Improve Store-Bought Barbecue Sauce With A Single Sweet Spice

If you've tried making creamy barbecue sauce with a store-bought base, you understand that the sauce that comes out of a container is not the one you have to serve at this weekend's barbecue. And if you've experienced the mouth-watering magic that is a cinnamon and brown sugar pulled pork recipe, you might know where we are heading. For hurried moments when you don't have time to make a homemade sweet and tangy sauce for the night's dinner party, you can doctor up a pre-made version and embellish it with a quick addition of cinnamon.

Before you begin, you may want to separate the original sauce into separate dishes in order to create distinct flavors for guests and family members to sample. One version can contain sauce that has been enhanced with molasses and cinnamon, for example, while another builds a zippier, zingier foundation with cinnamon and pineapple juice. Whether you sprinkle in powdered cinnamon to mix directly into the dish or slow-cook a larger batch of sauce on the stovetop with a cinnamon stick or two, the warming, earthy spice will add a grounded jolt to your barbecue dishes. You won't need much to spruce up a bland recipe. A quarter to a half teaspoon per 2 cups of sauce is a good starting point. From there, adjust and season to taste so that your sauces are deliciously smooth, instead of off-putting or chalky.

Once your spice rack is out in the open, pair cinnamon with a sprinkle of nutmeg or cloves, or consider adding coriander or thyme to your recipe. If the seasoned sauce is already simmering on the stove and you're craving a slightly sweeter version, adding brown sugar or applesauce can help balance out recipes, and you can include garlic powder or sea salt to build layers in your saucy creation to accommodate different palates and preferences.

Further enhance your gussied-up creations with a splash of whiskey to amplify the tasting notes of warm spice. Fireball is an easy inclusion or reach for Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire. If you notice that your sauce is too sweet to your liking, a half teaspoon of chili powder or a quick dusting of cayenne can steer your recipe into a spicier lane. Smoky ancho chile powder can also complement the cinnamon-enhanced sauce you've stirred up in a dish. With a bit of culinary tinkering, your inventive sauces may surprise you — and go quickly once slathered on top of ribs and used to dunk warm batches of crispy steak fries straight out of the oven.