Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the apple cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Stir well to combine.
- Mix in smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Stir until all spices are evenly distributed.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Stir in the Zatarain’s Creole mustard and cook for another 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed, adding more cayenne for heat or sugar for sweetness. Remove from heat and let the sauce cool before using.
Notes
Feel free to tweak the cayenne pepper to suit your spice tolerance. Start small and build up. Brown sugar can be replaced with honey or maple syrup for a different sweetness profile.
For an even smokier taste, add a splash of liquid smoke, but I recommend starting with less than 1/4 teaspoon. This sauce actually tastes better after a day or two as the flavors meld, so feel free to prepare it ahead of time.