Great Northern Barbecue Sauce

Yesterday the weather was cooperative - meaning the wind had died down and the sun came out. Perfect for grilling our dinner. What I wanted to do was grill up some kielbasa but I didn't want to make the barbecue sauce I created many years ago now. I felt that particular sauce would not do the kielbasa justice and as it turned out I was correct.

This new barbecue sauce has a great tang to it which I love and you get a good tomato flavor from the ketchup and just the right amount of mild heat in the background. If you like your sauce spicier then by all means ramp up on the cayenne. But I do have to tell you that the sauce gains a little more heat as it sits.


I have never purchased a Boar's Head® kielbasa but I decided to give it a try despite the fact that it seemed on the expensive side. Boar's Head products have never let me down and I wish I could afford them on a regular basis. This kielbasa was no exception - mild flavor and overall turned out to be an excellent product. The 1.05# piece was large enough to feed a family of four. To go along side I made a beautiful red potato salad.

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup onion - small dice
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• pinch of salt

1. Dice your onion and in a medium sauce pot over medium low heat add in the olive oil, the onions and a pinch of salt. Saute until the onion becomes translucent and releases its juices.
2. Next, add in the chopped garlic and stir and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add in the apple cider vinegar, stir and then add in the ketchup, brown sugar and spices. Whisk well and cook for about 10 - 15 minutes over medium low heat stirring occasionally.
4. Turn the heat off and let it rest. It will get a little thicker as it rests and will thicken slightly once refrigerated.

Store any left over sauce in a container or mason jar, lidded and sealed. It will keep in your refrigerator for quite some time. The cost to make the barbecue sauce worked out to approximately $2.69. It beats a famous store brand that sells $3.59 a bottle - and there's no chemicals in this home made sauce.

The potato salad was enough to feed about 8 portions for a total cost of $6.64. The kielbasa was $6.50 and was enough for four portions. Obviously you can get a less expensive ring of kielbasa or a comparably priced one that is larger and feeds more people. My total cost was $15.83 for all of this but it was worth every penny.

My other Barbecue Sauce that is out of this world delicious is Plum & Jalapeno Barbecue Sauce. It is tangy, slightly sweet and has just the right amount of heat to balance all the flavors.