Homemade Barbecue Sauce & Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

What better way to celebrate a 3 day and Holiday weekend then with a barbeque. Although we’re missing my favorite part–the grill–I am able to make a killer substitute using our crockpot and making homemade barbecue sauce. I can’t even imagine how good this recipe would taste if we actually had a grill to cook it on. What can you do though–when life gives you lemons. This was the first time I have ever made homemade barbecue sauce. Not only is it super simple, it is super delicious…and the best part? It only takes 5 minutes of cooking time to bring the barbecue sauce together! I won’t ever go back to the bottled kind. Who knew it was so simple? This recipe also makes about 4 cups of sauce that can last in the refrigerator for up to a month if stored in an airtight container. Next summer I plan stock up on the homemade sauce to enjoy for weeks on end.

This barbecue sauce tastes like the sauces that are provided at authentic barbecue places. It’s not nearly as thick as the sugary commercial version, so if that’s what you are looking for, this sauce is unfortunately not it. I will say though, that this barbecue sauce has much more depth than the commercial kind. It’s sweet and tart at the same time (from the brown sugar and vinegar) with a little heat thrown in (from the dry mustard, ginger, and chili pepper). We were pleasantly surprised with how delicious the sauce came out and Matt is already asking for me to make ribs to try it on next.

I was inspired to make my own barbecue sauce because the more I learn about the production of food in our country, the more conscious I am about what we are putting into our bodies. I am really trying my best to become an informed cook to protect the things my husband and I are consuming. So many products have ingredients that you–1. don’t know you’re eating or 2. loads of artificial preservatives and additives. It gives me piece of mind to know exactly what kind of products we are consuming on a daily basis. It is also a bonus because it is good for our bodies too. I would say the only packaged food we eat on a regular basis is 90 second rice and that’s the way I intend to keep it for the rest of our lives. I splurge on a bag of chips probably every three months (but even those are typically organic) and in moderation. I really believe that your body does reflect the fuel that you put in it and you can’t expect to feel well if you aren’t doing your part to treat your body well. That is why I enjoy creating recipes like my crockpot chicken because it allows us to always have a healthy protein on hand and sets us up to make delicious meals with very low effort.

The Ingredients:

Makes about 4 cups of sauce

• 1 1/2 cups of ketchup
• 1 cup red wine vinegar (cider vinegar can be substituted if necessary)
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup Reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tbs. dry mustard
• 3 tbs. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 tbs. honey
• Pinch of cayenne pepper and/or red pepper flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbs. canola oil
• Juice from half a lemon

Best Ribs Ever & A Spicy Dry Rub Recipe

My husband, Matt, died and went to heaven when I made him these ribs for dinner. All he kept saying while he was eating them was that “nothing should taste this good. It’s ridiculous.” I was only able to take two pictures because he kept sticking a fork in the pan and stealing meat. He said that he could eat these every day for dinner because they were so delicious. I would call this recipe a definite success and the bonus is that they are so easy to make too! The secret is cooking them all day in the oven at a very low temperature. They were literally fall off the bone ribs, so much in fact that I had to use a spatula to get them from the pan to our dinner plates. The preparation is a snap: preheat the oven to 225 degrees, cut up a large onion to line the bottom of your pan throw a few whole garlic cloves and bay leaves into the mix, and sprinkle them with the homemade dry rub recipe to follow. Cover them in foil for about 8 hours and the results will be flawless every time.

Dry rub

The Ingredients: 

Enough seasoning for 2lbs of ribs; stores great if you want to make a larger batch

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4-1/2 cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 tsp dried mustard