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My Cajun bbq sauce gives a flavor-popping performance that features alternating tangy, sweet, and spicy flavor highs and lows, y'all. Made entirely from pantry ingredients, my spin on the beloved grilling condiment marries several south Louisiana flavor faves into one uniquely delectable sauce that jazzes up everything it touches. Yep and yay...
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It's All About That Oomph, Y'all...
It's true that nothing makes or breaks a sauce more than its ability to pop right off of your taste buds with a wild, zesty bang. Am I right?
Well, this Cajun bbq sauce has the oomph, the 'wow' factor that you're looking for in a homemade recipe. Using ketchup as the base ensures that it sticks well to the meat from the grill to the plate. Then, adding carefully selected ingredients such as cane vinegar, Creole mustard, and just a few complementary spices revs up each delicious bite. And, using both molasses and brown sugar to sweeten the sauce also deepens the overall flavor profile, which balances each bite to perfection.
Ready to use in just minutes, this Louisiana barbecue sauce recipe keeps in the fridge for impromptu cookouts and leftovers transformations, as well.
Ingredient Essentials
- Ketchup is the main ingredient here, y'all. It holds the rest of the ingredients together. I love and use Hunt's.
- Creole mustard plays a major role in the flavor and texture of this Cajun bbq sauce.
- Liquid smoke adds just a hint of smokiness to the sauce. I used it in moderation in the recipe so that it would not overpower the rest of the ingredients.
- Cajun spices are also a must, y'all. I used just a handful, and just a sprinkling of cayenne, black pepper, and salt to season the sauce.
- Brown sugar and molasses add depth of flavor and just the right amount of sweetness.
- Local cane vinegar enlivens this sauce, injecting it with the perfect tangy balance that makes the sauce lip-smacking good.
How to Make Cajun BBQ Sauce
Start by gathering all of the ingredients. Then, pour them all into a skillet or saucepan set over medium-low heat.
Give it all a good stir until well combined. Then, cook down for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and deepens in color slightly to a darker red.
And that's it, y'all!
The first thing you notice about this Cajun bbq sauce is its smooth, rich texture. Then, the pops of tangy and just a wee bit spicy hit your tongue and throat.
At the finish, you taste just a bit of sugary sweetness, which rounds out the bite and makes you ready to relish the next one. Indeed.
Share with those who bring their own special blend of boisterous balance into your life. Much love, and see y'all on the yum side...
Storage
Store covered in the fridge for up to a week.
Cajun BBQ Sauce Substitutions
Use any coarse ground or stone ground mustard in place of the Creole mustard, if necessary.
Also, you can replace Steen's cane vinegar with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
Similar Recipes
You may also like these other homemade Cajun sauces.
Other BBQ Recipes
Check out these other backyard barbecue recipes.
Cajun BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Zatarain's Creole mustard
- 2 teaspoons Steen's cane vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke I use Colgin
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- ¼ teaspoon dried paprika
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
Instructions
- Pour all ingredients into a skillet or saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, or until all of the ingredients are well combined and the color of the sauce darkens slightly.
Video
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
