Kansas City Style Sauce Recipe

Sauté aromatics

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Add the minced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Build the base

Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, 1–2 minutes to remove raw tomato flavor and deepen color.

Add liquids and sweeteners

Add the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and molasses. Stir until the sugar dissolves and mixture is uniform.

Season and thin

Add the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. Stir to combine. Pour in 1/2 cup water (or reserved pan juices) and whisk until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add additional water 1–2 tbs at a time to reach desired consistency.

Simmer and reduce

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Let simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and flavors meld, about 12–18 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a touch more vinegar for brightness, sugar or molasses for sweetness, or hot sauce for heat.

Finish and strain (optional)

For a very smooth, restaurant-style finish, remove from heat and strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids with the back of a spoon. Return sauce to the pan.

Mount with butter and store

With the pan off heat, whisk in the butter until melted for a glossy sheen (optional). Cool slightly before using. Use immediately to baste or serve as a dipping sauce, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Application to meat

When applying to meats: brush sauce on during the last 10–15 minutes of grilling or smoking to avoid burning the sugars. For oven-roasted or braised meats, brush on during the final 10–15 minutes of cooking and then rest 5–10 minutes before serving.