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The thick, glossy, sweet-tangy sauce that put Kansas City on the barbecue map. One batch transforms ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and anything else you dare to brush it on.
Kansas City didn't invent barbecue, but it perfected the sauce. While the Carolinas argued about vinegar versus mustard and Texas insisted meat needed nothing but smoke, Kansas City went all in on a tomato-based sauce so thick it clings like paint, so sweet it caramelizes into lacquered glory, so balanced it works on absolutely everything.
This sauce traces its lineage to Henry Perry, an African American pitmaster who started smoking meats in a Kansas City alley in 1908. His disciples spread the gospel, and by mid-century the city had more barbecue joints per capita than anywhere in America. The common thread was always the sauce: tomato-forward, molasses-sweet, with just enough vinegar to cut the richness and enough spice to keep things interesting.
You'll have this made in thirty-five minutes. It keeps for weeks in the refrigerator, months in the freezer. One batch sees you through summer. I keep a jar in my refrigerator the way some people keep ketchup, because it transforms a Tuesday pork chop into something worth sitting down for.
Quantity
2 cups
Quantity
1/2 cup
Quantity
1/3 cup
Quantity
1/4 cup
packed
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1 tablespoon
Quantity
2 teaspoons
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
hickory preferred
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon, plus more to taste
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| ketchup | 2 cups |
| unsulfured molasses | 1/2 cup |
| apple cider vinegar | 1/3 cup |
| dark brown sugarpacked | 1/4 cup |
| Worcestershire sauce | 2 tablespoons |
| yellow mustard | 1 tablespoon |
| smoked paprika | 2 teaspoons |
| garlic powder | 1 teaspoon |
| onion powder | 1 teaspoon |
| black pepperfreshly ground | 1/2 teaspoon |
| cayenne pepper | 1/4 teaspoon |
| liquid smokehickory preferred | 1/2 teaspoon |
| kosher salt | 1/2 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
Measure all ingredients into a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Use a whisk to blend everything thoroughly, breaking up any brown sugar clumps. The mixture will appear thin and somewhat orange at this stage. That changes.
Set the pan over medium heat and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Watch for the first lazy bubbles breaking the surface. You want a simmer, not a boil. Aggressive heat creates a darker, slightly bitter sauce.
Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for twenty to twenty-five minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking. The sauce will darken to a deep mahogany, thicken noticeably, and reduce by about a quarter. When a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that fills slowly, you're there.
Remove from heat and let cool for five minutes before tasting. The flavors need a moment to settle. Adjust salt first, then consider the balance. Want more tang? Add a splash more vinegar. More heat? Another pinch of cayenne. This is your sauce now.
Let the sauce cool to room temperature before transferring to clean glass jars. The residual heat will dissipate properly in a wide pan rather than steaming in a sealed container. Once cool, seal tightly and refrigerate. The sauce improves after a day as the flavors marry.
1 serving (about 30g)
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