Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

spring hill ranch's house barbecue sauce

Recipe by
Wiley P
Sierra Vista, AZ

We found a barbecue sauce recipe said to be over 165 years old. After adjusting it with modern-day ingredients and just a little for our own tastes, we decided it was the best all-around sauce we've ever had and that it was more than worthy of the Spring Hill Ranch House Barbecue Sauce moniker. Visitors and summer residents here in the canyon often ask us to make a few quarts of it to take home for their friends. We have always held the recipe to be a secret, though, so don't tell anyone where you got it! Great on beef, chicken, pork, tractor tires, you name it!

yield serving(s)
prep time 15 Min
cook time 50 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For spring hill ranch's house barbecue sauce

  • 2 Tbsp
    lard (if you absolutely must, substitute canola or vegetable oil)
  • 1/2 c
    diced yellow or white onion
  • 2 clove
    garlic, minced
  • 1 c
    ketchup
  • 1/4 c
    worcestersahire sauce
  • 1/4 c
    lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp
    apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp
    packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp
    (rounded) american yellow mustard
  • 2 tsp
    paprika (smoked spanish if you have it)
  • 1 tsp
    hot pepper sauce (recommend cholula, but tabasco or frank's original may be substituted)
  • 1/2 tsp
    kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp
    freshly coarse-ground black pepper
  • 4 md
    chile pequices (small dried red chiles), whole, optional

How To Make spring hill ranch's house barbecue sauce

  • 1
    In a medium pot over medium, heat up the lard. Add the grated onions, and cook them (stirring often) until softened and turning opaque, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook/stir until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Stir in the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, yellow mustard, paprika, hot pepper sauce, salt, pepper and (if using) chile pequines.
  • 2
    Stirring often, bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and, stirring often to prevent burning, barely simmer it for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the vinegar, salt and black pepper if needed.
  • 3
    Works best served hot. Store in airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
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