Grab a medium sized saucepan and set it over medium heat. Pour in a bit of olive oil just enough to coat the bottom. Once it’s warm, toss in the diced onion. Let it cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring now and then, until it softens and turns translucent.

Now, stir in the minced garlic. Let that cook for another minute or two. You’re just looking for it to become fragrant don’t let it brown.

Splash in the red wine vinegar to loosen up anything stuck to the bottom of the pan. Scrape up all those flavourful bits. Stir in the Dijon mustard, plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Let it bubble gently for a couple of minutes.

Turn the heat down low. Stir in the molasses, ketchup, BBQ rub, liquid smoke, and Worcestershire sauce. Give everything a good mix so it’s fully blended.

Keep the sauce on low heat and let it gently simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir once in a while so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. The sauce will thicken a bit and the flavours will really come together.

If you want a smoother sauce, you can use an immersion blender right in the pot. Or let it cool a bit and blend it in a regular blender.

Give it a taste and tweak as needed maybe a little more vinegar if you like it tangy, more molasses for extra sweetness, or a bit more BBQ rub if you want to crank up the flavour.

Once it’s done, let the sauce cool down completely. Then pour it into a clean jar or airtight container. Store it in the fridge it should keep well for up to two weeks.