DIY Texan BBQ Sauce

Feel good about the all-natural ingredients in this homemade BBQ sauce.  It’s well worth the added effort!  Use on chicken, fish, ribs or grilled veggies at your next BBQ.  Makes 4 cups

1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons liquid aminos
2-3 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3-4 dried chipotle peppers
1 cup filtered water
¼ teaspoon all natural liquid smoke

1.    Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor.  Blend until you have a fine puree.

2.    Transfer to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered for 45-60 minutes.

3.    Let the sauce come to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze.  Sauce is good for 2-3 weeks in fridge, a year in the freezer.

Time-Saver Tool Tips
-A high-powered blender makes this recipe much easier
-Freeze extra sauce in 8 oz glass jars

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Ingredient Insight
-Using fire-roasted tomatoes gives a deeper flavor but if you don't have any around, just use plain crushed tomatoes and a little more liquid smoke.
-If you don't have liquid aminos, you can use low-sodium soy sauce instead.  But buyer beware, if you are avoiding gluten, this is a sneaky source of wheat!
-I highly recommended using blackstrap molasses as the sweetener.  It gives this recipe the rich flavor, color and nutrition that it deserves.

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