Best BBQ Sauce Recipes for Summer Cooking

Barbecue goes back in time to many cultures, however the origin of name is still a mystery. Some think it may come from the French in Louisiana, where "barbe a queue" translated as "from whiskers to tail" which describes the roasting of a whole beast. Others feel that the Spanish "barbacoa" is the start. Yet still many look to early advertisements for bar, beer and pork establishments-"bar-beer-cue" seen in Texas. Although cooking meat over an open fire outdoors was in all cultures at one time, the fondness of digging a pit, to allow the heat and smoking of meat was forgotten during the time the first colonists came to Jamestown. Thank goodness we followed the steps of the local Native Americans, where pit barbecue was quickly rediscovered and remained popular.

Today Barbecue has its own particularities in tastes throughout the country. Throughout the Southeast, pork is the favored meat. There are tomato-based sauces and thin, vinegary sauces that play a sharp contrast to the rich pork. Texas is known for its beef barbeque and method of dry-rubbing the meat prior to smoking it. Chicago-style barbecue is much like the kind found in the South and was brought by the migration of African-Americans to the city along with the Blues. Sauces are heavy and sweet, livened up with generous amounts of pepper.

No matter where you live, Barbecue is fun to do, delicious to eat and it's ALL IN THE SAUCE! Below are some recipes to make fabulous homemade BBQ sauces:

Simple and Easy BBQ Sauce:

You will need:

One onion, finely chopped

Two tablespoons "fat" or cooking oil

Two tablespoons vinegar

Two tablespoons brown sugar

Four tablespoons lemon juice

One cup Catsup

Three tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

One-half cup water

One-half teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Salt to taste

Liquid Smoke (optional)

Brown the onion in the oil and add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and pulse until a smooth sauce is made. This great sauce is now ready for beef, chicken or pork.

Let's Try a BBQ Rub:

You will need:

Two cups sugar

One-quarter cup Paprika

Two teaspoons Chili Powder

One-half teaspoon Cayenne

One-half cup salt

Two teaspoons Black Pepper

One teaspoon Garlic Powder

Combine all the ingredients and use as a rub for any barbequed meat.

Texas BBQ Sauce:

You will need:

One-cup tomato ketchup

One-half cup cider vinegar

One-teaspoon sugar

One-teaspoon chili powder

One-eighth teaspoon salt

One and one-half cups water

Three stalks celery, chopped

Three bay leaves

One clove garlic

Two tablespoons onion, chopped

Four tablespoons butter

Four tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

One-teaspoon paprika

Dash of Black pepper

Combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and strain out the vegetable and spice pieces, leaving a fine sauce for spreading on your favorite foods.

Carolina Mustard Sauce:

You will need:

Three-quarter cup yellow mustard

Three-quarter cup red wine vinegar

One-quarter cup sugar

One and one-half tablespoons butter

Two teaspoons salt

One-half teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

One and one-quarter teaspoons ground black pepper

One-half teaspoon Tabasco sauce

In a medium saucepan, combine the ingredients, stirring to blend. Cook and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature one hour before using.

Coca-Cola Barbeque Sauce:

You will need:

One can (12 oz) Classic Coke

One and one-half cups ketchup

One cup finely chopped onion

One-quarter cup cider vinegar

One-quarter cup Worcestershire sauce

One-teaspoon chili powder

One-teaspoon salt

Hot pepper sauce to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for about 30-45 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. Stir occasionally. Strain if desired and season with the hot sauce when finished.

Flavor your cooking with any one of these sauce recipes. Enjoy the summer with cooking on the grill and spending time in the great outdoors. A perfect mix!

Sources:

Kansas City Barbeque Society www.kcbs.us

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