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Classic Barbecue Sauce    

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chile powder or paprika
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup amber beer or ale
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and ground black pepper
Tabasco sauce, optional or to taste


In a saucepan cook onions in oil over moderate heat until tender. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes and chile powder and cook for 1 minute. Add ketchup, beer, vinegar, water, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, and Tabasco sauce, stirring to combine. Partially cover and simmer until slightly thickened about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, with Tabasco sauce. Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool completely. Sauce can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 weeks or frozen for up to 1 month.