Besides gardening, what I love about spring is that it’s the beginning of bbq season! For me and mine, that usually means more recipes using a good, thick, sweet and tangy bbq sauce. I like to make pulled pork sandwiches in the slow cooker, bbq pork ribs and beef short ribs, ham hock with baked beans, and, of course, bbq chicken pizza… my favorite!
Unfortunately, many bbq sauces sold pre-bottled have many processed ingredients including high fructose corn syrup. It’s a blessing that you can now find some good organic options but finding one with a good robust flavor can prove itself to be a bit more difficult. I’ve been working on my bbq sauce recipe over the past couple of years, tinkering with a couple of the ingredients each time I made it. I’ve been pleased to have received great feedback from it each time I serve it to family and friends. My homemade bbq sauce is a Kansas City style sauce. It’s tomato based, sweet, and tangy… but not too tangy. It’s robust, thick and savory, and best of all… easy to make. 
Robust, Versatile Barbecue Sauce
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 2.5 cups 1x
Description
A Kansas City style, tomato based, sweet and tangy homemade bbq sauce. Robust, thick, and savory. Try it on meats, as a dipping sauce, or a pizza sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 large shallot (1/3 cup / 80 ml), minced
- 2 tbls (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 6oz (170 g) can tomato paste
- 2 cans water, from empty tomato paste
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) molasses
- 1 cup (240 ml) honey
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1 tbls (15 ml) fish sauce
- 1 tbls (15 ml) dijon mustard
- 2 tsp large granule salt
Instructions
- In a small heavy bottomed sauce pan, gently heat 2 tbls extra virgin olive oil. Add the shallots and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes or until the shallots start to turn translucent and just start to brown. Add the tomato paste and water; mix through. Allow to come to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the molasses, honey, vinegar, fish sauce, dijon mustard, and salt; mix through, bring to a boil the lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes more. – See more at: http://www.myhumblekitchen.com/2014/04/easy-homemade-bbq-sauce-real-food-way/#sthash.v3MuPGMj.dpuf
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 60
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Frequently Asked Questions
What style of barbecue sauce is this, and what makes it distinctive?
The article describes it as a Kansas City-style sauce: tomato-based, sweet, and tangy, built on a 6-oz can of tomato paste, 1/4 cup (60 ml) molasses, and 1 cup (240 ml) honey. It is notable for using 1 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tbsp Dijon mustard as umami and tang boosters rather than the Worcestershire sauce or yellow mustard typical of bottled versions.
Why does the recipe use a tomato paste can to measure the water?
The ingredient list calls for “2 cans water, from empty tomato paste” — a practical trick to rinse every last bit of paste from the can while measuring approximately 12 oz (360 ml) of water. It ensures no flavor is wasted.
Can this sauce be used for anything other than grilling meats?
Yes — the article lists pulled pork sandwiches in the slow cooker, BBQ pork ribs, beef short ribs, ham hock with baked beans, and BBQ chicken pizza as uses, noting the pizza application is the author’s favorite. The excerpt also highlights it as a pizza sauce.
