Canning BBQ Sauce
- Thread starter darby
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Hi Darby,
Before you can it, do you have room to freeze it? That would be my first thought. If you can't do that, does the sauce have any tomato product in it? If it does, I think I would process it as if it were tomato sauce. I've been canning for years, so my advice comes from experience just so you know. I'm not just shooting from the hip.
Would you share the recipe? I'm always looking for a good BBQ sauce recipe.
Before you can it, do you have room to freeze it? That would be my first thought. If you can't do that, does the sauce have any tomato product in it? If it does, I think I would process it as if it were tomato sauce. I've been canning for years, so my advice comes from experience just so you know. I'm not just shooting from the hip.
Would you share the recipe? I'm always looking for a good BBQ sauce recipe.
YOu can can it. Ten minutes should be fine because of the vinegar and sugar in it. Actually, I just leave mine on the shelf. It is fine that way, also because of the acidity and sugar.
Here is my recipe, just for info.
1 28-32 oz. bottle ketchup
1 ketchup bottle cider vinegar
3/4C yellow mustard (prepared)
3/4C worcestershire sauce
3/4C brown sugar
Louisiana style hot sauce (not tabasco) to taste
liquid smoke 3 oz. optional
Simmer 45-60 minutes.
This is a western NC style BBQ sauce as used on pulled pork, etc.
Here is my recipe, just for info.
1 28-32 oz. bottle ketchup
1 ketchup bottle cider vinegar
3/4C yellow mustard (prepared)
3/4C worcestershire sauce
3/4C brown sugar
Louisiana style hot sauce (not tabasco) to taste
liquid smoke 3 oz. optional
Simmer 45-60 minutes.
This is a western NC style BBQ sauce as used on pulled pork, etc.
Last edited:
shpj4
Head Chef
Hello Darby and welcome to DC.
Thanks! It doesn't have tomato sauce but it does have Ketchup..I'll give it a try!
Here's the recipe..
It is wonderful!
1 1/2 cups catsup
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Jack Daniel's Whiskey
2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Great on beef ribs.
Here's the recipe..
It is wonderful!
1 1/2 cups catsup
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Jack Daniel's Whiskey
2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Great on beef ribs.
Constance
Master Chef
If you dispense with the fresh onion and garlic, and use onion powder or dehydrated onion flakes, and granulated garlic instead, the stuff will last forever in your fridge, And in a sauce like that, I don't believe you'll be disappointed with the final taste.
I might add a little more whisky for the cook.
I might add a little more whisky for the cook.
PBear42
Assistant Cook
Okay, I'm new here. But, like Gretchen, I have a lot of experience with home canning and sauces is my specialty. By which I mean mostly low acid simmer sauces. Curries, adobos, that sort of thing. Frankly, I'm not as confident as Gretchen that this sauce can be hot water bath processed, though I'm not necessarily saying it cain't neither.
One question. How much of this stuff are you planning to make at a time? If single batches, I think refrigerating as Constance suggested is the way to go. If you're gonna make a whole bunch of the stuff and give it away to family and friends, then I'll make a pitch for why you should be pressure canning. Before going into that, though, I'd like to know what scale we're talking about.
One question. How much of this stuff are you planning to make at a time? If single batches, I think refrigerating as Constance suggested is the way to go. If you're gonna make a whole bunch of the stuff and give it away to family and friends, then I'll make a pitch for why you should be pressure canning. Before going into that, though, I'd like to know what scale we're talking about.
Low acid--at least mine--it is not, so is not really analogous. And also quite sweet. Both of these are well known as preservatives.
I think it depends entirely on how the poster is going to use it. But I do think pressure canning would be overkill for this. If you can process tomatoes or tomato sauce with their level of acidity in a water bath, then this BBQ sauce which is one half vinegar could certainly be done.
And refrigeration is certainly a possibility. Freezing is just not necessary, in my opinion.
And my personal anecdotal evidence stands. It lives in my pantry with no spoilage (including mold).
I think it depends entirely on how the poster is going to use it. But I do think pressure canning would be overkill for this. If you can process tomatoes or tomato sauce with their level of acidity in a water bath, then this BBQ sauce which is one half vinegar could certainly be done.
And refrigeration is certainly a possibility. Freezing is just not necessary, in my opinion.
And my personal anecdotal evidence stands. It lives in my pantry with no spoilage (including mold).
PBear42
Assistant Cook
Agreed, Gretchen, your sauce isn't low acid, or anywhere close to the line. For that matter, darby's sauce probably isn't low acid. Still, if these are going to be gifts, I'll recommend pressure canning. Will explain why if that turns out to be the plan.
StirBlue
Head Chef
As for the gift giving idea, I would not give prepared sauces to anyone. It is customary here to make up the dry spices in a bag, print the recipe and attach it to the bag. Buy a small bottle of whiskey and put it in a cooking mitt. Ribbon the spices to the mitt on the outside.
As you can imagine from using a store shelf sauce, something made fresh makes a difference.
I often receive hot cocoa mix in a minature dairy milk can canister or some other little novelty container. This year, I'll fill it and pass it on to someone else. We do the same with dry soup and mugs.
As you can imagine from using a store shelf sauce, something made fresh makes a difference.
I often receive hot cocoa mix in a minature dairy milk can canister or some other little novelty container. This year, I'll fill it and pass it on to someone else. We do the same with dry soup and mugs.
In our city among friends we give food gifts all the time. The time I gave a "mix" was for a Bisquick knockoff--or a 15 bean soup. Just a difference of custom.
I have often done smoked chickens or Carolina pulled pork as Christmas gifts and if I didn't give my sauce with these, the folks would call me up. I have added bourbon to my sauce recipe also to approximate Jack's.
I have often done smoked chickens or Carolina pulled pork as Christmas gifts and if I didn't give my sauce with these, the folks would call me up. I have added bourbon to my sauce recipe also to approximate Jack's.
I actually have a similar question... I have a bbq recipe as follows:
BBQ Dry Rub
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
3 tablespoons black pepper
3 tablespoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix.
BBQ Sauce
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons spicy mustard
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1 tablesoon BBQ Dry Rub
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Heinz 57
1 tablespoon A-1
Combine all ingredients and bring slowly to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes.
Makes 2 1/2 cups.
I want to make this, and give away maybe 1/2 pint jars of it for Christmas along with a little bag of the dry rub. I've been looking into canning because I'd like to give it to them unrefrigerated. I'm trying to keep cost to a minimum so I'd really prefer not to invest in seperate equipment. I'm thinking this is probably going to fall in the high acidity category so I'm hoping the boiling method is adequete. I'd like just to do this in a regular stock pot if possible. But I'm not sure how much boiling time to use and if this is even possible.
Can someone help?
BBQ Dry Rub
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
3 tablespoons black pepper
3 tablespoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix.
BBQ Sauce
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons spicy mustard
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1 tablesoon BBQ Dry Rub
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Heinz 57
1 tablespoon A-1
Combine all ingredients and bring slowly to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes.
Makes 2 1/2 cups.
I want to make this, and give away maybe 1/2 pint jars of it for Christmas along with a little bag of the dry rub. I've been looking into canning because I'd like to give it to them unrefrigerated. I'm trying to keep cost to a minimum so I'd really prefer not to invest in seperate equipment. I'm thinking this is probably going to fall in the high acidity category so I'm hoping the boiling method is adequete. I'd like just to do this in a regular stock pot if possible. But I'm not sure how much boiling time to use and if this is even possible.
Can someone help?
PBear42
Assistant Cook
Okay, here's the issue. SOP in home canning is that one only works from procedures that have been vetted by a certified food scientist. Certifying a procedure involves more than just eyeballing the recipe and estimating acidity. In the test kitchen, they prepare the formula and test the pH. Here, we're winging it and that's generally discouraged.
For example, Gretchen notes that these are tomato-based sauces, so they start out acidic.* Well, yes and no. Commercial ketchup is made from tomato paste, and that's considerably less acidic than whole tomatoes. (The first step in making commercial tomato paste is centrifuging, which removes a lot of water and, with it, a lot of acidity.) Now, it's true that ketchup also has vinegar, so that takes up the acidity, but is it enough? When I made my first post, I was skeptical, in part because it is labeled "refrigerate after opening." Indeed, I have known ketchup to ferment occasionally when left at room temperature. Digging around, I finally found a USDA chart which lists the acidity of ketchup at 3.89 - 3.92, i.e., not quite acidic enough for hot water bath treatment. But, all three BBQ sauce recipes posted so far add even more vinegar. So maybe that's enough. I'd even say probably. I hesitate, though, to say it's beyond question. Which throws me back on that rule that one should only use certified procedures.
* Gretchen also mentions the sugar, and suggests that might have a further preservative effect here. I respectfully disagree. Sugar as such doesn't inhibit bacteria in the way that, say, salt and acidity do. Sugar can only inhibit bacteria if there's enough of it that binds so much water that the bacteria can't find enough to reproduce. Think jam. There's not nearly enough sugar in these recipes, even including that in the ketchup, to get this effect. So, I'm going to concentrate on acidity.
Then, there's another thing. I feel that, when giving folks a present of home canned product, one should be particularly conservative. Plainly, the risk (if any) of hot water processing these sauces would be very, very low. Most people, though, have zero risk tolerance for these things. By way of comparison, I happily use raw and undercooked eggs myself, but when I serve guests a caesar salad, I use a cooked-egg dressing. I consider it respecting that not everyone has my risk tolerance. So, here, I would pressure can.
A final point. Gretchen said pressure canning would be overkill. Maybe. But, it won't hurt the sauce. I've pressure canned a barbecue-style braising sauce that was definitely low acid. It came out just fine. Not surprising, really, given that (like the sauces we're discussing here) it was a puree of fairly sturdy ingredients. And, after all, commercial barbecue sauces are pressure-canned and they come out fine from a texture point of view. (My complaint with them is that they're too salty and too sweet.)
Please let me be clear. I'm not saying using a hot water bath would be reckless. I'm not even saying it would be wrong. I'm saying it's not what I would do and explaining why. I'll agree it's a subject over which reasonable minds could differ. I would recommend, though, that if you decide to pursue hot water bath processing, you at least contact your local extension office and ask their opinion. If they give it an upcheck, that would be good enough for me.
For example, Gretchen notes that these are tomato-based sauces, so they start out acidic.* Well, yes and no. Commercial ketchup is made from tomato paste, and that's considerably less acidic than whole tomatoes. (The first step in making commercial tomato paste is centrifuging, which removes a lot of water and, with it, a lot of acidity.) Now, it's true that ketchup also has vinegar, so that takes up the acidity, but is it enough? When I made my first post, I was skeptical, in part because it is labeled "refrigerate after opening." Indeed, I have known ketchup to ferment occasionally when left at room temperature. Digging around, I finally found a USDA chart which lists the acidity of ketchup at 3.89 - 3.92, i.e., not quite acidic enough for hot water bath treatment. But, all three BBQ sauce recipes posted so far add even more vinegar. So maybe that's enough. I'd even say probably. I hesitate, though, to say it's beyond question. Which throws me back on that rule that one should only use certified procedures.
* Gretchen also mentions the sugar, and suggests that might have a further preservative effect here. I respectfully disagree. Sugar as such doesn't inhibit bacteria in the way that, say, salt and acidity do. Sugar can only inhibit bacteria if there's enough of it that binds so much water that the bacteria can't find enough to reproduce. Think jam. There's not nearly enough sugar in these recipes, even including that in the ketchup, to get this effect. So, I'm going to concentrate on acidity.
Then, there's another thing. I feel that, when giving folks a present of home canned product, one should be particularly conservative. Plainly, the risk (if any) of hot water processing these sauces would be very, very low. Most people, though, have zero risk tolerance for these things. By way of comparison, I happily use raw and undercooked eggs myself, but when I serve guests a caesar salad, I use a cooked-egg dressing. I consider it respecting that not everyone has my risk tolerance. So, here, I would pressure can.
A final point. Gretchen said pressure canning would be overkill. Maybe. But, it won't hurt the sauce. I've pressure canned a barbecue-style braising sauce that was definitely low acid. It came out just fine. Not surprising, really, given that (like the sauces we're discussing here) it was a puree of fairly sturdy ingredients. And, after all, commercial barbecue sauces are pressure-canned and they come out fine from a texture point of view. (My complaint with them is that they're too salty and too sweet.)
Please let me be clear. I'm not saying using a hot water bath would be reckless. I'm not even saying it would be wrong. I'm saying it's not what I would do and explaining why. I'll agree it's a subject over which reasonable minds could differ. I would recommend, though, that if you decide to pursue hot water bath processing, you at least contact your local extension office and ask their opinion. If they give it an upcheck, that would be good enough for me.
I'm thinking this is probably going to fall in the high acidity category so I'm hoping the boiling method is adequete. I'd like just to do this in a regular stock pot if possible. But I'm not sure how much boiling time to use and if this is even possible.
Can someone help?
I think for a gift of this you have two possibilities. I have done both. One is to give the sauce as you want and tell your recipient (ON THE LABEL) to refrigerate it. It 's a small jar. It shouldn't be a burden. And they will undoubtedly be excited to use it quickly.
Otherwise, you can can it in a water bath for 20 minutes. Using a stock pot is possible. Personally, I would give it to be refrigerated.
Since my degrees are in microbiology I do approach food preservation with some caution and knowledge also.
Can someone help?
I think for a gift of this you have two possibilities. I have done both. One is to give the sauce as you want and tell your recipient (ON THE LABEL) to refrigerate it. It 's a small jar. It shouldn't be a burden. And they will undoubtedly be excited to use it quickly.
Otherwise, you can can it in a water bath for 20 minutes. Using a stock pot is possible. Personally, I would give it to be refrigerated.
Since my degrees are in microbiology I do approach food preservation with some caution and knowledge also.
Gretchen said:
This is very helpful thanks! For clarification: are you saying I can make it, put it in jars, give it away unrefrigerated and then tell them to refrigerate? If so, how long could it be unrefrigerated?
Thanks again so much for this reply!
