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Almost Award Winning BBQ Sauce

This barbecue sauce recipe didn’t really come close to winning any awards with competition judges. Likely because of the strong kick of heat provided by a dose of chipotle and cayenne. It just crossed the line out of “mainstream” in the heat department. A few judges seemed to love it with high ranks for chicken and ribs and all of our B-B-Q Tricks home samplers were ready to take a bath in the stuff. It’s that good.

The best thing about this “Almost Award Wining Sauce” is that it’s a perfect sweet heat finishing sauce that will caramelize perfectly as the finishing touch to ribs and chicken. Feel free to temper the heat by dropping the cayenne or chipotle.

2 tbs. Vegetable Oil
1 large clove of Garlic (crushed/minced)
1 medium Onion minced
1 Chipotle Pepper (from can) minced
1 tsp. Chili Powder
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 cup Ketchup (we use Heinz)
2 tbs. Dijon Mustard (Grey Poupon)
5 tbs. Dark Molasses
3 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp fresh ground Black Pepper
2 tsp. Hot Pepper Sauce (we use Texas Pete)

 

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Almost Award Winning BBQ Sauce

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 1 to two cups

Serving Size: 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Almost Award Winning BBQ Sauce

This is my Go-TO sauce for everything. Too spicy for a competition but it did win third in wings (no too shabby) but just right for my family. It has enough sugar to provide ribs and chicken with the perfect smoky char.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbs. Vegetable Oil
  • 1 large clove of Garlic (crushed/minced)
  • 1 medium Onion minced
  • 1 Chipotle Pepper (from can) minced
  • 1 tsp. Chili Powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 cup Ketchup (we use Heinz)
  • 2 tbs. Dijon Mustard (Grey Poupon)
  • 5 tbs. Dark Molasses
  • 3 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ground Black Pepper
  • 2 tsp. Hot Pepper Sauce (we use Texas Pete)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a deep sauce pan and then add garlic and onions until they soften.
  2. Next add all peppers and heat for 20 seconds before stirring in the remaining ingredients.
  3. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes until thickened to your liking.
  4. If desired: When cooled strain to remove chunks (garlic and onion).
  5. Stores air tight refrigerated for approx. 6 days.

Recipes

North Carolina Vinegar Sauce

North Carolina and South Carolina are an odd pair. Yankees almost see the duo as the same State… “Carolina.” But there are differences… especially when it comes to barbecue sauce.

It’s somewhat regional but everyone has his or her own favorite. Up North East they like a close to pure vinegar version of an ultra thin sauce. I’ve even seen it clear (although usually using cider vinegar).

South Carolina has it’s hands in different styles… but their claim to fame (thanks to Maurice Bessinger and family) is a tangy sweet mustard based sauce.

In the Piedmont area… or out West it’s also vinegar. But there’s a good squirt of tomato or ketchup in the mix.

We’ll cover all of them here… but first

Here’s a Barbecue Tricks version of a Western Carolina Vinegar sauce. Tart, hot and a bit sweet but thin enough to mix quietly into a pile of pulled pork without getting in the way of the smoke in the meat.

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Carolina Pride Vinegar BBQ Sauce

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 16 oz. of Sauce

Carolina Pride Vinegar BBQ Sauce

A Western Carolina favorite. This tart and tangy vinegar sauce is thin but bold.

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 Cup Ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (secret: McCormick's Worcester's flavored)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 tablespoon Plum Sauce (option: substitute dark molasses)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  1. I like to pick up a full 16oz. bottle of good cider vinegar for this sauce. Get it in the glass bottle so you can funnel the finished sauce back in. Get a good sized kitchen funnel. You'll have some vinegar left... so you may choose to double the amounts and make extra sauce to serve and have a full bottle to save for later.
  2. Simmer ingredients in a small to medium pot for ten minutes. Let cool before serving:

vinegar sauce bbq
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North Carolina Vinegar Sauce

North and South Carolina are indeed different entities. One difference is in sauce appeal. Cross the state line headed north and things get a lot more sour in the the form of Western Carolina Vinegar sauce. Tart, hot, a li’l bit sweet, but thin enough to mix quietly into a pile of pulled pork without getting in the way of the smoke in the meat.

Ingredients

1 cup cider vinegar1/2 cup ketchup1 Tbsp crushed red pepper1/2 tsp black pepper (secret: McCormick's Worcestershire flavored)1 tsp kosher salt1/2 tsp ground mustard1/2 tsp celery salt1 tsp plum sauce (or dark molasses)1 tsp brown sugar1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Use an empty 16oz bottle (from cider vinegar or the like) for this sauce to store and serve. Simmer ingredients in a small to medium sauce pan for ten minutes. Let cool before serving.