If you’ve never tried a Homemade BBQ sauce, man oh man, you are missin’ out!
Homemade BBQ sauce is not only easy, it’s also incredibly delicious & tangy, just like homemade BBQ sauce should be:) If you’re trying to transition from processed & packaged foods, to real food, then take my advice and start with this amazing sauce.
Store bought BBQ sauces usually have this line up crammed inside the bottle:
TOMATO PASTE (WATER, SUGAR, AND/OR CORN SWEETENER), WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE, VINEGAR, LEMON JUICE, SOYBEAN OIL, SPICES, SALT, NATURAL MESQUITE SMOKE FLAVOR, SODIUM BENZOATE AS A PRESERVATIVE.
What, you ask, is so bad about the above ingredients?
Well, my first thought is GMO soybean oil and GMO corn sweetener. GMO is an acronym for Genetically Modified Organism, and soybeans & corn are on the list of GMO foods. GMOs are frankenfood(meaning they were created in a lab) and cause a host of issues within the body, with the most devastating being leaky gut syndrome, which screws up your entire digestive tract, and eventually encourages the development of food allergies, autoimmune disorders, fertility issues, neurological problems, and more. Rats that are fed GMOs cannot reproduce by the 3rd generation. Isn’t that crazy? And scary for our future? So, yeah. It’s a good idea to avoid GMOs as much as possible.
Also, sodium benzoate is a known hyperactivity trigger. I guess if you want your kids bouncing off the walls till 11pm at night, go for it, but we like to avoid stuff that does that to our kids;)
Does this mean I freak out and NEVER eat BBQ sauce that I haven’t made myself?
No. I eat out and will occasionally eat things that probably contain GMOs. But I try my best to keep it to a minimum. We can’t be 100% perfect, and I don’t believe we have to be, but we can do the best we can and not stress about the rest. At least that’s what I try to do, and it’s been working pretty well for us. We eat primarily real food and avoid packaged and processed foods and haven’t had one illness in our family in over 2 years! That’s right. No colds, no flus, no asthma attacks, no fevers, no 24 hour throw up sessions, nothing. Hallelujah!
Now, let’s get to the recipe! It’s printable and ever’ thing!
Ingredients
- 2 TBS. lard, tallow, or coconut oil
- 1/4 c. water
- 6 oz. tomato paste
- 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
- 2 TBS. molasses
- 1/2 c. maple syrup or honey
- 1 1/2 TBS. onion powder
- 1/2 TBS. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. natural liquid smoke
- 2 TBS. pureed raw liver optional
Instructions
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Mix all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
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While stirring, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool.
Recipe Notes
Store in the fridge for up to 3 months (only 1 month if you added liver), or freezer for up to 6 months.
Yields 1 pint (2 cups) of sauce.
Thanks for the recipe. I was very interested to find that you successfully incorporate liver into your BBQ sauce! I can’t wait to try it on my next batch.
A tip for those who want to use natural smoke…. Here is a brand that is nothing but hickory smoke Lazy Kettle All natural liquid smoke. Amazon carries it.
I added some fermented pickle juice and more water. It was amazing. Thank you.
I was searching for a real-food bbq recipe and just found your site–now I’ve read at least 10 posts! I had read Weston Price several years ago, and I did make modest changes, but was pretty overwhelmed. Now, I follow 100 Days of Real Food because it’s readable and fun, but am so thrilled to discover your site about soaking grains, etc. Thank you!!! Can’t wait to learn more!
Do you think I could can this sauce?? I think it would make a lovely addition in a gift basket. Thanks!
I’m not sure if you could can it with the liver in it, but definitely without you could!
I’m the founder/moderator for Punk Domestics (www.punkdomestics.com), a community site for those of use obsessed with, er, interested in DIY food. It’s sort of like Tastespotting, but specific to the niche. I’d love for you to submit this to the site. Good stuff!
Smoked paprika gives bbq sauce a subtle smokey flavor
The liquid smoke you linked lists its ingredients as “Water, Natural Pecan Smoke Flavor, Vinegar, Molasses and Caramel Color”
We avoid Caramel color – why not smoke pecans on the grill then boil them down and strain? Would that work? Or just skip it?
Yeah, you could totally skip it:)
Where can we get tomato paste not in a can? Thank You
OMG this is the best. Never again will I buy BBQ sauce again. Thank you.
Schweet!
**beef**
Thank you SO much for this! My husband & I love bbq and I ‘m starting the switch. Now we can have real bbq sauce on our grass fed bee! 🙂