I also know the grill will be fired up both days this weekend. We love to grill here... okay, let me restate that: James loves to grill. I'm still scared of The Beast, remember? James can be found grilling on our back patio in windy November, puffs of smoke swirling around with the falling snow, so it's pretty safe to say that we're a hard-core grilling kind of family. If either one of us had our way, we would build one of those extravagant outdoor kitchens you see in magazines -- a built-in grill, a couple of burners for cooking other items, a large expanse of industrial countertop for prepping and serving. Ah, now that would be great (and incredibly expensive!).
This prime grilling weather will no doubt bring some barbecued goodness to our table this weekend. In fact, I think it would be darn near sacrilegious NOT to barbecue on such a fine summer weekend. So whether you're putting some chicken, pork chops or ribs on the grill, here's a great homemade BBQ sauce with a good balance of sweet and tangy (and just a hint of spice); it's sure to compliment your grilling creations.
(Thanks to my mother-in-law for this recipe.)
BBQ Sauce
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Cups ketchup (preferably no GMO's)
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, stirring frequently, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, mustard, paprika, ginger and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Bring to a light simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and continue to simmer until thickened, about 10-15 minutes.
*Cool to room temperature and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.