Barr's Texas BBQ Sauce Recipe

A rustic kitchen setting with a large, seasoned wooden table laden with vibrant ingredients for Barr's Texas BBQ Sauce. In the foreground, a large, old-fashioned pot sits on a vintage stovetop, its polished surface reflecting the warm amber glow of the kitchen lights. Surrounding the pot, bowls brimming with apple cider vinegar, sugar, honey, yellow mustard, and various spices like cayenne, chili powder, and cumin add a burst of color. Freshly squeezed lemons and minced garlic cloves are artfully arranged alongside freeze-dried onions, creating a sense of abundance. The background features an inviting kitchen with open shelves filled with jars of spices, wooden utensils, and BBQ paraphernalia. A rustic window lets in soft, golden daylight, casting gentle shadows across the scene. The warm and welcoming atmosphere embodies the essence of homely comfort and culinary creativity. There is a sense of anticipation in the air, as if the delightful aroma of simmering BBQ sauce is about to fill the room, inviting viewers to imagine the mouthwatering flavors of Texas BBQ. The overall mood is lively and festive, perfect for a backyard gathering or a family feast.

Ingredients:
2 Cups apple cider vinegar
3 Cups water
2 Cups sugar
1 Cup honey
1/4 Cup yellow mustard, such as French's
2 Tsp black pepper
2 Lemons (juice of) or 6 Tbsp bottled lemon juice
4 Clove garlic minced
1/4 Cup freeze-dried or 1 1/2 cups diced onion
1/2 Stick butter
1/4 Tsp cayenne
1/4 Cup chili powder
2 Tbsp table salt
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp paprika

5 Cups (40 ounces) of store-brand ketchup
3 Tbsp Worchester sauce
1/4 Cup liquid smoke

Procedure:
Combine all of the ingredients in the first group in a large pot and stir to combine. Cook at medium heat to dissolve the sugar and until the onions are tender, about 20 minutes.

Add 5 cups (40 ounces) of store-brand ketchup, 3 Tbsp Worchestire sauce, and 1/4 cup of liquid smoke.

Stir well and bring to a boil. Then, back off and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Let stand to cool.

Once at room temperature, put the pot in the fridge overnight for best results.

If my memory serves me right, this recipe makes about a gallon of sauce, which freezes very well, although it doesn't freeze solid.   

BBQ Pork Belly

A captivating outdoor kitchen scene, embodying the essence of BBQ pork belly preparation, unfolds in a beautifully arranged setting. In the foreground, a large, succulent pork belly, expertly trimmed and marinated, glistens with a rich, golden-brown crust as it rests atop a rustic wooden cutting board. Surrounding it are essential kitchen utensils—a gleaming, sharp chef's knife and a sturdy spatula—highlighting the craftsmanship involved in this culinary art. The background features a well-equipped Weber Performer Deluxe grill, with its lid propped open, releasing wisps of fragrant smoke that curl into the evening air. Glowing charcoal and aromatic hickory chunks are visible inside the grill, promising a depth of flavor. The scene is bathed in a warm, inviting glow from the soft light of a setting sun, filtering through nearby trees, illuminating a vibrant array of colorful spices and seasonings thoughtfully arranged around the pork belly, each jar and bottle hinting at the delicious flavors about to be unleashed. A ceramic plate filled with a glossy BBQ sauce and a sleek pastry brush lies close by, ready to apply tantalizing finishes. In one corner, a small bowl of freshly chopped herbs bursts with green vitality, contrasting with the wooden textures of the kitchen surroundings.

I have recently been reading several articles that spout the virtues of BBQ'd pork belly, so I decided to give it a try. However, trying to find a pork belly in stock at your local grocery store is a challenging thing. I checked a source or two online, and the prices ranged from 15-50 dollars per pound. For me, these costs were outrageously outrageous. Seriously, folks, how many of us can afford $50.00 per pound for fatty pork?

I made some inquiries with grocery stores near my home (a few miles from New Orleans) when, amazingly, I found a Winn Dixie store that had one. The meat market manager told me that he had received an order from someone who wanted three bellies, but since there were four to a case, he had the remaining one in the freezer.

It was more than 14 Lbs and much more than I had planned on buying. That's a bunch of bellies, and I was worried about the cost. I had hoped that the per-pound cost would be somewhere in the $5-$6 bracket. I was shocked when he charged me $2.08 per pound.

Enough about that; so what exactly is a pork belly? Well, it's exactly that—the belly of a pig that is most often used to create one of the tastiest pieces of meat known as bacon.

To make bacon, the pork belly is cured and cold-smoked, but for BBQ, it is not cured or brined but smoked for hours until the fat has been rendered and the meat is as tender as a fine steak. Just think of BBQed pork belly as high-end pulled pork from a pork butt.

I trimmed the belly into several manageable pieces, leaving one large piece to cook. Since this was the only piece of meat I was cooking, I used my Weber Performer Deluxe instead of my Weber 22-inch WSM.

I set up the Performer fueled with Kingston charcoal and hickory chunks and hoped to smoke the belly at 225-250 degrees, but that was not working. Suffice it to say that 300 degrees worked without a hiccup.

After about three hours in the Performer, the belly had a significant amount of smoke but was still tough, so I double-wrapped it in foil and put it in the oven set at 225 degrees.

After about an hour, I was enjoying the wonderful smell of BBQ pork in my kitchen, so I pulled it from the oven. It was oh-so-tender, so I stripped it of its foil and placed it on a cooling rack to set.

The succulent and juicy belly meat was a culinary experience with fat rendered.

Great BBQ

This 10 pound brisket was cooked for a total of 12 hours with hickory wood and I'm here to tell you neither teeth nor sauce were required to enjoy this tender and flavorful piece of meat.

My recommendation for the backyard smoker or someone who wants to make the best BBQ on the planet (I'm not sure which one, but it sounds impressive) is to buy the Weber Mountain Smokey Model 721001. I have been smoking meat ever since I left Texas, long enough to know the difference between a really good smoker and an inferior one. Actually, these are used by BBQers on the competition circuit.

Don't waste your time or money on one of those $175.00 smokers in places like Home Depot or the like. They are not up to the task and you will never achieve anything close to perfection; I know from personal experience. And if you think that you need a $1,000 or more smoker, think again. The added cost is unnecessary unless you must smoke meat in very cold conditions. But for the majority of us, the Weber is all that you will ever need to produce championship-quality BBQ for less than $300 (delivered from Amazon.com), and at the end of the day, this is what it is all about.

http://www.amazon.com/Weber-721001-Smokey-Mountain-Cooker

I like to layer briquettes and wood: a good solid base layer of briquettes, then some wood, another layer of charcoal, and then a few chunks of wood on top. Do not use charcoal because it will burn way too hot.

I say that one of the key requirements for a great BBQ is a steady temp of about 225 - 250 degrees on the temp gauge of your smoker and, again, that nice, even consistent stream of smoke flowing from the top vents that should ALWAYS remain open. Monitor the temp and adjust lower dampers accordingly.

A digital thermometer is critical to good BBQ. Feed the probe down through a top vent, insert it in the thickest part of the meat, close the lid, and attach the probe to the thermometer.

DO NOT OPEN THE LID TO SEE HOW YOUR BBQ LOOKS, NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING IT MAY BE. Remember, the difference between okay BBQ and great BBQ is a steady temperature. Every time you lift the lid, you lose that edge and increase your cooking temperature. The only time that you should open the lid is to either put meat in or take it off or to mop the meat.

Note: Most meats absorb most of the smoke that they are going to after the first hour or maybe 1 1/2 hours. After that, you're wasting wood, and your meat won't taste good, not at all.  

What is a brisket? Flat/point, high fat content. Trim well

A brisket will take at least 12 hours for a 10 lb. flat cut. Place the prepared brisket on the lower rack, stabilize the temperature to about 220-250 degrees based on the lid's temp gauge, and monitor the internal temperature with the digital probe. They are done when they reach between 198 and 205 degrees

As for pork or beef ribs, use a rib rack. Smoker real estate does not come cheap, so maximize your cooking area to the best of your ability. As far as eating ribs, I hold the minority opinion that the meat should not fall off the bone. I like a little bite and a little bit of a chew. Not much but enough where the meat will stay on the rib as you hold and eat it. But this is my preference. It's like Fillet Mignon vs. a rib-eye steak...gum it or chew it. Unfortunately, too many people rate BBQ pork/beef ribs by the fall-off-the-bone criteria. These should take about 4-5 hours.

Smoking whole chickens is a breeze. Season them with whatever you like, making sure to season the cavity even more than the skin. Set your digital thermometer to 160 and stick the probe into the thickest part of a thigh or breast. They are practically impossible to mess up unless you over-smoke them.

Note: Please remember to place only room-temperature meat on your smoker. To prepare the meat, just rub on your favorite spice mix. No mopping is ever required. Remember the keep the lid closed rule?

For pork/chicken BBQ, I use Jake's Boss BBQ rub that you have to make (well worth the trouble) or Bad Byron's Pork Butt seasoning, available online or in some stores. For brisket/beef ribs, I use Cooper's "original" spice rub from Llano, TX, which can be purchased online.

I hope that you benefit from this article in your quest to make a great BBQ.

Jake's Boss BBQ Rub For Pork or Chicken

Just remember: If you use this recipe for grilling, keep an eye on it because the sugar has a low burn rate.

Better yet, try reducing the amount of sugar by 1/2 (I have not tried this yet). 


1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar

¼ cup coarse salt (I prefer 2 Tbs)

½ cup paprika

3 tbsp dried parsley

2 tbsp dried basil

2 tbsp oregano

2 tbsp dried thyme

2 tsp powdered onion

1 ½ tbs lemon pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon
1.5 tbs dried Worcestershire (optional)