As summer is winding to a close (all too quickly I might add!), we’re getting in a few small barbecues with family and friends. Steve even built a pretty sweet new grill set up for us right outside the back door. That inevitably means grilling a few chickens along with all our fresh veg.

We like experimenting with a variety of flavors while grilling, but sometimes you need just a classic barbecue flavor that hits that sweet and savory profile. Hence this summer barbecue sauce was born. It’s simple and straightforward…and only took 30 minutes to pull together. While I know the flavors would probably meld together even better if I let it slowly simmer overnight or even a few hours, it’s still pretty darn good as is. And I could let it simmer while I prepared the rest of the meal and then be ready to use it!

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Summer barbecue sauce

A great classic barbecue flavor with both sweet and savory notes. Paleo-friendly.

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword barbecue, sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1/4 cup Onion diced
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/2 cup Applesauce unsweetened
• 1/2 cup Tomato paste
• 1/3 cup Maple syrup
• 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Cacao powder

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent.

2. Add all other ingredients and simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. At this point it's ready to use immediately or you can pour into a jar and let it cool before refrigerating.