Hot Barbecue Sauce

This barbecue sauce takes a different approach than most. Instead of cooking aromatics down into the sauce, whole pieces of onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic steep gently in a tomato juice base, then get pulled out before serving. What’s left is a clean, smooth sauce infused with all that flavor but none of the texture.

Brown sugar and cider vinegar handle the sweet-tart balance, mustard adds sharpness, and chili powder brings the heat. Keep the sauce just warm while it steeps. You’re not trying to reduce it or boil it down.

Brush it on meat or chicken during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Any earlier and the sugar burns.

Kitchen Tips

• Keep the sauce at a gentle steam, not a simmer. High heat concentrates the tomato juice too much and the sauce gets thick and pasty.
• Leave the aromatics in large pieces so they’re easy to fish out. Diced onion disappears into the sauce.
• Add more chili powder in ½ teaspoon increments if you want serious heat. Start mild and build up.
• Make this a day ahead. The flavors meld overnight in the fridge and taste better the next day.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce for a deeper, more savory base.
• Stir in a teaspoon of smoked paprika for a backyard smoker flavor without the smoker.
• Use hot sauce or cayenne instead of chili powder for a sharper, more immediate heat.