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Suzy Q BBQ Sauce (named after my wife 'cause she's sweet and tasty!)
- 1 (32 ounce) bottle ketchup
- 1 cup dark molasses
- 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce (for more heat see below - don't just add more Tabasco!)
- 1 medium onion chopped small
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped small
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon chopped garlic (or a full teaspoon of garlic powder if you prefer)
- 2-1/2 tablespoons dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1-1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup liquid smoke
- 3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
The lazy guy throws it all in a pot, brings it to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then turns down the heat and simmers until the onions and peppers are tender. The longer you simmer the thicker the end result. Depending upon how thick you like it, this recipe should make about 6 cups of sauce.
If you want your sauce to stand out you'll do a little more work. First, you won't want those little pieces of onions and pepper in your sauce. There are two ways to get rid of them - first, seal anything that won't completely dissolve in cheese-cloth before dumping it in the pot - that way you remove the cheese-cloth at the end and there will be no bit's and pieces floating in your sauce. The other way - and my preferred method (even though it takes longer,) is to cook as directed above. When it's done, run the sauce through a strainer - catching and removing the onions and peppers in that manner. I like this way because it gets those flavors out there mixing with the sauce as it cooks.
There are lots of ways to modify this base recipe to fit your tastes.
If you like a sweeter BBQ sauce (for a pork dish, for instance,) just add more brown sugar and/or molasses (personally I add more brown sugar - but then my wife is always saying I like to sling BS ...)
If you want more heat - don't just add more Tabasco like every other bozo out there. Add one or two chopped Jalapeno peppers to the mix. If you've got an adventurous spirit and live in the Seattle area, buy a small bottle of "The Man Sauce" at Dixie's BBQ in Bellevue. I wouldn't recommend that you put it directly on *any* dish (it's as hot as they come - so hot it ruins the flavor if applied at the table,) but a 1/4 teaspoon added to a simmering pot will bring the heat up nicely.
Want something a little different - try one of these additions to the base recipe:
- 1/4 cup orange juice for an interesting twist - it's great for any pork dish that includes pineapple!
- 6-10 tablespoons A-1 steak sauce - adds a bit of tang to the flavor
- Replace the Worcestershire with Soy Sauce and add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger for a more oriental flavor - this one's good for thin strips of cheap grill steak. Serve it like you would terriyaki beef.