One of the easiest main courses I make is to put a Boston butt (a specific cut of pork) in the crock pot on low for about 8 hours with some of Granny’s barbecue sauce.  Then I drain it, shred it, and drizzle more barbecue sauce over the top.  Dinner!  Let’s eat!  Use this sauce for grilling hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, and pork chops.  Use a beef brisket to make barbecued beef rather than pulled pork.  Add it to baked beans for tremendous flavor.  The opportunities are endless.

Everybody needs a secret recipe.  Make this your own secret recipe by using honey instead of maple syrup.  Try increasing the amount of maple syrup or decreasing it.  Choose to skip the allspice or up the vinegar.  However you tweak it, I think it’ll be great!  Do use caution on the Worcestershire sauce if you have food sensitivities because it can contain some pesky, allergenic substances.

This is the sauce my mom has always made for grilling and baked beans.  She uses ketchup instead of tomato sauce.  It is a happy recipe in our family.

Granny’s Barbecue Sauce

(Makes about 3 cups)

• 1  can plain tomato sauce, 15 ounces (equal to 1 and 3/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup real maple syrup
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Ground, black pepper to taste, maybe 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stir, and then reduce heat.  Simmer for no more than 5 minutes.  Stir frequently to avoid scorching.

Store in refrigerator after cooled for up to a week.

Family “gustar” report:  Everybody likes this sauce in our house, and it’s a great trick to get the kids to eat meats they wouldn’t normally like.  So the score is 6/6!

I mentioned this is a happy recipe for me.  It reminds me of raucous summer days around the dinner table with my family.  Do you have any happy recipes?  Are they secret?  Do you believe in secret recipes?  I don’t really.  If it’s good, it should be shared!

Eat real.  Be real.

~~Terri