This is the perfect BBQ sauce for Pulled Pork Sliders. I am serious. Perfect! It’s not too sour, not too sweet, and it comes with a hint of smoky flavor. Since I’ve made a batch of this quick and not overly sweet BBQ sauce for my pulled pork sliders (recipe here), I am addicted to this sauce. It goes well with almost everything: It’s the perfect sauce for burgers, for French fries, for sandwiches, and for dipping anything, and I mean really anything – be it oven baked veggies or tater tots.

Compared to traditional recipes, I’ve reduced the amount of sugar and ingredients that contain sugar a lot. There is no ketchup in this BBQ sauce, neither will you find molasses or honey. Just a little bit of brown sugar. Another ingredient you won’t find is liquid smoke. Nope, no liquid smoke in this BBQ sauce. Why? Because I simply prefer smoked paprika, which I think is much more versatile in the kitchen.

I use smoked paprika a lot, eg. in chilis, sprinkled on top of an open-face grilled cheese sandwich or simply to spice up chickpeas and other legumes. For this recipe I use the spicy kind of smoked paprika, which is called “Pimentón picante ahumado” in Spanish. One of these is “Pimentón de la Vera”, a type of smoked paprika powder from the western part of Spain, which is widely available and comes as dulce (= sweet) and picante (= spicy-hot). But any brand or origin will do. If you don’t have the spicy one on hand, use smoked sweet paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper for some heat. You can also replace it with chipotle chili powder or even add a little smoked salt instead of regular salt. Almost anything with a smoky, earthy aroma works.

Step-by-step recipe for a quick Kansas City-style BBQ sauce (but low sugar)

Ingredients for a quick Kansans City-stye (thick and tomato based) BBQ sauce.

This BBQ sauce is low in sugar and in effort.

Cook onions, garlic, and spices for a few minutes.

Sautée the onions with 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat until soft and golden in color, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute (do not brown). Reduce the heat to low and mix in the smoked paprika, ground coriander, and tomato paste. Sautee for 1 minute.

Add all remaining ingredients and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Deglaze with vinegar and immediately add the tomato sauce, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, orange juice, and salt. Stir until combined and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened a little.

For a smooth sauce, strain through a sieve.

You can use this sauce as is with little onion pieces in it. For a smooth sauce (I prefer it that way), either strain the sauce through a sieve …

Left: strained BBQ sauce, right: blended BBQ sauce.

… or transfer the cooled sauce to a blender and blend until smooth. The sauce will thicken slightly if you blend it, so add 1 tablespoon of water if you prefer a thinner sauce.

Do you still need an idea where you can use this sauce? Make these pulled pork sliders. You won’t regret it!

Quick Homemade BBQ Sauce (without ketchup)

Yield: 1 2/3 cups (400 ml)

Ingredients

• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup /3.5 oz/100 g)
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon spicy smoked paprika powder (Pimenton picante ahumado)*
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (30 g /1 oz)
• 2 tablespoons white wine or apple cider vinegar
• 15-oz can plain tomato sauce (400 g)
• 2-3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed (30 g/1 oz)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

1. Sautee the onions with 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat until soft and golden in color, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute (do not brown).
2. Reduce the heat to low and mix in the smoked paprika, ground coriander, and tomato paste. Sautee for 1 minute.
3. Deglaze with vinegar and immediately add the tomato sauce, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, orange juice, and salt. Stir until combined and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened a little. Taste and adjust salt.
4. You can use this sauce as is with little onion pieces in it. For a smooth sauce (I prefer it that way), either strain the sauce through a sieve or transfer the cooled sauce to a blender and blend until smooth. The sauce will thicken slightly if you blend it, so add 1 tablespoon of water if you prefer a thinner sauce.

Notes

Many recipe use liquid smoke as an ingredient in BBQ sauces. Since I am not really a fan of liquid smoke, I prefer spicy smoked paprika, which is called "Pimenton picante ahumado" in Spanish. One of these is "Pimenton de la Vera", a type of smoked paprika powder from the western part of Spain, which is widely available and comes as dulce (= sweet) and picante (= spicy-hot). If you don't have the spicy one on hand, use smoked sweet paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper for some heat. Or replace it with chipotle chili powder or even add a little smoked salt instead of regular salt. Almost anything with a smoky, earthy aroma works.

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https://www.lilvienna.com/quick-homemade-bbq-sauce/

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