Beth's Secret Recipe BBQ Sauce

Truth be told, this has been a work in progress.  It's not a recipe, per se.  It is based very loosely on a recipe I found a long time ago that I didn't like, so I've been fixing it and experimenting with it.  You are welcome to do the same, depending on your taste.  But I will guide you through it.  It's pretty easy.

Ingredients:

Olive oil, as needed

1/4 cup minced onion (red, yellow, white ... whatever you have; shallots work, too)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar (or more, to taste)

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (or more, to taste)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons soy sauce

(This is where it gets tricky ....)

1 teaspoon or more Chipotle chili powder (depending on how spicy you like it)

-or- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or to taste)

-or- 1 teaspoon regular chili powder (or to taste)

Tabasco, to taste

Salt & pepper, to taste

Wine:  Red, white, whatever

NOTE:  Chipotle powder will be smoky/hot and may require a little extra sugar to calm it down.  Start with a little and you can add as you see fit; if it is too spicy, add more sugar, a little at a time, until it is compatible with your taste buds.  If you want less spice but a nice little hint of smoke, go with the smoked paprika (that's not spicy at all, so you can be a little heavier-handed with it).  If you don't have that, regular chili powder is good too.  Experiment with it!  Again, if it's too spicy, add more brown sugar.  If it is not spicy enough, add more Tabasco or a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper.  

A glass or 2 of wine (I always cook with wine, but it doesn't always end up in the food.  In this case, it's for drinking!)

In a small saucepan, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan over medium-ish heat.  Sweat the onions and garlic (meaning to cook without browning, with a smidge of salt), stirring quite often.  When they are translucent, add the rest of the ingredients, along with whatever spice you choose to use.  Hit it with a splash or two of Tabasco.  

Let it simmer on low for about 15 minutes.  Taste it.  Add salt & pepper to taste.  Too spicy still?  Add more sugar.  Add a little extra Worcestershire sauce.  Add more spices, or mix them up.  It all depends on your palate.  

Most importantly, drink your wine.  ;-)

This yields about a pint of BBQ sauce.  It will hold in the fridge for a couple of weeks or you can freeze it.

ALSO NOTE:  If you are dipping your brush or BBQ mop in the sauce then onto raw meat, then back into the sauce, you will need to bring the sauce back up to a boil for a full minute to kill bacteria (stir it so it doesn't scorch!).  Before storing leftovers, do not skip this step!  If you have leftovers and do not intend on using the sauce within about a week, it freezes well for about 6 months.