Summer grilling and barbecuing just wouldn’t be the same without great BBQ sauces. Making your own BBQ sauce is not only fun, but we think they are far better than sauces you can buy off the shelf and they are easy to make. BBQ sauce can also be frozen, so make sure you make a large batch.

BBQ Sauce is generally made from a combination of tomato ingredients, sweet ingredients, sour ingredients, liquid flavors, and spices.

There is virtually no limit to the types of sauces you can make by experimenting with ingredients. Around the country barbecue sauces range from vinegary to peppery to sweet. Many cities are famous for their types of sauces and trying to get an answer to ‘What’s the best barbecue sauce?’ can cause some pretty heated debates.

Although practically anything goes when making barbecue sauce, there are parameters that will help you get in the ballpark. Use the following formula to create your own special sauce: Tomato ingredients: 4 cups, Sweet ingredients: 1 cup, Sour ingredients: start with a little and add up to 1 cup, Liquid flavors: up to 1/4 cup, Spices: up to 4 teaspoons of any combination plus 2 Tablespoons chili powder and 1 Tablespoon black pepper.

Tomato Ingredients

• Gf ketchup
• Gf tomato paste
• Gf tomato sauce

Sweet Ingredients

• White sugar
• Gf brown sugar
• Honey
• Molasses
• Corn syrup
• Corn sugar
• Maple syrup

• Vinegar
• Lemon
• Lime
• Grapefruit
• Wine

Liquid Flavors
Coffee, tea, fruit juices, hot sauce, soft drinks, gf soy sauce, gf broth, Worcestershire sauce

Spices
Allspice, basil, cayenne, celery, cilantro, chervil, chives, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, dill, dry mustard, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish powder, lemon pepper, lemon zest, marjoram, mint, nutmeg, onion powder, orange zest, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme, turmeric

Directions:
Mix the sugar and other dry ingredients together and add half the liquids. Over medium-heat, dissolve the dry ingredients into the liquid. Add the ketchup and any thick syrups or honey and stir. Heat to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining sour liquid and seasonings to taste.

BBQ Sauce Recipes

My favorite BBQ sauce recipe is Bopper’s BBQ Sauce. This sauce is great on anything!

This month we feature two great fruit based sauces, Blackberry BBQ Sauce and Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce. Try them on chicken, pork or fish.

BBQ Mustard Sauce is always a favorite on fish!

All-Around BBQ Sauce Makes 2-1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup gf catsup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 Tablespoons gf brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons gf soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon gf mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon gf hot sauce (add more if you like it hot)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Sauce can be stored in refrigerator for up to one week and frozen up to 3 months.

Kansas City BBQ Sauce Makes 4-1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup gf brown sugar, packed
• 1-2 Tablespoons ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon mace
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup water
• 32 ounces gf catsup

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sauce will store in refrigerator for several weeks.

Mop Sauce Makes 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 cups gf beef stock
• 1 cup root beer
• 2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon gf hot sauce (add more if you like it hot)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Mop on desired meats.

Your next barbecue is sure to be a hit with any of these great bbq sauces. Or, if you like to experiment, try creating your own special sauce. Because BBQ sauces are usually made up of many ingredients, it’s a great idea to write your formula down as you go.

- Glutenfreeda