I’m looking for a good thick sauce with a little sweetness and a little spice. Anybody have a good recipe they can share?

And no vinegar based sauces….people who like those need to wait outside Para’s office to turn in your membership card pursuant to the handbook.

We don't use much BBQ sauce in our house, so I took the easy way and bought a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's "Sweet 'N Spicy" sauce.

It has the attributes that you specified: thick, a little sweetness, and a little spice. My wife likes her "spice" on the mild side. I actually add a little Frank's Hot Sauce to mine, but not to hers.

OK you said no vinegar based sauce, but hear me out. This won't disappoint.

Medium high heat, can of tomato soup, just enough apple cider vinegar to washout the can. Is probably less then half cup, more like a quarter.
1/4 cup ketchup

Couple tablespoons maple syrup
Honey
Strawberry jam
3/4 cup brown sugar
If you have a favorite BBQ rub add a couple of tablespoons of it.

1/4 cop worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper power
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ( or to taste) salt
1/2 cup water.

Simer until it's the consistency you want, it WILL thicken when cool, so keep this in mind.


I don't really measure, I just eye ball it and adjust, but these measurements are close enough to get you there.


This is a big hit. But really, the apple cider vinegar IS needed to round out the flavors.


This sauce has won a couple cook-offs.

ARman

Almost all BBQ sauce has some vinegar.

I'm no fan of vinegar based BBQ sauce either. Nasty stuff.

I typically will buy Alpine Touch sauce, but when I'm out or just feel the need to make my own, I use this recipe:

2Tbs chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1/8 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup Worcestershire
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Heinz 57
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp Tabasco (more to taste)
3 Tbs butter
1 medium onion finely diced
4 cloves garlic minced

Saute onion in butter. Add garlic towards the end. Add dry spices and cook around 2 minutes. Add wet ingredients and simmer for around 15-20 minutes.

Adjust sweetness with less/more honey and adjust heat with less/more Tabasco. As is, it's got sweetness and some zip. I like it.

ETA: Forgot to put in the brown sugar. 1/2-1 cup (packed).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Gustofer, June 29, 2024 07:50 PM

I've made plenty of sauces, I like these
https://lilliesq.com/products/hot-smoky

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
Almost all BBQ sauce has some vinegar.

To clarify- I’m not a fan of the thin, mostly vinegar sauces. Vinegar is ok as long as it’s not the main ingredient that is the prominent flavor.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:

Almost all BBQ sauce has some vinegar.

I don't like vinegar. I just checked the list of ingredients in the Sweet Baby Ray's sauce that I mentioned earlier in this thread.

Vinegar is the third ingredient in the list, but I really don't taste it. However, the second ingredient is HFCS ;( and the rest of the list reads like a chemistry experiment. I'll be sure to really look at ingredients if / when I buy bottled BBQ sauce again.

1 cup vinegar
1 cup mustard
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup sugar
1 ounce lemon juice
1 ounce garlic salt
1 ounce Black pepper
1 ounce salt
1 ounce hot sauce
Finish with catsup
Makes one gallon
Cut ingredients by 1/4 if you just want a quart. I’ve used balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, different types of hot sauce just for variety

Have you ever tried mustard BBQ like they do in parts of the Carolinas? It's awesome on pork, and a nice change of pace from Kansas City Style BBQ sauce.

Here is the recipe I like from AmazingRibs.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
Have you ever tried mustard BBQ like they do in parts of the Carolinas? It's awesome on pork, and a nice change of pace from Kansas City Style BBQ sauce.

Here is the recipe I like from AmazingRibs.

I'm from the nice grey area on the right, where Jesus is coming for bbq when he gets back, but there a spot right at the top of the line where pink meets grey where they make a blend of yellow and grey. That stuff might be a sin, but it's delicious.

As a hard core smoker, (stick burner) I have been down this road.
You will do no better than “Kinders Gold”
Takes on the flavors of the rub or marinade and blends with whatever protein you’re chewing on.

quote:

Originally posted by SirBeep:

I'm from the nice grey area on the right, where Jesus is coming for bbq when he gets back, but there a spot right at the top of the line where pink meets grey where they make a blend of yellow and grey. That stuff might be a sin, but it's delicious.[/QUOTE]

Here's my attempt at coming up with a recipe for that style. It's simple, just Gods simple recipe of pepper and vinegar plus mustard

Latest attempt at Henderson style Carolina Barbecue
Rub:
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp fresh crushed black pepper

Basteing:
Combine the following ingredients in a medium size saucepan. Using medium heat bring ingredients to a slight boil and
Thereafter continue boiling for 5 or 6 minutes. Stir constantly until it begins to thicken. Baste piggy with it every hour or so as it smokes.

1 Qt. apple cider vinegar
1 pt. water
2 T. salt
1 t. red pepper
1 t. black pepper
4 t. dayglow yellow mussturd

5 hours on the pit above.. Then 5 hours in the slow cooker with the below:

Finishing:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbls real butter
1 tsp salt

Yes, there are multiple sins committed there.. I can hear the screams of "bbq in a slow cooker?!?!?!". But that is where sream cabinet bbqing was invented. Nunneries in Henderson, NC. It's where my wife is from, but from a bbq standpoint there has got to be a hole to hell somewhere around there.

... Steam cabinet..

quote:

Originally posted by sigmoid:
As a hard core smoker, (stick burner) I have been down this road.
You will do no better than “Kinders Gold”
Takes on the flavors of the rub or marinade and blends with whatever protein you’re chewing on.

Kinders Gold is excellent. We've all been down the Holy Grail path but you really can't do much better than this.

I also take the easy way.
I found Ernest Hemingway’s “Havana” and also “Pilar”…!
These are great in my opinion.
You might be pleased.

Regards

Not thick but I used some Bulgogi yesterday on some pork loin chops for the meat in some summer rolls. The family wanted more


https://www.kroger.com/p/sempi...ALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

quote:

Originally posted by FenderBender:
I've made plenty of sauces, I like these
https://lilliesq.com/products/hot-smoky

Lillie's Q is my go-to for bottled sauce.

I don’t have a good barbecue sauce recipe, but Head Country sure does. I would definitely take a look at those guys, they’re making magic out in Ponca City.