Photo: Pexels
Fire cider used: Heat & Honey | Honey used: Heart of Piedmont Honey
Most barbecue sauces start with vinegar, so fire cider fits right in. Heat & Honey brings garlic, onion and cayenne, and our Heart of Piedmont Honey, with its butter caramel and fig notes, rounds out the tomato. A last splash of fire cider off the heat keeps the sauce bright.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup Fire Cider: Heat & Honey, shaken well, divided
- 1/4 cup Heart of Piedmont Honey
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Steps
- Warm the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion 4 to 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the ketchup, all but 1 tablespoon of the fire cider, the honey, water, brown sugar, Worcestershire, mustard, paprika, pepper and salt. Stir well.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat to low. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often so the sugars don't scorch on the bottom, until thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the last tablespoon of fire cider. Taste and add salt if needed.
- For a smooth sauce, blend it. Cool before storing.
Tips and storage
- Brush it on ribs, chicken or pork chops only in the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking, because the honey and sugar burn quickly. Cook chicken to 165°F and pork chops to 145°F with a 3-minute rest.
- Pour what you need into a separate bowl for basting. Never dip a brush that touched raw meat back into the jar.
- Refrigerate in a clean, closed jar up to 2 weeks.
- Refrigerate fire cider after opening.