Today is the first official day of summer. Back in Texas, it has felt like summer since April. Here in Colorado (where I’m spending my summer), it actually is just starting to feel like summer. In the week that I’ve been here, most of it has been unusually cool. On our hike Sunday, it was 59 degrees. Today though, the sun is shining and it’s a nice 78 degrees. Perfect summer weather if you ask me. I don’t miss the 100+ degree weather of Texas.
To me, BBQ sauce just says summer. For you maybe it’s the feeling of sand between your toes or eating a popsicle on your back porch with the popsicle dripping on the ground due to the heat or maybe splashing in a pool. A warm plate of BBQ-ed meat (or veggies!) with the sun beating upon my back as I sip a glass of cool lemonade, that just says summer to me. Of course, not just any BBQ sauce will do.
Homemade barbecue sauce is 3,222 times better than store-bought.
I can’t explain why.
You’re just going to have to trust me.
Not So Basic Barbecue Sauce
Sweet and smoky, this sauce is perfect on ribs, pork, chicken, veggies, and just about anything you might put it on.
From the How to Grill cookbook by Steven Raichlen
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce ( I used this kind)
1 tablespoon of your favorite barbecue rub
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a nonreactive saucepan and bring slowly to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and gently simmer the sauce until dark, thick and richly flavored, 10-15 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a clean jar and store in the refrigerator. It will keep for several months.
- Mmm perfect summer barbecue sauce
Now I just need some lemonade and sun and my summer will be complete. I guess I should really put the sauce on something….besides a spoon 
While I highly recommend you make homemade barbecue sauce, if you can’t, here’s a little tip for ya when serving store bought barbecue sauce: either allow the sauce to sit out until it reaches room temperature or heat in the microwave for a few seconds. Cold barbecue sauce is not a good thing.
What says summer to you?
BBQ or Barbecue?
I bet this is so much better than any of that stuff you get in a bottle! I love this!
Yum!!! I’ve made bbq sauce before, and it is SOOO good!
and your BBQ sauce is NICE AND DARK!!! most just look like ketchup or a very light colored orange lol, but that molasses helps give it that beautiful dark deep color- YUM! <3
I ADORE BBQ sauce..yours looks great!!
I love that you made your own BBQ sauce -it looks great!
umm, heck to the YES, YUM!!! I’ve made my own BBQ sauce before and it was more amazing then any other sauce ever created, for real! Yours looks so great, I think the added liquid smoke would make it just over the top AMAZINGness!
Ohhhh YES! That sauce looks AMAZING!
I agree- nothing says summer like BBQs and cookouts. Or what about the sun and the beach…or fresh berries?! I love everything summer XD
And as you can see, I say BBQ
Fresh berries definitely say summer to me, espicially when they have them at the farmer’s market.
I’ve always wanted to try my hand at my own barbecue sauce. I think it would be really fun to customize it. I’d also like to have a cookout and brag about it!
It’s always fun to customize things. I think sometime I might use this recipe as a basis, but adapt the flavors a bit just for something different.
Cookouts are the best
Summer is all about fresh fruit+BBQ! This sauce sounds soo much better and more natural than the bottled stuff
How fun is this recipe? I’ve never made bbq sauce before but I love the idea. Tomatoes, corn, melon and anything grilled screams summer to me