Kansas City barbecue is traditionally renowned for its pork recipes. Therefore, you cannot use just any sauce for grilled chicken when having a BBQ party in Kansas City. You need to prepare the sauce with a combination of heat and the rich flavors of tomatoes to get it right.

Kansas City BBQ sauce goes well with beef ribs, brisket, and pulled pork. Generally, Kansas City pork recipes include a spicy rub, then smoking it “low and slow”, and finishing it with the thick tomato-based sauce. You can prepare Kansas City barbecue sauce at home easily. This way, you can choose organic ketchup and adjust the heat as per your preferences. If you do not have the time for that, you can also buy a thick and rich Kansas City BBQ sauce from the store. Below is how to make Kansas City barbecue sauce at home.

Ingredients Required

• Olive oil – 3 tbsp
• Garlic – 2 cloves (minced)
• Tomato ketchup – 1 cup (240 ml)
• Water – ¼ cup
• Cider vinegar – ¼ cup
• Brown sugar – ¼ cup
• Paprika – 2 tbsp
• Chili powder – 1 tbsp
• Cayenne pepper – 1 tsp

Preparation Method

• Pour olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan and heat it over medium-high flame. Add garlic to it and cook for around 20 seconds. Make sure that it does not burn.
• After that, add the rest of the ingredients in the pan and reduce the flame to medium-low. Cook for around 13 – 15 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally and take care that it does not burn or stick to the pan.
• Remove the pan from the stove and let it sit for around 5 minutes to cool. You can then use the sauce on your BBQ ribs. Just make sure to keep some sauce aside to serve on the side later.

You can store the unused sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. However, make certain that you reheat the sauce in a microwave or on low heat for at least 5 minutes before using it on your BBQ meat.

Just like mango BBQ sauce, you should also use your homemade Kansas City barbecue sauce at the right time. The best way to go about it is to apply the sauce to the ribs when they are on low heat. Note that the sugar content in the barbecue sauce can burn at 265°F temperature, so it will not be ideal for grilling. It usually tastes the best when you add the sauce in the last stages of smoking.