Make your own BBQ sauce? Why not?

Creating Your Own BBQ Sauce is Easier Than You Might Think.

With a little knowledge about what goes into the making of BBQ sauce, you can turn your creativity loose and end up with the best BBQ sauce you have ever tasted. And you will have made it yourself.

The Big Picture

By knowing a few of the basics, you can make a BBQ sauce as good as anyone else (probably better since you know what you like).  Don't be afraid to jump in and give it a try.  It's practically impossible to mess it up.

A BBQ sauce usually has four main parts to it.

  • a base ingredient
  • some sweetness
  • an acid
  • some seasonings

The many different styles of BBQ sauce come from varying proportions of these four items.

Many BBQ sauces use a base ingredient of tomato sauce or ketchup.  Sweetness comes from things like brown sugar, molasses or honey.  The acid is quite often a vinegar or citrus juice. And seasonings can be anything your little old heart desires.

Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce

Thick, sticky, tomato based
Very sweet
Little or no vinegar
Not too spicy (usually allspice, mace or both)

North Carolina Style BBQ Sauce

Thin, little or no tomato
Not very sweet
Vinegar based
Not too spicy (usually red pepper flakes)

In the beginning, an option  you might want to consider would be to start with your favorite BBQ sauce and add ingredients to it.  Once you become more confident, you can then start a sauce from scratch.  But if you are ready right now... then never mind.

That's it.  That's all you need to know.  So... let's get going.

The Sky is the Limit

Start with a base ingredient of you choice and begin to add acidity, sweetness and seasonings.  If you are after a "masterpiece", please take your time.  Write down the ingredients and amounts that you add.  After all, when it does turn out to be a masterpiece, you will want to be able to recreate it.  Right?

Here are some common ingredients used in BBQ sauces.

tomato sauce
tomato paste
water
ketchup
mustard
vinegar
lemon juice
apple juice
Worcestershire sauce
soy sauce
honey
brown sugar
salt
pepper
paprika
chili powder
Tabasco sauce
allspice
garlic
onion
cayenne pepper
liquid smoke
olive oil
butter

As you might expect, the list can become very long.  But, don't settle for the usual.  Since this is your own creation... get creative.  Think of other ingredients that would make it uniquely yours... such as:

tea
coffee
bacon grease
pickle juice
pancake syrup
beer
whiskey
rum
chocolate
soft drinks

If you think it would make your BBQ sauce taste good... add it.  Nothing is really off-limits when it comes to the ingredients.  Actually, the more oddball an ingredient or two, the less likely anyone can guess what's in it.  Thus, a true "secret ingredient".

Putting it all Together

Besides keeping track of what and how much you add, please taste it often.  This will keep you on track for the taste you are after.  It will also start to give you a feel for how much of a given ingredient will produce the changes you want. 

Some sauces are simply blended ingredients.  They and ready to use immediately.  Others are cooked.  They may have sautéed onion, or get heated to a boil and then simmered.

Regardless of how you approach it, though, please allow some time for the completed sauce to age. One to three days in the refrigerator will really allow the flavors to blend.

One other thing to remember... the higher the sugar content in your BBQ sauce, the quicker it will burn on the grill.  Some sauces with no sugar (like North Carolina style) can be used throughout the cooking process.  Others (like KC style) that are very sweet, should only be applied during the last few minutes of cooking time.

Made possible by:  www.original-bbq-recipes.com 
I wish you good cooking and hope that you do create a masterpiece.  But, if not, just
"get yourself another drink and try again."  (Hipshot)

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