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BBQ Sauces

The Secret Sauce: Unlocking the Magic of Homemade BBQ Sauces

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Making your own barbecue sauce is definitely something everybody should try. Not only is it simple, it’s very difficult to get wrong. Every recipe is basically just tomatoes, a combination of vinegar, brown sugar, and mustard, and some spices. Various adjuncts are added as desired. You can choose to get far more creative, or you can keep it simple. Once you understand the ratios of vinegar to sugar to mustard, you’ll be able to whip together whatever you need in no time. Like it sweet? Start with the standard recipe, but reduce the vinegar and increase the sugar. Is Carolina style your favorite? Start with the standard recipe again, but reduce the sugar and increase the vinegar. Making your own barbecue sauce is just that easy.

These recipes start with a big bottle of ketchup, so expect to end up with 2 quarts of sauce. That’s enough for a big party, and because they contain vinegar, they can be kept in the refrigerator for a long time.

Types and flavors of BBQ Sauce

There are many different styles of barbecue sauce, depending on either where they were created or how they are used. For my BBQs, I stick to the traditional 6-pack on the picnic table in my favorite BBQ restaurants:

Standard BBQ Sauce Recipe

This recipe is the base of all my barbecue sauces and is akin to Bull’s-Eye Original or Sweet Baby Ray’s Original. All the other variations can be created simply by removing an ingredient or two and adding a couple others. You’ll find that transitioning from one style to another is easy once you understand the flavor combinations.

This recipe will make approximately 2 quarts of sauce.

  • 64 oz ketchup
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 1/2 T dried mustard
  • 1 1/2 T of your favorite rub
  • 1 T sea salt

Mix it all together in a sauce pan, bring it to a boil, then turn it down and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. I told you it was easy!

Sweet BBQ Sauce Recipe

This is probably the easiest of the BBQ sauce variations. Again, all we’re going to do is take the standard sauce, increase the sweetness with more sugar, and reduce the tartness with less vinegar. In this case, brown sugar and molasses are both coming front and center, and vinegar is taking a back seat.

This recipe will make approximately 2 quarts of sauce.

  • 64 oz ketchup
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 2 1/2 T dried mustard
  • 1 1/2 T of your favorite rub
  • 1 T sea salt

Mix it all together in a sauce pan, bring it to a boil, then turn it down and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Carolina: Carolina Pickle BBQ Sauce Recipe

Carolina is the acidic opposite of the sweet version and also quite thin. Here we’re going to take the standard sauce again, but increase the vinegar and reduce the sugar. In this recipe I wanted the sauce to be true to it’s runny Carolina roots, so I added some pickle juice too. Of the six barbecue sauce recipes outlined here, Carolina is always the crowd favorite. (But, oh my goodness, ketchup is fightin’ words here. Fans of the eastern Carolina version of this sauce would have some strong opinions about this one.)

This recipe will make approximately 2 quarts of sauce.

  • 64 oz ketchup
  • 3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup pickle juice
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/8 cup molasses
  • 1 T dried mustard
  • 1 1/2 T of your favorite rub
  • 1 T sea salt

Mix it all together in a sauce pan, bring it to a boil, then turn it down and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Spicy: Fire Roasted Habanero BBQ Sauce Recipe

Spicy is a little bit trickier. It’s easy to fill it with all manner of hot peppers to make something incredibly hot, but it might end up inedible. I’m NOT a hot pepper spicy foods kinda guy, so I had a little trouble finding a good balance. In the end it ended up where I wanted it: a slow burn that I didn’t regret. If you like it hotter, add another habanero.

This recipe will make approximately 2 quarts of sauce.

  • 64 oz ketchup
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup hot pepper sauce
  • 1 habanero pepper, fire roasted then minced
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/8 cup molasses
  • 4 T dried mustard
  • 1 1/2 T of your favorite rub
  • 1 T sea salt

Mix it all together in a sauce pan, bring it to a boil, then turn it down and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. After it comes off the stove, blend it to break up any stray habanero pepper chunks that might lie in waiting, ready to ruin someone’s night.

Fruity: Bourbon Peach BBQ Sauce Recipe

Apple is probably the king of fruity barbecue sauces, but today I felt like peaches deserved some of the spotlight. And what better than to pair with peaches than a nice bourbon. Of the six barbecue sauce recipes, this is my personal favorite.

This recipe will make approximately 2 quarts of sauce.

  • 64 oz ketchup
  • 4 cups diced peaches
  • 1 cup bourbon
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1 T dried mustard
  • 1 1/2 T of your favorite rub
  • 1 T sea salt

Mix it all together in a sauce pan, bring it to a boil, then turn it down and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. The peach chunks will still be pretty significant, so you’ll want to blend it before serving.

Mustard: Maize BBQ Sauce Recipe

This mustard sauce is the outlier of these recipes, namely because it’s not heavily ketchup-based. I also swapped the molasses for honey.

This recipe will make approximately 2 quarts of sauce.

  • 6 cups mustard (3/4 of the big bottle)
  • 2 cups ketchup (1/4 of the big bottle)
  • 3 cups apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup honey
  • 12 T dried mustard
  • 1 1/2 T of your favorite rub
  • 1 T sea salt

Put on a gas mask, mix it all together in a sauce pan, bring it to a boil, then turn it down and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Making your own BBQ sauces not only allows you to control the quality of ingredients but also gives you the freedom to create signature sauces that reflect your personal style and culinary preferences. It’s a chance to unleash your creativity and impress your family and friends with unique flavors they won’t find in any store-bought bottle.

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Delicious smores cooking over a campfire

5 Unique Ways to Enjoy S’mores Around the Campfire

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There are few things more quintessentially camping than sitting around a campfire, roasting marshmallows, and making s’mores. This classic treat is a staple of outdoor cooking, and for good reason – it’s delicious! But while the traditional graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow combination is always a crowd-pleaser, there are many other ways to enjoy s’mores around the campfire. In this blog post, we’ll explore five unique and creative ways to elevate this classic camping treat.

S’mores Dip

If you’re looking for a fun and easy way to enjoy s’mores without the mess of roasting marshmallows, try making a s’mores dip. All you need is a cast-iron skillet, some chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and graham crackers for dipping. Melt the chocolate chips in the skillet over the campfire, then sprinkle the mini marshmallows on top and broil until they’re golden brown and gooey. Serve with graham crackers for dipping and enjoy!

S’mores Nachos

For a twist on traditional s’mores, try making s’mores nachos. Start with a layer of graham crackers on the bottom of a cast-iron skillet or aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Top with a layer of chocolate chips and mini marshmallows, then repeat the layers until you’ve used up all your ingredients. Heat over the campfire until the chocolate is melted and the marshmallows are toasted, then serve with additional graham crackers for scooping.

S’mores Pizza

Who says you can’t have pizza for dessert? For a fun and unique way to enjoy s’mores around the campfire, try making a s’mores pizza. Start with a pre-made pizza crust or make your own using a cast-iron skillet. Spread a layer of chocolate hazelnut spread or Nutella on the crust, then top with mini marshmallows and graham cracker crumbs. Heat over the campfire until the marshmallows are toasted and the chocolate is melted, then slice and serve.

S’mores Ice Cream Sandwiches

For a cool and refreshing twist on s’mores, try making s’mores ice cream sandwiches. Start by roasting marshmallows over the campfire until they’re golden brown and gooey. Place a square of chocolate on a graham cracker, then top with the roasted marshmallow and another graham cracker. Place the sandwich in the freezer until the chocolate and marshmallow are firm, then top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and another graham cracker for a delicious and decadent treat.

S’mores Milkshake

If you’re looking for a way to cool off and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time, try making a s’mores milkshake. Blend together vanilla ice cream, milk, chocolate syrup, and graham cracker crumbs until smooth and creamy. Pour the milkshake into a tall glass and top with whipped cream, mini marshmallows, and more graham cracker crumbs for a delicious and indulgent treat.

Bonus tip: Alternative ingredients

Who says you need graham crackers or chocolate bars to make a s’more? Instead of graham crackers, use chocolate chip cookies. Instead of chocolate bars, use peanut butter cups. Instead of marshmallows, use…. well, you probably need the marshmallows.

There are many unique and creative ways to enjoy s’mores around the campfire. From s’mores dip and nachos to pizza, ice cream sandwiches, and milkshakes, there’s something for every taste and preference. So the next time you’re planning a camping trip or backyard bonfire, be sure to try some of these fun and delicious s’mores variations and see how they can take your outdoor cooking to the next level. Happy camping!

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Hasselbeck potatoes cooked in a camp Dutch oven

Easy Hasselback Potatoes in a Camp Dutch Oven

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(Reprinted with permission from CampDutchOvens.com)

Hasselback Potatoes are a candidate for Most Valuable Dish for a few reasons. Primarily, the first time I made them I didn’t plan ahead! We had potatoes, and of course we had butter and bacon……. Why not give them a try?

You know how the crunchy bits of fried potatoes are always the best? Hasselback potatoes are specifically designed to be almost entirely made of those crunchy bits. Cooked in a camp Dutch oven, they make a great and quick appetizer. Be warned, this recipe is not for the feint of heart. It’s a butter and bacon bomb.

This recipe can be modified with various cheeses, or you can remove the bacon, but be sure to add more butter.

Gear List

Ingredient List

  • 1-2 potatoes per camper
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 lb of bacon, sliced into 1.5″ squares
  • Cheese topping of your choice, though grated parmesan would work great
  • Topped with chives would be good
  • Served with sour cream on the side wouldn’t draw any complaints
  • Salt and pepper to taste (Old Bay wouldn’t be a terrible idea)

Preparation Instructions

Prep

Hasselbeck potatoes are served whole, but thinly sliced ALMOST all the way through. This is probably something you’ll have to do onsite. Cut up potatoes don’t store well.

  1. Wash the potato, but do not peel.
  2. Slice about 1/4″ off one side. This will create a “stand” so it doesn’t roll around in the camp Dutch oven.
  3. Place the pair of wooden utensils on each side of the potato so that your knife doesn’t go all the way through it.
  4. Slice across the potato, roughly every 1/4″ all the way, end to end. It should look like you want to fan it out. Don’t. The bottom will crack.
  5. Insert a pat of butter or a square of bacon into every other slice.
  6. Place a slice or two of bacon on top.
  7. Season as desired.

Admire your work. It looks amazing. Take “before” pics.

Fire instructions

If you have a Camp Dutch Oven, you can cook this right in the coals, over briquettes, hanging over the fire, or on a grill over the fire.

Cooking instructions

(Check out the Camp Dutch Oven cooking refresher)

  1. Heat over enough coals to hit 350.
  2. Put the potatoes in the bottom of the camp Dutch oven. The butter and bacon will start melting quickly.
  3. Add the cheese after about 20 minutes. Each slice should be browning up nicely. Spoon some of the butter/bacon grease onto them. Savor the ridiculousness. Call your buddy over so they can savor too.
  4. The bottoms may crisp us browner than the tops, but do not despair. They will become the favorite part.
  5. Serve with sour cream and chives. Or don’t. They don’t need them. Your call.
  6. Clean up.

Try that crispy bit. Take “after” pics. You’re welcome.

Sides and Dessert

When we cook with Camp Dutch Ovens, we cook with three at a time: one big oven for the entrée, one medium oven for the side dish, and one small oven for the dessert. This recipe would go great with:

Entrees

Dessert

  • Chocolate lava cake
  • Apple pie

This recipe was created from various recipes from the following books:

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Venison stew cooked in a camp Dutch oven

Easy Venison Stew in a Camp Dutch Oven

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(Reprinted with permission from CampDutchOvens.com)

Stews fit neatly in the cooking theory that understanding why you’re doing things is more important than the recipe itself. In terms of vegetables and seasonings, add the ingredients that you like. Steps in italics are what you really need to do; the rest of the steps are there for clarity and first-timers.

Venison stew cooked in a camp Dutch oven

Easy Venison Stew in a Camp Dutch Oven

Venison Stew is the PERFECT meal for the first night of deer camp. Celebrating this year's hunt with the spoils of last year's hunt is a time-honored tradition. Similarly, it also goes great with beer and friends.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 hungry hunters

Equipment

  • Cast iron Camp Dutch Oven, at least 12″ across and 4″ deep
  • Dutch Oven lid lifter
  • Large wooden spoon (windshield scraper can be used in a pinch)
  • Cutting board
  • Knife

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup cooking oil
  • 1 lb venison roast cut into 1″ cubes
  • 2 large onions baseball-size
  • 4 potatoes cut into 1" cubes
  • 2 large carrots diced or 1 cup of baby carrots
  • 1 stalk celery diced
  • mushrooms optional
  • baby corn optional
  • green beans optional
  • peas optional
  • parsnip optional
  • rutabaga optional
  • 2 cubes beef bouillon
  • 1 bottle your favorite locally-brewed stout or porter
  • salt and pepper, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, etc to taste

Instructions
 

At Home

  • Chop meat and veggies at home for less mess and hassle, but this isn’t necessary.

Fire Instructions

  • If you have a Camp Dutch Oven, you can cook this right in the coals, over briquettes, hanging over the fire, or on a grill over the fire.

Cooking Instructions

  • Heat oil over enough coals to hit 350 degrees
  • Brown the meat, onions, and garlic together. Make sure the meat is fully cooked by putting it on first. Cook until the meat is browned and onions are carmelized.
  • Add all the veggies that you want fully cooked. Potatoes, celery, parsnip, etc.
  • Add liquid and most seasonings. Beer and beef bouillon (or skip both and add beef stock) are added, along with most of the seasonings. Save some seasoning for the end of the cook. You could also add cream of mushroom soup right now and it wouldn’t be weird.
  • Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for an hour. The venison will need a good long simmer to reduce its toughness, and the potatoes always need more time than you think.
  • Add veggies that you want to be crunchy and the rest of the seasonings. Carrots, pea pods, etc.
  • Simmer for another half hour.
  • Serve and clean up.
Keyword dutch oven, stew, venison

Sides and Dessert

When we cook with Camp Dutch Ovens, we cook with three at a time: one big oven for the entrée, one medium oven for the side dish, and one small oven for the dessert. This recipe would go great with:

Sides

Dessert

  • Chocolate lava cake
  • Apple pie

This recipe was created from various recipes from the following books:

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Cooking with a camp Dutch oven

Cooking with Camp Dutch Ovens

(Reprinted with permission from CampDutchOvens.com)

Camp Dutch ovens are an important tool for campfire/outdoor cooking. They can be used with briquettes, right in the coals, or hanging over the fire. Their legs allow them to stand over coals without smothering them, and their lipped lids hold more hot coals on top. Several sizes should be in every outdoor cook’s arsenal (and then you can do that cool stacking thing that makes you look more experienced than you are).

What you’ll need

  • Camp Dutch ovens come in a variety of sizes for all kinds of cooking. Beginners won’t go wrong with one 12″ wide and 6″ deep. My favorite is 14″ wide and 4″ deep that doubles as a skillet.
  • A lid lifter will save a lot of frustration when checking your food.
  • Because they’re usually heated with briquettes, charcoal chimney starters and heavy-duty tongs are also needed.
  • Cooking right in the campfire pit will require some sort of shovel or other coal-moving device.

Briquette cooking

This is the standard table that outlines how many briquettes to use on the lid and underneath to achieve certain temperatures for cooking (350 F is the most common, so is bolded). Depending on how long your food should be cooked, you’ll need to start replacing coals after about 20 minutes, so either include more briquettes in the first charcoal chimney starter, or start a second one right away.

Dutch Oven SizeBriquettes325 F350 F375 F400 F425 F450 F
8″ / 2 qtTotal151617181920
Top / Bottom10/511/511/612/613/614/6
10″ / 4 or 5 qtTotal192123252729
Top / Bottom13/614/716/717/818/919/10
12″ / 6 or 8 qtTotal232527293133
Top / Bottom16/717/818/919/1021/1022/11
14″ / 10 qtTotal303234363840
Top / Bottom20/1021/1122/1224/1225/1326/14

Cooking in the coals

For non-briquette cooking, here are the rough estimates to get to 350 F:

  • Double the diameter of your oven to get the number of coals
  • Place 2/3 of the coals on top, and 1/3 underneath
  • Though camp Dutch ovens contains legs, they will sink into ash and coals. Try not to smother the coals by cooking in a separate part of the firepit. In this case, a nice dirt foundation is your friend; shovel the coals to your cooking site.

Hanging over the fire

Hanging a camp Dutch oven over the fire is great for lower temperature recipes like long and slow pork shoulders, or to keep dinner warm, or to keep drinks warm. Tripods are a popular choice for hanging camp Dutch ovens over campfires, and offer flexibility and portability.

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How to make a Pie Iron Pizza

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Hobo pie, pudgy pie, mountain pie, campfire pie……. Regardless of what you call it, one of the simplest things you can cook on the campfire is pie iron pizza, and it’s the perfect family campfire meal. Kids love them, anybody can cook them, and it’s easy cleanup.

What you’ll need to make pie iron pizza

  • Pizza ingredients
  • Pie irons
  • Gloves
  • Flashlight

How to prep the fire

You’re going to place the pie iron right in the hot coals, so you’ll need a good coal base. Start your campfire about an hour before you want to eat and throw in a bunch of logs. Keep feeding it.

This fire was rebuilt for a larger coal base

Basic recipe for pie iron pizza

  • Bread (Cheap white bread is your friend here)
  • Butter (squirt bottle is easiest) or cooking spray
  • Pizza sauce (again, get the squirt bottle)
  • Cheese
  • Pepperoni
  • Mushrooms, canned
  • Onions (pre-diced at home)
  • Green pepper (pre-diced at home)
  • Get creative!

How to assemble

A great pie iron pizza is all about preparation and cooking time.

  1. Overly butter the bread, all the way to the edges. This is very important to get it out of the pie iron cleanly. Place the butter side down on one iron and repeat for the other half.
  2. Spread the pizza sauce on one or both sides of the bread.
  3. Add all the toppings you want, but don’t forget the cheese.
  4. Quickly close the pie irons together and use the hook to secure them.
Buttered all the way to the edges
Ready for the tricky fold

How long to cook your pizza

Seasoned campers will tell you to put it in the coals for “60 seconds a side”. However, lots of factors affect the cooking time. If you’re the first person to use the pie iron, it will be longer, but if the family is four pies in, the cooking time will be shorter. If you’re one of the last people and the coals have cooled down, it will be longer.

A seasoned camper if ever I’ve seen one!

After about 60 seconds, flip it and put it back on the coals. After another 60 seconds, unlatch the hook and check it with your flashlight. This is when you’ll find out if you did a good job buttering the bread. If both sides are a nice golden brown, you’re done! If you can plop it right onto your plate without resorting to scraping it free with a knife, you’ve done it all right, but if half of it is still attached to the upside down pie iron, you might want to reconsider that buttering step. Just scrape it out and act like it never happened. Ugly side down.

Perfection….. or ugly side down. No one needs to know.

Everything is super hot

The pizza will be very hot. In particular, the pizza sauce and cheese are hot and drippy, so let it cool for a couple minutes before you take a bite.

Also, the pie iron itself will be very hot. Take care where you set it down. Picnic tables are the best bet. Picnic table seats are too low and are asking for burned children’s fingers.

Dessert

Before you put everything away, prepare some more buttered bread, but spoon on some apple pie filling for a quick pie iron apple pie! Other options are peach pie filling, cherry pie filling, or even Nutella and bananas. There are no rules.

Clean up

Package up all the toppings, scrape off any burnt bread off the irons, reseason the cast iron, and you’re done!

The perfect way to end a great day camping!

STAY WARM!

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