The BEST Apple Cider BBQ Sauce Recipe - The Foodie and The Fix (2024)

FAQs

What does apple cider vinegar do for BBQ? ›

My favourite choice for spritzing meat is a mix of apple cider vinegar and water as it helps balance fatty cuts of meat, add moisture, and inject flavour. Avoid spritzing too often as it will increase your cooking time.

Adding garlic or onion powder are standard flavors for barbecue, but get a little creative and try out different chile powders, peppers, cumin, or dried herbs to add body to the sauce.

When it comes to barbecue sauce, ACV brings the tanginess with an added touch of sweetness. You've got apple notes, as well as that element of cider — both welcome nuances to BBQ sauce. The needed acidity for balance is there but without all the sharp edges of white vinegar.

Mix it with Honey

If the tartness of apple cider vinegar is too much for you, try sweetening it up with a little honey. The natural sweetness of honey can help balance out the acidity and create a more palatable taste.

Allow to meld on counter about 1 hour prior to using the first time. Shake several times. Use to marinate meat or poultry for 3 hours.

You can use either flour or cornstarch to thicken BBQ sauce. Just mix together 2 tbsp (16 g) of flour and ¼ cup (62.5 mL) of water, or combine 1 tbsp (9 g) of cornstarch with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of water. Continue mixing the thickener until there are no lumps of flour or cornstarch.

The problem is that most store-bought barbecue sauces just aren't that stellar. They're off-the-scales sweet, packed with fake "smoke" flavor, or weirdly viscous like butterscotch. If you want to really elevate your barbecue, you're going to have to make your own sauce.

The vinegar used for this style of sauce is usually apple cider vinegar, but plain white vinegar works as well. In fact, any vinegar will work provided that the other ingredients match the flavors. Try balsamic or fruit-based vinegars.

Just note that it will taste slightly different and obviously won't have that hint of apple flavor if that's also what you're after. “White vinegar is a little higher on acidity and has a more sour taste,” Burdeos explains. “This just depends on the flavor and look you are going for in a dish or condiment.

What if I add too much apple cider vinegar to my recipe? ›

If you have added too much vinegar to a recipe, you can try adding a bit of sugar or honey to help balance the acidity. You could also try diluting the vinegar by adding more of the other ingredients in the recipe.

Apple cider vinegar isn't likely to be effective for weight loss. Proponents of apple cider vinegar claim that it has numerous health benefits and that drinking a small amount or taking a supplement before meals helps curb appetite and burn fat. However, there's little scientific support for these claims.

The bottom line

When buying apple cider vinegar at the store, look for products made from high quality ingredients and without artificial additives. While more research is needed, organic, raw, and unfiltered apple cider vinegar may be the best choice for optimal health benefits.

The well-balanced combination of flavors greatly enhances the flavor of smoked proteins and helps to tenderize due to the high vinegar content.

Marinate with Acid

Not only does a tenderizing steak marinade imbue aromatic flavour, but the acidic ingredients in it also denature connective proteins in the meat. Regular or apple cider vinegar, wine or beer, lemon or lime juice, buttermilk or yogurt contain tenderizing acids.

Open the pit each hour to spritz the brisket with Apple Cider Vinegar. This will help keep the meat moist during the smoking process and break down some of the tougher portions of meat. Don't flip the brisket or take a long time doing this, though, because you don't want to lose your heat.

They were first used in the Renaissance to make meat juicier or to mellow the flavor of game. Today, marinades are generally used to bring out the flavor of the meat. An ideal ingredient for this purpose (among many other uses!) is apple cider vinegar.