Basic Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients

• •3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• •1 medium onion
• •1 clove garlic
• •¼ whole green bell pepper
• •½ cup ketchup
• •½ cup tomato sauce
• •3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• •3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• •2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• •2 tablespoons pineapple juice
• •1 teaspoon hot sauce
• •½ teaspoon liquid smoke
• •2 tablespoons molasses
• •3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• •2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• •1 teaspoon dry mustard
• •½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• •1 pinch Salt

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   1. Heat the oil in a large nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook until softened but not brown, about 4 minutes.

   4 min

2. 2.

   2. Stir in the ketchup, tomato sauce, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, pineapple juice (if using), hot sauce, liquid smoke, molasses, brown sugar, prepared and dry mustards, black pepper, and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more water.

   15 min

3. 3.

   3. Remove the barbecue sauce from the heat and taste for seasoning, adding salt to taste and more cider vinegar, hot sauce, and/or brown sugar as necessary; the sauce should be highly seasoned.

   2 min

4. 4.

   4. Transfer the barbecue sauce to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for several weeks.

   1 min