On my meal plan this week is BBQ Chicken. I've been thinking about it so long that I'm craving it like crazy! Imagine my disapointment when I opened the pantry and realized that I was completely out of BBQ sauce. Sure I could run to Publix and pick up a bottle, but (a) it's not on sale right now and (b) I'm quaranting myself to the house today due to a yucky case of pinkeye (BOO).
I've made my own BBQ sauce before, and it is delicious and SO simple! Just dump a bunch of ingredients in a pot and sit back and enjoy the scent of sweet and smoky BBQ while it simmers. And to make matters even better, you can make it with staples found in your panry! Here's the recipe I'm using (modified slightly) from my favorite webiste, allrecipes.com:
Big Al's K.C. Bar-B-Q Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
- 2 teaspoons hickory-flavored liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix together the ketchup, tomato sauce, brown sugar, wine vinegar, molasses, liquid smoke and butter. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, celery seed, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper.
- Reduce heat to low, and simmer for up to 20 minutes. For thicker sauce, simmer longer, and for thinner, less time is needed. Sauce can also be thinned using a bit of water if necessary. Brush sauce onto any kind of meat during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
