Nothing says summer like a barbecue, and you can’t have a barbecue without the right BBQ sauce. To help you celebrate the Fourth of July in style, I am sharing my personal recipe for Perfect Homemade BBQ Sauce that will rival the best you’ve ever had. Try it on beef, pork or chicken and you’ll have everyone asking for the recipe before you know it.
Perfect Homemade BBQ Sauce
Author: Michael Nolan
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, finely minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce or puree*
- 1 cup leftover coffee
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Sauté the onion in olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent and soft. If you notice the onions start to brown, reduce the heat. The goal here is to cook them thoroughly and keep them very soft.
- Add garlic and stir for 1 minute.
- Transfer onion and garlic to a saucepan, add remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer uncovered until reduced by half.
Notes
I prefer to make this sauce the day before so that it can cool completely. This also gives the flavors plenty of time to mesh and develop. It will store well in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, if it lasts that long.
