Now that I live in the South, I'm having to master the art of BBQ. And of course here, BBQ is not the appliance you cook on - that's a grill - but the rich, super-tender pull apart pork slathered in a regionally-perfected sauce.  This is a hybrid BBQ sauce, mixing Texas (sweet tomato base) and North Carolina (vinegar base) styles. This sauce makes a killer substitute for tomato sauce on pizza. Try topping with chicken, pineapple and a nice, assertive cheese.

Yields about 1.5 cups of sauce
Ingredients

• 1/2 medium yellow onion, grated on a box grater
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1/4 cup molasses - I like Wholesome Sweetener's Organic Molasses
• 1 cup tomato ketchup
• 2 Tbsp Kentucky bourbon
• 6 Tbsp cider vinegar (2 reserved)
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
• 2 dried hot chillies, chopped lengthwise or 1/4-1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• salt to taste

Method
Heat oil in the bottom of a sauce pan until just starting to smoke. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add everything but 2 Tbsp of cider vinegar and the salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Heat over medium high heat until beginning to boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp of cider vinegar. Adjust sweetness to taste (this varies depending on the type of ketchup and chilis used).