That Great Taste of Barbeque Sauce

The basic ingredients you will need for this recipe are: a quarter of a cup of white wine vinegar or cider, a third of a cup of molasses, one cup of tomato ketchup, a tablespoon of mustard, and one teaspoon each of onion powder, chilli powder, garlic powder and black pepper.

This sauce works great on both gas grills and the more old style built in BBQs. Start by heating the molasses and vinegar or cider together in a small saucepan. Once the molasses are dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remainder of the ingredients. Voila! Literally, that is all there is to it.

Now, this is where we get creative! There are probably as many variations of barbecue sauce as there are barbecue chefs, and you can intrigue your guests by adding different ingredients to tickle their taste buds.

For a sauce recipe with more 'zing', try adding fried onions and garlic cloves at the beginning. Sauté until soft, then add the basic sauce ingredients above. Lots of people enjoy the addition of herbs in recipes, so experiment with different fresh or dried herbs by adding them at the beginning of the cooking process. Ones we have tried with great success include fresh rosemary, which accompanies most meat beautifully, and also dried or fresh sage - particularly for pork.

For the most wonderfully glazed barbecued meat, consider making a sweeter sauce including brown sugar or honey. This recipe turns a wonderful caramel color when it is cooked on the food. Or for adult tastes, make our whiskey sauce. Use bourbon if possible, as it has the highest sugar content. Just substitute half the vinegar or cider for that of whisky, and simmer it for a couple of minutes longer before adding the other ingredients.

If you are after the ultimate smoky flavor, the trick is to add liquid smoke to the ingredients. This product is created by condensing the smoke from burned hickory chips, and is often used in commercially produced foods to get that perfect barbecue flavor.

To get the best results, whatever recipe you try, remember to brush your meat with it only once the grilling is nearly complete. Too many novice barbecue chefs douse the food in the sauce prior to cooking, and then wonder why the meat is coated in carbonated black crust. To avoid the sugar content of the sauce burning, just apply five minutes before the food is ready to be removed from the barbecue.