Basic Barbecue Sauce

Name: Basic Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 medium-size onion, minced; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1/4 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and minced; 1/2 cup ketchup; 1/2 cup tomato sauce; 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, or more to taste; 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoons pineapple juice (optional); 1 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce, or more to taste; 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke, or 2 tablespoons meat drippings; 2 tablespoons molasses; 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, or more to taste; 2 tablespoons prepared mustard of your choice; 1 teaspoon dry mustard; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; Salt

18 ingredients

4 steps

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium-size onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tomato sauce
3 tablespoons cider vinegar, or more to taste
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons pineapple juice (optional)
1 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke, or 2 tablespoons meat drippings
2 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, or more to taste
2 tablespoons prepared mustard of your choice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Directions

1

1. Heat the oil in a large nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook until softened but not brown, about 4 minutes.
2

2. Stir in the ketchup, tomato sauce, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, pineapple juice (if using), hot sauce, liquid smoke, molasses, brown sugar, prepared and dry mustards, black pepper, and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more water.
3

3. Remove the barbecue sauce from the heat and taste for seasoning, adding salt to taste and more cider vinegar, hot sauce, and/or brown sugar as necessary; the sauce should be highly seasoned.
4

4. Transfer the barbecue sauce to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for several weeks.