Gammy's BBQ Sauce

This Sweet and Savory BBQ Sauce is a delicious sauce with no added sugar or artificial ingredients. My grandmother had a lot of recipes that we grew up loving, and this is one of them. The twist is that it is sweetened naturally with either Dates, Honey, or Natural Sweetener instead of sugar. At first, I was very hesitant to use something besides sugar to flavor food. After some trial and error when attempting to create a healthier twist to one of my favorite sauces, I learned to love them. I have come to discover they add great flavor and the perfect amount of sweetness to a spectacular BBQ sauce.

There are a lot of great-tasting BBQ sauces out there. The problem is most of them contain refined sugars or artificial ingredients. It will not taste like your favorite sauce if you find a BBQ with no added sugar and clean ingredients. Sugar-free BBQ sauces exist, but when they remove the sugar, they remove the taste.

How to make:

I love my grandmother’s BBQ sauce and would load it on when she made it. So, I set out to find a clean version that is also Paleo. I substituted the white Vinegar for Apple Cider Vinegar and the Sugar for dates. There were many trials and errors, with more mistakes than successes. I found the perfect combination of a bit of zing from the Apple Cider Vinegar and sweetness with the dates. Apple Cider Vinegar can have a distinct taste that can easily overpower the taste of other foods.

I usually make it in a high-speed blender; it’s quick, easy, and makes the sauce nice and smooth. To get the dates to blend well, soak them in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes to soften them. Add all your ingredients to your blender and blend away. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can add the dates, onion and water to a food processor first, then add your remaining ingredients.

What is great about making BBQ sauce at home is that it allows you to tweak it to your preferred taste. If you like your sauce with a little more zing, you can add more Vinegar; if you like it sweeter, add more dates. Add some cayenne or other pepper to taste if you want a little kick. This recipe is perfect for meal prep. You can make a big batch to keep in the refrigerator or freezer to pair with your favorite burger, chicken. It is delicious with my Savory Ranch Burgers and Perfectly Roasted Sweet Potatoes. 

Recipe

Gammy's BBQ Sauce

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Amazing BBQ Sauce that is Clean, Paleo and Whole30

• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup water
• Sweetener (6 dates pitted and softened, 2 tablespoons or honey)*see note
• ½ cup Tomato Sauce
• ½ cup Chopped Onion
• 5 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Coconut Amino or Worcestershire Sauce (**see note)
• 2 tablespoons Water
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• ½ teaspoon Paprika
• ½ teaspoon Dry Mustard
• ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

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Instructions

1. Heat 1 cup of Water in until lightly boiling and add Dates and allow to sit for 5 minutes
2. Remove the dates from the water, remove the pits and chop the dates
3. Add the chopped dates and remaining ingredients to a blender and blend until liquified, about a minute
4. Store in a sealed container in the refridgerator
5. ENJOY

Notes

*If you are using a sweetener besides Dates or Honey then sweeten to taste adding a little bit of your favorite sweetener at a time till the desired sweetness is reached

**Make sure Worcestershire is compliant. (New Primal Steak Sauce) or use Coconut Amino

• Author: Meghan Whitmore {A Twisted Plate}
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Category: Sauce
• Method: Blender
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free