American barbecue · Sauce / condiment

KC Classic Barbecue Sauce

Name: KC Classic Barbecue Sauce
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: American barbecue
Ingredients: 2 tsp chili powder; ½ tsp kosher salt; 0.38 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 160 ml ketchup, 5/8 cup; 65 g dark brown sugar, packed (3/8 cup); 40 ml yellow ballpark-style mustard, 2 tbsp; 40 ml apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp; 25 ml Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp; 20 ml lemon juice, 2 tbsp; 20 ml steak sauce, any brand; you want its meaty savory depth; 20 ml dark molasses, 2 tbsp; 20 ml honey, 2 tbsp; 0.38 tsp hot sauce; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; ½ medium onion, finely chopped; 1½ cloves garlic, minced or pressed; 2 tsp tamarind paste, adds a bright, fruity-sour note; 0.13 tsp liquid smoke, only if you are not cooking outdoors

A thick, sweet-and-tangy Kansas City sauce built on ketchup, brown sugar, molasses and mustard, deepened with a sauteed onion-garlic base and chili powder. It clings to the meat rather than sinking in, and it improves after a night in the fridge.

YieldServes 8
Hands-on30 min
Total45 min
Difficulty

Ingredients

Spice mix

2 tspchili powder
½ tspkosher salt
0.38 tspblack pepper, freshly ground

Sauce base

160 mlketchup, 5/8 cup
65 gdark brown sugar, packed (3/8 cup)
40 mlyellow ballpark-style mustard, 2 tbsp
40 mlapple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp
25 mlWorcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp
20 mllemon juice, 2 tbsp
20 mlsteak sauce, any brand; you want its meaty savory depth
20 mldark molasses, 2 tbsp
20 mlhoney, 2 tbsp
0.38 tsphot sauce

Aromatics

1 tbspvegetable oil
½medium onion, finely chopped
1½ clovesgarlic, minced or pressed

Optional

2 tsptamarind paste, adds a bright, fruity-sour noteoptional
0.13 tspliquid smoke, only if you are not cooking outdoorsoptional

Contains

Gluten
Soy
Fish
Mustard
Celery
Sulfites
Anchovy
Legumes (any)
Tamarind
Barley
Pome fruits (any)
Apple
Grapes
Citrus fruits (any)
Orange
Lemon
Nightshades (any)
Tomato
Bell (sweet) pepper
Chili peppers
Onion family (any)
Onion
Garlic
Cabbage family (any)
Turmeric
Oregano
Black and white pepper
Allspice
Cinnamon
Clove
Cumin
Paprika
Honey
Histamine (aged and fermented foods)
Chili heat (capsaicin)
Fructose
FODMAPs (any)

Taste

Heat
Sweet
Sour / bright
Salty
Umami / savory
Richness / fat
Aromatic spice

Equipment

Stovetop

Season

Summer

Occasion

Entertaining
Meal prep

Effort

20–45 min active
30–60 min total
Difficulty 1
Make-ahead friendly
Leftovers-friendly

Nutrition

Calories: low
Protein: low
Carbs: moderate
Fat: low
Fiber: low
Sodium: moderate

Budget

Budget: low

What it costs to shop for

Members can download a cost breakdown for any recipe in Excel: what to buy after trimming, how many packages, and the cost per serving, scaled to however many you’re cooking for.

Method

The method is for members

The timed method (mise en place, a cook timeline with minutes per step, and cook mode with timers) is delivered to members in their packages, adapted to how they cook.

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