Sweet Barbecue Sauce

      

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...One of the lovelier aspects of summer are those informal family picnics and barbecues that bring young and old together in a stress-free environment that everyone can enjoy. I always want the food for these occasions to be first rate, but I don't want to spend hours preparing it. In my lexicon fussing is a winter affair and I prefer to reserve the difficult and impressive meals for our winter get-togethers. Our family picnic and barbecue meal are simple and while there are generally lots of salads and side dishes, I try to serve just one main dish. That can require some finessing. The youngest at our table does not like spicy foods, so a barbecue necessitates at least two kinds of sauce to keep everyone happy. I found the recipe for this sweet barbecue sauce in Food and Wine magazine and it really is a perfect sauce for small children or adults who do not care for heat. The sauce, which is made from readily available ingredients, can be ready to use for basting in about an hour and it will keep for several days if refrigerated. If you like sweet sauces I think you'll love this one. Here is how this very simple sauce is made.

Sweet Barbecue Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until richly browned, about 20 minutes. Add butter and melt. Add ketchup, brown sugar, apple juice, lemon juice, ginger and molasses. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 2 cups, about 25 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree. Season with salt.

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