Some barbecue enthusiasts will tell you it’s all about the sauce. That’s certainly the case with the new recipe I share this week my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon. You can’t buy one off the shelf that duplicates it—especially if you want a vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free option. Homemade barbecue sauces and other marinades also lack the high-fructose processed sweeteners so common in commercial bottles. Plus, you can make them for a fraction of the cost if you already have many of the base ingredients in your kitchen.

I developed this tomato-based barbecue sauce recipe intending to pair it with smoked and grilled mushrooms and then tested it with a couple of meaty types. Full-size portobellos pick up the most flavor in their large gills, but baby bella (aka cremini) mushrooms also work. The thick stalks and wide caps of King trumpet mushrooms would hold up as well to smoking as they do to pickling. As another variation, we’ve enjoyed this sauce with eggplant that has been smoked over very low heat, so that it stays firm, and then grilled until it softens but still holds shape. Of course, you can always serve this sauce with smoked brisket or pulled pork.
Learn to make Vegan Memphis-Style Barbecue Sauce