The sweet, tangy, smoky flavour of barbecue sauce is so addictive. This is my healthier version. It still contains sweetener, however I have used much less than in the usual recipes. The recipe also calls for passata instead of ketchup and a bit of an extra chilli kick because I love the stuff. This is a more of a ‘Kansas City style’ barbecue sauce, so it has a strong tomato base flavour, with a nice balance of sweet, vinegary and spicy notes to finish. The coconut sugar adds that molasses note even if you don’t use the molasses.

The amount of heat you want in this sauce is totally up to you, vary the chilli flakes anywhere between 1tsp for a mild spice to 1 Tbs for a bigger whack of chilli for you fiends out there. It’s easy to prepare and will keep in a sealed container/jar in the fridge for at least 1 week. I love it with pulled chicken, pork or ribs. It’s great in burgers and tacos too.

Ingredients

25g butter or coconut oil

2 spring onions, finely sliced

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp – 1 Tbs crushed chilli flakes

2 cups passata (go for one with out any extra additives)

3 Tbs molasses or maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1.5 Tbs dijon mustard

1 tsp black pepper

salt to taste.

1 Tbs malt vinegar

Directions

Put a medium sauce pan on a moderate heat. Add butter or oil and melt. Once melted add the springonion and stir for 1 minute. Add crushed garlic and stir for another 1-2 minutes, do not allow to colour. Add the cayenne and crushed chilli and stir for a further minute. Add all other ingredients. Whisk until mustard and sugar is completely combined. Bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes. It will spit so wear an apron! Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a jar for storage, or just slather it on your food of choice and enjoy!

HH. x