extra time, add water to the sauce, bring it to a simmer, and let it bubble for 30-60 minutes. The water will cook off until the sauce is the perfect consistency. Make extra for later. This BBQ sauce freezes beautifully, so after you fall in love you’ll have some to pull out whenever you need it.
pulled pork grilled chicken brisket ribs hamburgers hot dogs meatloaf tri tip kebabs chicken wings (dip them in the sauce!) BBQ chicken pizza, nachos, or quesadillas mix with Ranch for an epic salad dressing. I learned this from my fav BBQ Pork Tenderloin recipe!
BBQ Smoked Pulled Pork (on a Gas Grill) « legit flavor, and made right on your gas grill! I also have a Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe Smashburgers « basically the best burgers around, trust me How to Cook Tri Tip Roast « BBQ Tri Tip sandwiches are basically what I live for. With grilled onions please! Simply Amazing Grilled Chicken Marinade « all the tips to make it the best! How to Cook Ribeye Steak « you haven’t lived until you’ve tried a tender, juicy ribeye steak How to Cook Flank Steak « cooked hot and fast, sub today’s sauce for the marinade! Slow Grilled Mustard Chicken « low and slow makes for some amazing chicken. Use today’s BBQ sauce in place of this mustard sauce. Nana’s Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs and “Barb”-ecue Sauce « everybody loves Nana’s ribs, they’re a classic The Best Hot Dog You Will Ever Eat (JDawgs Special Sauce Copycat) « you won’t even know what hit you with this one Grilled BBQ Chicken Kebobs from The Chunky Chef Easy Oven Baked Beef Ribs from Divas Can Cook
