It’s grillin’ season,  and grillin’ season requires gallons of barbecue sauce for slathering. We mop barbecue sauce on just about everything. It’s Squirrel’s favorite condiment. I love the deep, bold flavor that barbecue sauce adds to just about any cut of meat. It really enhances a recipe.

The other day I made baby back ribs and was going to slather them with one of my favorite store-bought sauces, Sweet Baby Ray’s. Man, I love that sauce. Their honey chipotle is finger lickin’ tasty.

I opened the fridge to grab my beloved Sweet Baby Ray’s when I noticed one lonely bottle of Guinness sitting patiently in the very back of the refrigerator, staring out and looking unloved. I knew it was there; I just didn’t know what to do with it. I’m not even sure why I originally purchased it, considering I don’t drink the stuff straight up. It was ignored, pushed to the side, and hidden behind a jar of pickles. It sat there so long that it began to ferment and get stronger.

After staring at the deprived bottle of stout for a few seconds, a light bulb went off. I quickly sat the Sweet Baby Ray’s down and grabbed the bottle Guinness.

Enter Guinness barbecue sauce. The bold, chocolatey stout created a flavorful sauce.

Guinness Barbecue Sauce-7815

I started by cooking some onions, green peppers, and garlic. I add the Guinness and reduced it by half, which yielded a rich, dark sauce. The addition of molasses and brown sugar sweetened the sauce and gave it that ubiquitous sticky texture that caramelizes perfectly when slathered on meat and grilled.

This will be your new favorite sauce to grill with.

Guinness Barbecue Sauce | www.themessybakerblog.com -7836

This sauce takes very little effort to throw together. It’s so simple, I made it on a Monday evening after work.

Baby back ribs never tasted so good. Enjoy!

Guinness Barbecue Sauce
Recipe Type: Sauce
Author: Jennie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 cups Guinness
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
  • Salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat the canola oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the green peppers, onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes.
  2. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Take the saucepan off of the heat and add the Guinness. Place the pot back on the burner and reduce to half, about 10 minutes.
  3. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, ground mustard, cayenne (if using), and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir the mixture to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender or transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth.
  5. Use right away or allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.