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Texas Barbecue Sauce

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on November 7, 2011

Time

40 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 (Makes about 2 cups)

Texas Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ small onion, chopped fine2 garlic cloves, minced1 ½ teaspoons chili powder 1 ½ teaspoons pepper ½ teaspoon dry mustard 2 cups tomato juice 6 tablespoons white vinegar 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons molasses

Before You Begin

This peppery, tangy barbecue sauce works well with beef, chicken, and pork. In Texas, barbecue sauce is usually served on the side.

Instructions

  1. COOK AROMATICS Melt butter over medium heat in saucepan. Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, pepper, and mustard and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  2. SIMMER SAUCE Stir in tomato juice, vinegar, Worcestershire, sugar, and molasses and simmer until sauce is reduced to 2 cups, about 20 minutes. Season with salt. Serve at room temperature. (Sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for 1 week.)
Texas Barbecue Sauce

Texas Barbecue Sauce

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

40 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 (Makes about 2 cups)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ small onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
½ teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups tomato juice
6 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ small onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
½ teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups tomato juice
6 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ small onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
½ teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups tomato juice
6 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses

Why This Recipe Works

For our version of Texas Barbecue Sauce, we combined the usual sauce ingredients—vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, etc.—with dry mustard, pepper, and chili powder for spiciness. Savory Worcestershire sauce added depth, while tomato juice (in place of ketchup) provided tangy flavor and helped thin the sauce out.

Before You Begin

This peppery, tangy barbecue sauce works well with beef, chicken, and pork. In Texas, barbecue sauce is usually served on the side.

Instructions

  1. COOK AROMATICS Melt butter over medium heat in saucepan. Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, pepper, and mustard and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  2. SIMMER SAUCE Stir in tomato juice, vinegar, Worcestershire, sugar, and molasses and simmer until sauce is reduced to 2 cups, about 20 minutes. Season with salt. Serve at room temperature. (Sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for 1 week.)

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