The Best Barbecue Sauce

I've never been a huge health nut, and luckily, have never had to care about my weight, but I still have concerns about eating right, simply for my own health and wellness.  When I shop for groceries, I like to look at the labels and make sure the products I'm buying do not have two things:  MSG or high fructose corn syrup.  Sounds simple enough...right?  

No!  Because high fructose corn syrup is in literally everything nowadays--salad dressing, juice, bread, cereal, and sauces, just to name a few.  So, whenever I can, I prefer to make these types of things from scratch.  Not only is it healthier, since I know exactly what I'm putting into it, but it tastes better and fresher too.  

This particular barbecue sauce recipe I found from Mel's Kitchen Cafe definitely lives up to its name. It is, by far, the best barbecue sauce I've ever had!  It's not terribly complicated to make, and the best part is, this sauce freezes very well.  You could double the recipe and freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container of Ziploc freezer bag for another use.  

The Best Barbecue Sauce

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Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Yield:  about 7 cups of sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups ketchup

2 cups tomato sauce

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 1/4 cups red wine vinegar

1/2 cup unsulphured molasses

2 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces

4 tsp hickory flavored liquid smoke

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp celery seed

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

Directions:

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, mix together all the wet ingredients and then add the seasonings.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The sauce will thicken as it simmers (and as it cools).  Ideally, plan ahead and allow the mixture to simmer for about an hour.  Use the sauce to brush onto meats the last 10 minutes of grilling, or use in any other recipe where barbecue sauce is used.

Once cooled, the sauce can be frozen or stored in the refrigerator for up to a month.  If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator and use as needed.