by MATTHEW PERRY for Cascade AE

Longer evenings and increasingly warmer weather can only mean one thing in Central Oregon. Outdoor dining season is here and we must take advantage of this wonderful but short season.
Just as the kitchen is where people congregate indoors, the grill or BBQ is where people tend to gather outside. While we in the United States did not invent cooking over open flame, we have definitely taken it to a new level with our unique BBQ and grilling cuisine.
Whether you are grilling steaks and veggies quickly over high heat or taking on traditional brisket or pulled pork with low and slow BBQ, the smells wafting through your neighborhood will be the envy of all those around you.
Keeping a few good rubs and seasonings on hand will make your grilling all the more exciting this season. Use any rub or seasoning directly on meat or veggies with some olive oil, or mix them into a marinade, or even use them to make a BBQ sauce. Making a sauce is simple and you can take a basic recipe and spice it up however you want to keep it interesting throughout the Summer.
Once you have the basics, you can mix and match flavors to create your own unique take on American BBQ.

Savory Spice
Old Mill District
375 SW Powerhouse Dr., Ste. 110
Bend, OR 97702
541-306-6855
www.savoryspiceshop.com

BBQ Master Sauce
This Test Kitchen Approved recipe has been tested for accuracy.
No matter what style of regional BBQ you’re making, you can adapt this sauce to fit by using your favorite Savory BBQ rub as the seasoning. Yields: 1 1/2 cups.
Ingredients
½ medium onion, roughly chopped
1/4 cup water
1 cup ketchup
2/3 cup molasses
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Red Habanero Hot Sauce
(or similar), optional
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. dehydrated minced garlic
3 tbsp. Memphis BBQ Rub
Notes
This is a basic BBQ sauce recipe than can be made using your favorite BBQ rub. Try switching out the Memphis rub with one of our other BBQ rubs, like Carolina High Country BBQ Rub, Native Texan BBQ Rub or Team Sweet Mama’s KC Style Rub. For a tangier, slightly less sweet version, increase ketchup by 1/3 cup, use only 1/3 cup molasses, and substitute white vinegar for cider vinegar and yellow mustard for Dijon mustard.
Directions
Place the onion and water together in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pureed onion, ketchup, molasses, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard and hot sauce. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and BBQ rub and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in ketchup mixture, bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until sauce thickens, about 20 to 30 minutes. Cool sauce to room temperature before serving. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, the sauce will keep for about a week.
Serving Suggestions
Use as a basting, finishing or dipping sauce with your favorite grilled chicken, ribs, brisket or veggies.