The recipe for authentic American barbecue sauce

The Origins of Barbecue Sauce

• Barbecue sauce is a sweet, smoky brown sauce that originated in the American South. According to the Tennessee State Museum, the recipe was brought back in the late 17th century by a Dominican missionary, Father Jean-Baptiste Labat, during a voyage to the Caribbean. The recipe itself is believed to have been brought from Africa by enslaved people.
• The sauce became popular across the United States as a meat accompaniment. You’ll find it readily available in American restaurants for coating ribs, chicken wings, and chicken nuggets.
• Quick tip: on restaurant menus, you’ll usually see “BBQ sauce” rather than “Barbecue sauce”.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 3 tablespoons ketchup.
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar.
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar.
• 1 tablespoon water.
• 1 teaspoon mustard.
• 1 teaspoon honey.
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.
• ¼ teaspoon paprika. I recommend using smoked paprika powder.
• A good pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder.
• A few grinds of black pepper.
• A dash of hot sauce, such as Tabasco or hot chili, to taste.

Recipe Steps

• 1/ Pour ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, water, and Worcestershire sauce into your food processor.
• 2/ Blend until you have a smooth sauce.
• 3/ Season the sauce with mustard, honey, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, Tabasco, and other spices. Taste as you go to reach your desired flavor.
• 4/ Once the sauce is ready, refrigerate it.

Next, try the chicken wings recipe and chicken nuggets recipe!