Mom's BBQ Sauce

Mom's BBQ Sauce

This is my mom's BBQ sauce. You want to make this, seriously. Most people like to go out to eat for their birthday. All I want is barbecue ribs with this sauce. That's it. Corn on the cob and potato salad and watermelon are nice sides (I have a summer birthday), but as long as there are barbecue ribs with Mom's BBQ sauce, I will have a happy birthday. Brother face came home the other night and when I told him I was making barbecue sauce he perked up and said with a little twinkle in his eye, "the kind Mom makes?"

Alright, fine. She found the recipe in an old edition of The Joy of Cooking. It was the first edition she ever bought. It was spiral bound and fast-forward 20-some years and it's falling apart. She bought a new one, but it didn't have the same recipe! Tragic, I know. But we've kept our fists clenched around this recipe. Even though it's so good it should be kept Top Secret, I'm a firm believer that good things should be shared, so I'll let you guys in on the secret...

(Note: Chili sauce usually comes in 12 oz. containers, so it's easier to make 1.5x the recipe and have some leftover- it freezes well)

Mom's BBQ Sauce

Recipe...

Makes about 2 cups

1) Sauté until brown 1/4 c. chopped onion in 1 Tbsp. drippings (i.e., rendered bacon fat) or butter.

2) Add and simmer for 20 minutes:

• 1/2 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar (cider vinegar is good)
• 1 Tbsp. woresterchire sauce
• 1/4c. fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 c. chili sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. yellow mustard

Simple, right?