Name: Lexington-Style Barbecue Sauce
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Makes about 2½ cups
Cuisine: American, Southern
Ingredients: 2 cups cider vinegar; 1 cup ketchup; 2 teaspoons granulated garlic; 2 teaspoons pepper; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Why This Recipe Works

In Lexington, North Carolina, the barbecue sauce is tangy in flavor, ideal for soaking into rich, smoky barbecued pork. To mimic it, we simmered cider vinegar, ketchup, granulated garlic, pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt to meld their flavors. The ketchup made the sauce redder, a touch sweeter, and a bit thicker.

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in small saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer sauce to bowl and let cool completely.