# question about bbq sauce



## preston897 (Jan 20, 2014)

well now that i really have the smoking bug im starting to get the urge to try my hand at my own sauce. i really like a slightly tangy sauce. ive been using stubbs sauce lately and really like it. my questions is to make a sauce tangy would you use more vinegar? im just trying to figure out what ingredient gives it that great taste. also if i decide not to use ketchup what all would i need to add to my tomato sauce as far as seasonings go if anything at all. from my reading the big thing that the ketchup has is the sugar so if i just use tomato sauce with a bit of my brown sugar i should be ok right? hopefully this thread makes sense....this is a totally new endeavor for me.


----------



## handymanstan (Jan 20, 2014)

I like this sauce a lot.  You might start there.   http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/136007/firepiper-tangy-mustard-sauce

Stan


----------



## preston897 (Jan 20, 2014)

that sounds like a good one! i didnt notice that when i was reading through various recipes. thankyou.


----------



## handymanstan (Jan 20, 2014)

Your welcome preston,  I like this one too and have a jar in the fridge most of the time. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/77564/billbos-world-famous-dry-rub-bbq-sauce-recipes  The lemon puts it over the top for me.  Try them and then adjust what you like to make a sauce that's your own.

Stan


----------



## jirodriguez (Jan 20, 2014)

Celery salt is a good flavor that a lot of folks don't think about, use a little bit and taste it as you go, it shouldn't take much. Also for sweetener if you want a deep rich flavor use dark mollasses, it really adds a great flavor!


----------



## preston897 (Jan 20, 2014)

that sauce sounds pretty good too! and i really like the celery salt suggestion. i do like the flavor of it. maybe ill add a bit of it to the rub im going to make for my boston butt tomorrow that im smoking. just to see how it tastes. im also debating making one of these sauces for it.


----------



## jirodriguez (Jan 20, 2014)

After years of making sauce from scratch I actually have settled on a doctored up bottle sauce... lol.

Everybody who has had it loves it and asks me for the recipe:

1 part Sweet Baby Rays Original BBQ Sauce

1/2 part apple juice

1/4 part cider vinegar

Dark molasses to taste

Heat it to a low simmer, taste, adjust molasses and vinegar to taste, then simmer till desired thickness. It is a really tasty sauce that is super easy to make.


----------



## preston897 (Jan 20, 2014)

My dad always did somthing similar to that. I may have to try it. I do like some sweet baby rays


----------



## guruatbol (Jan 20, 2014)

I start with tomato paste and add soy sauce, _Worcestershire sauce, mustard, red wine vinegar, fresh onion, garlic, horse radish, Louisiana hot sauce_, onion and garlic powder, black pepper, brown sugar and corn starch.

The corn starch is to thicken it up a bit.  The rest is all to taste.  Sometimes I will add celery salt and lemon juice.  It just depends what I am looking for.

I have used all the other vinegars too and I prefer the red wine.  Apple cider is good too.

My take on BBQ sauce is that there is a basic way to do it that everyone starts with and then you just need to experiment and get it the way you like it.  I will cheat once in a while and use either KC master piece or sweet baby ray's since I like both those.  However, I have to be pushed for time since home made is always best!

Mel


----------



## preston897 (Jan 20, 2014)

Im seeing really quick that it is alot of playing with ingrediants. Good thing the wife likes bbq! Ill have plenty of chances to use her as my guinnea pig.


----------



## paulmart (Jan 21, 2014)

1C American Honey
1C Katchup
1/2C Brown Sugar
1 TBSP warchestershire
1 TBSP soya sauce       
1 TBSP apple butter
1 TSP ground mustard                 
5 chopped garlic
1 chopped jalapeno   (seeded)
1 TSP dried rosemary

Bring to boil. Simmer for an hour. Stir occasionally


Thats my variation of one I found online...almost 100% different from the recipe I started with online. Its tangy with a touch of heat. Fairly simple. Its best made the day before, but ive made it the day of and had no complaints. The longer you cook it, the thicker it gets. 1 hour on simmer seems to give it the a texture somewhere between a glaze and a sauce thst I like


----------



## preston897 (Jan 21, 2014)

That one seens like it would have a nice touch of sweetness. Ive started taking a liking to thinner sauces as well. I guess i would just cook most of them for less time?


----------



## paulmart (Jan 21, 2014)

Thats right. About 30 minutes of simmering and you've got yourself a thin glaze. I let it simmer once for aroun 1.5 hours. It came out too thick. So I stsy around and hour or maybe a bit less. As you're constantly stirring, you are always watching it. So you'll know when to stop


----------



## preston897 (Jan 22, 2014)

I made tge sauce that handyman recomended. I made 2 slight changes though. Instead of white i used red wine vibegar. And i only used 1/4 tsp of cayanne. Im not huge on really spicy stuff. The sauce is tangy but sweet at the same time. It isnt spicy but you get the taste of the cayanne just a little. It taste great. This will be a sauce i continue to play with.


----------

