The sauce that stays on the table.

Name: Smoky Tomato BBQ Sauce
Yield: About 350 ml
Ingredients: 250 g tomato passata; 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp smoked paprika; ½ tsp garlic powder; A pinch of cayenne, optional; 2 tbsp water, plus more as needed

Tangy, gently sweet and easy to adjust. Make a small batch, then use it as a finishing glaze or put it on the table for everyone to help themselves.

BBQ Stories Editorial · Original recipe

TIME25 minSERVESAbout 350 mlFIRESaucepan

Barbecue sauce poured over ribs — Illustrative photograph · Kuiyibo Campos ↗

LET'S COOK

At the fire.

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan and stir together.
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat. Cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring often.
Add a splash of water if it thickens too quickly. Taste and balance with a little more vinegar or sugar.
Serve warm, or cool promptly and refrigerate in a clean covered container for up to 4 days. Keep a separate portion for brushing raw meat and discard that portion after use.

A note from the fire

Sugary sauces burn over fierce heat. Brush them on toward the end of a cook.

Use temperature and tenderness to judge your cook; times are estimates. USDA temperature guide ↗

Keep the fire going.

All recipes ↗

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The sauce that stays on the table.

At the fire.

A related technique to watch.

Homemade barbecue sauce

Keep the fire going.

Lemon, oregano & a little char.

Good things take smoke.

Let the vegetables steal the show.