Cooking Instructions

Nothing tastes like a rich, thick homemade barbecue sauce. We make ours with Essential Red, bringing out the juicy, tangy notes of the wine, which pairs so well with just about everything!

Brush on chicken or ribs while grilling, allowing the sauce to caramelize. Mix with pulled pork to create a deliciously messy sandwich. Use as a dipping sauce for roasted potatoes or veggies. Layer on flatbread with cheese and cilantro to make a unique pizza appetizer. The possibilities are limitless…

• Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, butter and pinch of salt and caramelize for 20 minutes, until deeply brown and sweet.
• Reduce heat slightly. Add the red pepper and sauté with the onions for another 10 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid scorching.
• Add the bottle of Essential Red. (Minus one glass to enjoy while you cook!)
• Reduce at a low simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the orange juice and reduce for another 20 minutes.
• Add the beer and reduce for 10 minutes.
• Add your Worcestershire, hot sauce, vinegar, apple juice, honey, garlic, mustard and a couple teaspoons of ground pepper. Simmer 20 minutes. (Keep all ingredients on hand to tweak with later.)
• Add the brown sugar and ketchup and simmer for 10 more minutes. Start tasting!
• Taste and adjust: Too sweet, add vinegar, a touch of salt.
• Too sour, add more brown sugar or honey.
• Needs body, add ketchup.
• Too thick, thin with juice.
• Go low and slow…the longer it simmers, the more concentrated the flavors!