To make maple barbecue sauce, whisk ketchup, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and a few spices in a small saucepan, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens a little. You get about 1 1/2 cups, and it keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Everything comes from the pantry. Ketchup does most of the heavy lifting. The maple gets most of the credit.
What you need
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon or yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne (optional)
How to make it
- Whisk all the ingredients together in a small saucepan until smooth.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then turn the heat down to low so the sauce bubbles gently.
- Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often so nothing sticks to the bottom, until the sauce is slightly thicker and coats the back of a spoon. If it spatters, set the lid partly on.
- Taste and adjust. Add a splash more vinegar for tang, a little more maple for sweetness or a pinch of cayenne for heat.
- Let it cool. It thickens more as it cools. Get it into a covered jar and into the fridge within 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F. Use it within 1 week.
Which syrup to use
Go with Dark. With ketchup, vinegar and smoked paprika in the pot, you want a syrup with enough flavor to show up, and Dark is deep, robust and built for cooking. Amber gives you a milder sauce with a warm, caramel-like sweetness. Either way, use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
Tips
- Brush it on late. On the grill or in the oven, add the sauce in the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking. Maple and ketchup both bring sugar, and sugar scorches over high heat if it goes on too early.
- Keep the jar clean. Pour what you need for brushing into a small bowl. Sauce that has touched raw meat or poultry shouldn't go back in the jar or onto cooked food.
- Stir often. Sugary sauces like to stick and scorch on the bottom of the pan. A heavy saucepan and low heat help.
- Thicker or thinner. Simmer a few minutes longer for a thicker sauce, or stir in a spoonful of water to loosen it.
Make it your own
- Turn up the smoke or the heat. Add more smoked paprika for a smokier sauce, or a pinch of cayenne or chili powder for heat.
- Make it tangier. Stir in another tablespoon of cider vinegar.
- Make it richer. Stir a tablespoon of butter into the hot sauce at the end.
- Double it. Use a slightly bigger pot and give it a few extra minutes to thicken.
- Where to use it. Grilled or baked chicken, pulled pork, ribs, burgers, a pan of baked beans, or as a dip for fries.
