Kansas City BBQ Sauce

When I was growing up in Kansas City, there were two types of barbeque.  There was Arthur Bryant’s and there was Gates.  Bryant’s was where you went if you were on your way to the baseball game because it was right there down the street from the old municipal stadium.  Arthur Bryant’s is my favorite. 

http://here-in-california.blogspot.com/2010/01/arthur-bryants-now-thats-barbeque.html

Over the years, I have searched for bbq sauce recipes hoping to duplicate Bryant’s sauce.  I’m still looking, but not long ago, I ran across several websites that said this recipe was given to Martha Stewart on her show by Ol’ Mr Gates himself.  So I gave it a try.  I hoped with all my heart that it was the real thing.  Ya know, I have many times run across recipes that say stuff like “this donut is exactly like a Krispy Kreme” so you go for it and the result doesn’t even resemble a glazed donut let alone the real Krispy Kreme.  I am happy to report that this recipe is the real deal.  It may or may not have come from Mr Gates, but it sure does taste like Gates sauce.  At least to me.  I played around with it and came up with the following.  It may seem a little thick but that can be easily taken care of with just a little water.  I like to make this sauce a day or so in advance, but have used it right out of the measuring cup.

Gates BBQ Sauce

1 cup ketchup

      4 tblspns vinegar
      2 tblspns sugar
      ½ tblspn salt
      ¼ tblspn celery seeds
      ¼ tblspn ground cumin
      ¼ tblspn ground red pepper
      ¼ tblspn garlic powder
      ¼ tblspn chili powder
      ¼ teaspn liquid smoke
      1/8 teaspn lemon juice

I hope you ENJOY it!