Karen’s All Natural Smoky Apricot-Tomato Barbecue Sauce
Jun 17, 2017, Updated May 14, 2025
Better than store-bought bottled – yes you can make your own BBQ sauce at home! This is the best down-home All American Barbecue Sauce!
Tomato based with natural sweetness form the apricots and smokey heat from pasilla chiles.
Karen’s All Natural Smoky Apricot-Tomato Barbecue Sauce
Better than store-bought bottled – yes you can make your own BBQ sauce at home! This is the best down-home All American Barbecue Sauce – smoky and not too sweet.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons safflower oil*, or neutral non GMO oil
- 1 1/4 cup sweet onions, peeled, chopped 1/4″ dice
- 5 cloves fresh garlic, peeled, chopped (2 T.)
- 2/3 cup fresh apricots, pitted, chopped (or can use 1/2 cup dried)
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/3 cup coconut palm sugar, or light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark molasses, organic if possible
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried Pasilla chile*, soaked, seeded and chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning, crumbled
- 1/4 cup strong coffee
- 1 teaspoons liquid aminos, Bragg or tamari sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14.5 ounces fire roasted chopped tomatoes, canned, organic
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy two quart non reactive pot, sauté onion until translucent in oil over low heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic, raise heat to medium-low. Cook 10 minutes until just lightly colored. Add the next 13 ingredients (fresh apricots through fire roasted tomatoes) one by one and give a big stir.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, uncovered – stirring from time to time (to prevent scorching on the bottom of the pot.)
- Add water when needed, when becomes too thick 1/4 cup at a time, up to 3/4 cup for the right consistency. Taste and season with sea salt. Cool slightly – pulse in a food processor for a finer barbecue sauce (I do this.)
- Add a tablespoon of good whisky if you like to the finished sauce.
- Serve warm – it’s nice that way, or refrigerate in a glass air- tight container. Will say fresh for up to one month – yes, you can freeze some – or “can” in ball jars for longer shelf stable storage.
Notes
* With concerns about gmo’s and processing of oils, use a vegetable oil which has not been chemically treated, this is called “expeller pressed”.
*Dried Pasilla Chiles – these are moderately spicy chiles that add natural smokiness. You can substitute ground chiles such as Ancho Chile Powder or Chipotle Chile Powder (a little spicier.)
This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Calories: 21kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 0.4gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.03gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 71mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 239IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 0.3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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