Recipe: Cooper's BBQ Sauce

Saucy!

One of the best things about pig-cooking days around here is that in addition to cooking all the pork, Cooper bellies up to the stove to make his worldfamous (regionally famous? famous in our family?) barbecue sauce. It's much tangier than most store-bought sauces and Cooper likes it very hot, so I can usually be found standing next to him, repeatedly saying, "Don't forget that not everybody likes it so spicy!"

It's not hard to make and it really is a nice addition to any sort of pig-centric meal. Last weekend, I finally remembered to write down the quantities (roughly, at least) so I could write about it here. And here it is:

COOPER'S BBQ SAUCE

Ingredients

(keep in mind that these quantities are all approximate)

- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

- 1/8 large white onion, finely chopped

- Olive oil

- 2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

- 2 cups ketchup

- 1 cup yellow mustard

- 1/4 cup brown sugar

- 1 tbl. cayenne pepper

- 1 tbl. smoked paprika

- 1 tbl chili powder

- 3 tbls. red pepper flakes

- 2 tbls. hot sauce (we've used Texas Pete and Frank's Red Hot)

- Salt to taste

Heat about two tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan, over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and sweat over low heat until onions are translucent. Add vinegar, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, spices, hot sauce and red pepper flakes. Increase heat slightly, to medium, and stir to combine. Add salt to taste and adjust spices as you'd like - but keep in mind that as it sits, the heat of the sauce will intensify, so don't go overboard with the hot sauce or red pepper flakes right away.

Remove from heat and let cool...and you've got some sauce.