I do like making my own barbecue sauces. The bottled ones are a) expensive and b) expensive. My prejudice is showing I suppose. I do buy the bottled ones now and then when they’re on sale at rock-bottom prices. I then keep them in the pantry “for emergencies” but I rarely have an emergency that doesn’t allow for 2o minutes of mixing up some homemade sauce. I’ve learned I like ones that start with ketchup, vinegar, and brown sugar. I don’t like liquid smoke seasoning. Perhaps if I wasn’t actually barbecuing the liquid smoke would be okay but it tastes and smells false to me.

1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar (firmly packed of course!)
2 Tbs butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp steak sauce (like A1)
2 tsp honey
1 tsp mustard (the liquid yellow kind, not the dry)
1/4 tsp or more cayenne

Mix everything together in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered to avoid horrid splatters on your stove, about half an hour, stirring frequently.

I cooked ribs to go with this, it being Memorial Day weekend and all.

I went looking for my rib recipe to link to and realized I’d never posted it. I like to do a dry rub of some kind on baby back ribs and then grill over very low indirect heat (less than 300 degrees F) for a few hours. I serve the sauce on the side, rather than risking burning the ribs.