I know I’ve shared a BBQ sauce recipe with you before (which is amazing), but it does require that you chop onion and add molasses (which not everyone has in their pantry). If you’re looking for a bbq sauce recipe that is quick, easy, and uses ingredients you already have in your kitchen, then this is the recipe for you!
When I made my Perfect Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker over the weekend, I whipped up this recipe in a hurry. My trusty Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (The Big Red Cookbook from Betty Crocker) had the recipe, but I substituted dried chopped onion (which I recommend always having in your spice cabinet for when you feel lazy) for fresh onion. Voila! No chopping required!
Here’s how I made the BBQ sauce:
Super Quick BBQ Sauce (makes about 1 cup)
- 1 cup of ketchup (I use ketchup without high fructose corn syrup)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
- 1/4 cup of dried chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce (Annie’s makes a good organic one)
- 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of mustard (I used yellow, but spicy brown or Dijon are great too)
- 2 teaspoons of refrigerated minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder or 2 cloves of fresh garlic, pressed through a garlic press (or minced, but then you would have to chop!)
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring all ingredients to boiling while constantly stirring. Once the sauce is boiling, reduce to a simmer and allow the sauce to simmer until slightly thickened.
I let my sauce simmer about 10 minutes on the stove, but if you are in a hurry you can go ahead and use the sauce after it boils (it will just be a thinner sauce). You can even pour it over your prepared meat (like pulled pork) in the slow cooker and allow it to cook on low in the slow cooker for about 15 minutes if you don’t want to leave it on the stove.
When I make homemade sauces and dressings, I like to use them up in a week or less (just to be safe). This should probably last 1-2 weeks in your fridge safely. If you know you won’t use it within 1 week of making it, I recommend freezing it in an airtight container like a freezer bag (making sure to leave 1/2″ of space so it has room to expand as it freezes). Defrost the sauce overnight in the fridge, and it’ll be ready to use whenever you want it!
