Easy All-Purpose Barbecue Sauce

Let's say, for argument's sake, that you've already sworn off store-bought salad dressing for good. Wise move. Here's your next one: Ditch the store-bought barbecue sauce. Pre-made sauces are almost inevitably, achingly sweet, with built-in cruddy smoke flavor.

Here's the good news: If you barbecue or grill with any frequency, it's easy (and cheap!) to make big batches of homemade sauce that will keep in your fridge for several months, saving you money while simultaneously delivering flavor that's superior to anything you can get premade. I set out to make a balanced sauce that would work well with a wide range of grilled meats and vegetables, whether you're slow-cooking ribs or pulled pork, or grilling chicken or even tofu.

I start with a classic Kansas City–style base of molasses, to which I add some ketchup, mustard, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and hot sauce. I originally started by sautéing an onion in butter before adding the liquid, but found that for a short simmer, an onion grated on the large holes of a box grater provided the right pungency and was much faster, too. To really add depth to the sauce, I add a couple of tablespoons of my spice rub and simmer it all together. If you plan on using this for foods cooked indoors (like this oven-cooked pulled pork), a touch of high-quality liquid smoke, like Wright's, works great.

With this sauce on hand at all times, you'll be ready for anything that your grill might throw at you.