Whole 30 Whole30 Memphis BBQ Sauce
BBQ sauce is one of those condiments that seems simple until you flip the bottle over and find a list of off-limits ingredients — added sugars, corn syrup, soy, and preservatives that make it a hard pass during a reset. This smoky, tangy Memphis-style sauce skips all of that without sacrificing any of the depth you'd expect from a great backyard recipe. Date paste steps in as the natural sweetener, delivering just enough richness to balance the apple cider vinegar's bite, while coconut aminos add that savory, umami backbone in place of soy sauce. Smoked paprika, chili powder, and a hit of cayenne build a bold, layered heat that tastes like it's been simmering all afternoon — even though the whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes on the stovetop. The sauce thickens beautifully as it cooks and continues to set as it cools, so you end up with a glossy, spoonable consistency that clings to ribs, chicken, or pulled pork exactly the way it should. Making a batch yields eight servings, so it's worth doubling up and keeping a jar in the fridge for the week ahead.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 3 tbsp date paste
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 2
Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the paste darkens slightly and begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes.
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