Frugal Farmgirl: Make Your Own BBQ!

I don't care how you think it should be spelled. Every one who does it right spells it BBQ. That, my friends, is how you know where to find the good stuff.

Now, I'm not saying this is the best BBQ sauce EVAR, because that depends a little on your personal taste, and depends a lot on where you were raised (East River farm girl, represent!) However, if you consider the cost vs taste, it is pretty darn amazing. I rarely buy anything else.

Take note: this sauce has a definite zing to it. For a milder sauce with a small kick, reduce the crushed red pepper by half. For no-kick sweet sauce, omit the crushed red pepper and add an additional tablespoon of brown sugar.

What I did: Throw all the ingredients in a small saucepan and mix well. Heat to boiling, then reduce to simmer for 10-30 minutes.

The longer you simmer, the thicker the sauce. (Careful not to leave it on high too long, or else you get ring around the pan, like mine on the left there.) 30 minutes and it will stick to your grillins like a paste. Cool and it's ready to use! It can store in the refrigerator for a little over a month. This batch fits in a standard mason jar, though I'm waiting for an empty ketchup bottle so I can re-purpose it for BBQ sauce!

Here's my full batch. I'm getting ready to slather some on my favorite baked chicken. Yessir!

Alright, I'm ready for grilling! Who's bringing the ribs?