Homemade barbecue sauce

[spacecanada]

Hey everyone,

Summertime means all the neighbours are out grilling their dinners and it has me craving barbecue.  (We don't actually have a barbecue, but we have a cast iron grill pan.)  Since Kraft bought out the barbecue sauce we used to use, and won't tell me one way or the other if it's safe any more (the old 'we'll label if we think there's a risk' story), I haven't had store-bought barbecue sauce in many years.  My attempts at making barbecue sauce have been ok, but not stellar. 

So, does anyone have a great from-scratch barbecue sauce they're willing to share?  I'm willing to try sauces from different regions too - anything to add a little barbecue flavour our summer menus. 

Thank you!

[rebekahc]

Here's the basic recipe I use from my uncle. It's pretty easy to tweak for different tastes - hopefully you can find allergy safe ingredients.

1 stick margerine or butter
3 cups ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. BBQ spice
1/3 cup liquid smoke (hickory is what his recipe calls for - I use whatever)
1 tbsp. seasoned pepper (I use Cavender's instead)

Melt margerine, add brown sugar and stir well over low heat. Add remaining ingredients and continue heating over low heat until heated well.

Can be used right away, but is even better later.

[spacecanada]

I don't know what BBQ spice or seasoned pepper are, could you please describe them?  I haven't found a safe Worcestershire sauce or liquid smoke in years - might be worth a try looking again.

[rebekahc]

BBQ spice is a seasoning blend found on the spice aisle. If you can't find a premade blend, you can find recipes to mix your own. It's a mixture of salt, pepper, paprika, red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, etc. - cheaper to buy the blend unless you routinely use all the ingredients.

Seasoned pepper can be found on the spice aisle also (I know lawry's makes one), but I choose to use Cavender's Greek Seasoning (yellow package) instead. Also available on the spice aisle, though maybe just a regional thing?  https://www.walmart.com/ip/Cavender-s-All-Purpose-Greek-Seasoning-8-Oz/10451917?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=5416&adid=22222222227009999188&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=t&wl3=40886577512&wl4=aud-273067695102:pla-43811152727&wl5=9027197&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=10451917&wl13=5416&veh=sem

Here's a recipe for vegan Worcestershire sauce if you can't find one off the shelf.
https://www.marthastewart.com/258132/homemade-vegan-worcestershire-sauce

Might be worth just finding a substitute for such a small amount, though. Maybe something with a similar flavor like Pickapeppa sauce? https://www.amazon.com/Pickapeppa-BHBAZUSF0518A359-Sauce-5oz/dp/B0001CVIE4

Not sure what to tell you about the liquid smoke - I've just always used it and never researched it. So far we've never had a problem with it. This is the one I always buy https://www.target.com/p/colgin-all-natural-hickory-liquid-smoke-4oz/-/A-12935992?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Grocery+Essentials+Shopping&adgroup=SC_Grocery&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=t&location=9027197&gclid=Cj0KCQjwu_jYBRD8ARIsAC3EGCJdiapdCJLjIoWvr37cPt5GNtwsywaEaB3TLyxfnuMRuQrt2vFe88oaAshEEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[spacecanada]

I think part of the problem in sourcing these ingredients is that I'm in Canada, not America, so none of the brands or products you reference are familiar or available here.  I'll try to look into it, though I welcome any other recipes that might be out there with more basic ingredients. 

[GoingNuts]

SC, if you can't find a safe liquid smoke, you can try substituting smoked paprika.  You'll just have to play around with amounts.

[rebekahc]

Here are the ingredients from Amazon Canada:

Cavender's: https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_16/147-2396316-2955200?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cavenders+greek+seasoning&sprefix=cavender%27s+greek%2Caps%2C291&crid=8V5BDTADY9IP

or

Seasoned Pepper: https://www.amazon.ca/Lawrys-Seasoned-Pepper-Ounce-Shakers/dp/B00FWLX5RW/ref=sr_1_3?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1528814394&sr=1-3&keywords=seasoned+pepper

Pickapeppa: https://www.amazon.ca/Pickapeppa-Sauce-%E2%80%91-FL-OZ/dp/B000ZD752S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1528813956&sr=8-3&keywords=pickapeppa+sauce

Liquid smoke: https://www.amazon.ca/Colgin-Natural-Hickory-Liquid-Smoke/dp/B0005Z8NCM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1528814337&sr=8-6&keywords=liquid+smoke

BBQ spice: https://www.amazon.ca/Hot-Mamas-Smoky-Spice-Gram/dp/B01DTE1ERG/ref=sr_1_4?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1528814108&sr=1-4&keywords=bbq+spice

[Macabre]

Space, aren't you vegetarian—and even vegan? What do you use bbq sauce for?

This is a serious question. I don't think my kiddo has had bbq sauce since going vegetarian 13 years ago.

[Macabre]

Here's one with some different ingredients. I do not like smoke flavor, so if we were going to make a sauce, we'd just make one without.

This was posted as a Kansas City BBQ sauce. I don't know about that. And I've never made this. But looking at the ingredients, this is one I could do.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions
1.
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2.
Add ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, chili powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

3.
Transfer sauce to the jar of a blender and blend until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, transfer to a jar and store in refrigerator for up to a month.

[spacecanada]

Thanks for the links, Rebekah - I'll have to call/email all those companies over the next few weeks as I've never heard of them before.  (Contacting companies is super stressful for me - though I've had a recent string of amazing luck: 3 for 3 this week with finding new safe foods.)

Good question, Mac: I'm thinking of putting it on grilled tofu mostly, but also on grilled veggies and in baked beans.  My husband likes veggie burgers too, though he just uses sauce from the store.  I may make black bean burgers this summer.

That recipe looks much more familiar to me, and I have all of those ingredients already, thank you!  I'm still curious about Rebekah's recipe, though.

[becca]

If you would like to take a look at the Penzy's spices website, and call them, I actually live about 25 minutes from a physical store and would send you products.  They have great customer service, and seem very allergy aware for our allergens.

I have used McCormick smoked paprika for a smoky flavor in rubs. 

[spacecanada]

I made Rebekah's recipe today and I think it is good, though I hope the flavours develop some more overnight in the fridge. (The vinegar in the ketchup needs to melllow a bit.)  I used liquid smoke, McCormick spicy pepper medley, and McCormick steak spice (I couldn't find barbecue spice on its own), and omitted Worcestershire since all the varieties had barley and fish in them.

Barbecue tofu for supper tonight!

I will try Mac's recipe tomorrow or Saturday.

[rebekahc]

Just now seeing that you made a version of the sauce.  I hope the flavor mellowed for you and that your BBQ tofu was tasty!

[spacecanada]

Just now seeing that you made a version of the sauce.  I hope the flavor mellowed for you and that your BBQ tofu was tasty!

Yes, it did!  My husband has declared it the best barbecue sauce he's ever tried.  I enjoy it as well.  I still want to try Mac's recipe, just to compare.  I will do that tonight, actually.

[spacecanada]

We made the recipe from Mac yesterday, and did a taste test today.  Both recipes are good, though we both prefer the one from Rebekah because it has more depth of flavour and is more tangy.  The one from Mac is more mellow and sweet, and very similar to our baked beans recipe, which is also delicious.  They both get thumbs up and both will stay in the cookbook.

Thank you!