DIY BBQ

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an it be true? Is Barbecue Season really here, at long last?  Oh joy! 

I love the idea of outdoor grilling and I have very fond memories of cookouts past!  One Memorial Day, we got together with some friends to have a small cookout when we discovered no one had gotten the barbecue sauce. 

Why we went into sheer panic, I do not remember.  Maybe this was before Meijer or something because we were cold trippin'! 

Chef David's Barbecue Sauce
1/4 cup   olive oil
1   med bell pepper, rough chopped
1   med red onion, rough chopped
1   med yellow onion, rough chopped
6 cloves  garlic, minced
1 tsp   seasoned salt
1 cup   all natural ketchup
1 cup   all natural barbecue sauce (thick)
3 cups   water
1/4 cup  organic brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup  all natural maple syrup
1 tbsp   fresh squeezed lemon juice

Well, my husband, in the spirit of a true super hero, held up his hand and declared, “Have no fear, I’ll take care of it!”

To our surprise-and horror-I might add, he started pulling all kinds of abstract condiments and random ingredients from the fridge and pantry to create a sauce for us. 

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We squawked and hissed about how we didn’t want it and questioned how in the world Log Cabin syrup and ketchup could ever be considered barbecue sauce?! 

I’d watched him doctor on pre-made sauces before so I was familiar with his “mad scientist in the kitchen” routine to an extent, but nothing could have prepared me for what we were about to experience that day!

Completely and entirely from scratch he created the most incredible barbecue sauce I had ever or will ever again have in my natural existence. 

It was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy, smoky and savory and it made our barbecue utterly irresistible! We almost just drank it down straight!

1) Place oil in heated skillet.  Saute peppers and onion till softened (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and stir for about 1 minute.  Add seasoned salt and stir. 
2) Add barbecue sauce, ketchup and water. Stir to mix well.
3) Add brown sugar and lemon juice.  Simmer for about 15 minutes over low heat. Allow to sit covered for approximately before serving so the flavors can blend.
4) For a chunkier sauce, serve as is. For a smoother sauce, pour mixture through a strainer, reserving the veggies for another use. Try tossing them into a stir-fry with fresh broccoli and brown rice. If sauce is thicker than preferred, loosen with water 1/4 cup at a time to desired consistency.

To this day, we still talk about the miracle sauce he created that faithful summer and refuse to use anything less than something as close to THAT as he can possibly make. 

Though he has made countless versions of the sauce since then, he has definitely perfected the pre-made base sauce technique and receives rave reviews each and every time.

This sauce is perfect for grilling, basting, dipping, dunking and pouring!  We even go as far as to use it as a dressing on a salad of romaine, green onion, strawberries and chicken.  

Be sure to start with an all-natural barbecue sauce for your base (read those labels, people!) and go for organic or kosher meat whenever possible. It also makes a great substitution for ketchup on your veggie burgers! 

Just wait till they’re heated through before adding any sauce.  Basting during cooking can make some brands soggy; ask me how I know! 

Give this recipe a try at your next cookout. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is indeed, quite some barbecue sauce!

Bon Appetit!

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