Marinades, Sauces, Rubs & Salsas
Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce
Barbecue sauces flavored with soda are a great American tradition. This one features the granddaddy of American soft drinks—Dr Pepper—which was invented in 1885, a year before Coke. The setting was Waco, Texas, then, also known as Six Shooter Junction. The place was Wade Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store, where a pharmacist named Charles Alderton combined spices, sweeteners, and carbonated water to come up with this uniquely American beverage.
As for the name, it was Wade Morrison’s attempt to woo a Virginia girl he was courting (her father was Dr. Charles Pepper). His sweet, tart, aromatic soda possesses just the flavor profile you want in a barbecue sauce.
Serve this with Foolproof Barbecued Chicken.
Other Great Barbecue Sauce Recipes:
Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce
Recipe Notes
- Yield: Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 large juicy lemon
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and lightly crushed with the side of a cleaver
- 1 thin (1/4-inch) slice onion
- 1 cup Dr Pepper
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons A.1. steak sauce
- 1 tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar,or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
Recipe Steps
1: Cut the lemon in half cross wise and cut a 1/4-inch slice off of one half. Remove any seeds in this slice. Juice the remaining lemon: You should have 2 to 3 tablespoons juice.
2: Place the lemon slice, 2 table spoons of the lemon juice, and the garlic, onion slice, Dr Pepper, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, liquid smoke, and pepper in a heavy nonreactive saucepan and gradually bring to a boil over medium heat.
3: Reduce the heat slightly to maintain a gentle simmer. Let the sauce simmer gently until thick and richly flavored, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice, hot sauce, and/or vinegar as necessary and seasoning with salt to taste, if desired.
4: Strain the sauce into a bowl (or clean glass jars) and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate, covered, until serving. The sauce will keep for several months in the refrigerator.
5: Bring to room temperature before serving.