From Mimie’s Kitchen: The Ultimate BBQ Sauce Recipe

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This recipe holds a special place in my heart, and I'm thrilled to share it with you. It's one of my very first family recipes, passed down from someone I hold dear. Below, you'll find my grandmother Mimie's cherished recipe for her mouthwatering BBQ sauce and tender ribs.

I vividly remember gathering around the table with my family during the warm spring and summer months, eagerly awaiting my grandmother’s mouth watering dishes. Interestingly, when I was younger, I couldn’t stand ribs! I’d happily indulge in Mimie’s coleslaw, pasta salad, and potatoes, but the ribs? Not a chance. Fast forward to today, and I now find myself craving the tender, tangy goodness of her BBQ ribs. Although my grandmother is no longer with us, her cherished recipes continue to live on, keeping her memory alive with every bite.

Ribs are a delicious addition to any meal, no matter the season, but for me, they’re synonymous with sun-soaked days and warm weather. With the first day of spring already here, my craving for ribs hit a little earlier this year. This is my first time making this dish, and I’m excited to share what I remember from my grandmother's cooking, along with some helpful tips I’ve picked up along the way.

Unfortunately, Mimie’s recipe only included instructions for her signature BBQ sauce, so I had to do a bit of research on how to prepare fall-off-the-bone ribs. After some digging, I found a post by MyNameBeVal on TikTok. The first half of this recipe is inspired entirely by her, and she’s an amazing creator I highly recommend checking out! For the purpose of this blog post, I’ll be focusing specifically on the BBQ sauce.

Key Ingredients:

• Yellow Onion: For this recipe, you'll want to use yellow onions due to their unique flavor profile. Yellow onions have a higher sugar content, which allows them to caramelize beautifully as they cook, bringing a natural sweetness that red onions just can't match. This sweetness pairs perfectly with meats, and it's a key element in achieving the rich, balanced flavor of this BBQ sauce.

• Minced Garlic: I remember my grandmother always using fresh garlic in her recipes, but I typically skip it since I don't always have it on hand.

• Cooking Oil: I used canola oil for this recipe, but you could also use olive oil or any oil of your choice.

• Red Currant Jelly: I searched high and low for the red currant jelly, but it seemed impossible to find! I really wanted to follow my grandma's recipe to the letter, but in the end, I had to improvise. I substituted with grape jelly, and to my surprise, the sauce turned out just as delicious! If you manage to find red currant jelly and try it in this recipe, let me know how it turns out and what you think of the flavor!

• Chili Sauce: I’ve actually never used chili sauce in a recipe before. I would describe it’s flavor as ketchup with a kick. It’s about the same consistency as ketchup and color but you can definitely taste the chilis in it. If you’re someone who hates spice I would recommend just using ketchup instead. 

• Worcestershire Sauce: The only reason I can think of for adding Worcestershire sauce to the BBQ sauce is to introduce a bit more tang, help thin the sauce, and add extra depth of flavor that compliments the meat perfectly.

• Vinegar: Once again, I wanted to stick to the original recipe, but I wasn’t about to make a trip to the store for vinegar. All I had was red wine vinegar, and to my surprise, it didn't affect the taste or consistency of the sauce one bit.

• Celery Seed: At first, I was unsure why celery seed was used in this recipe. Then I did some research and found celery seed is often used in recipes such as coleslaws and bbq sauce to add a bitter taste and balance out the tang. 

• 3 pounds of ribs: I know this amount may seem daunting, but I got them from Aldi for about 13 dollars. Try and see which store sells them for the cheapest price or if there are any deals going on. If you’re looking for a more affordable option you could also use this sauce on chicken legs. 

  How to Make Make BBQ Sauce: 

  1. In a small saucepan, heat the oil for a few seconds. Add the onion and garlic and let them sit until tender. You want to stir a few times to ensure they are not sticking to the bottom of your saucepan. Note: Onions will become translucent once they are tender. If you are still having trouble telling if the onions and garlic are done, the aroma coming from the saucepan will be strong when they are done. 

  2. Stir in the jelly, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and celery seed. 

  3. Turn the heat up to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Note: A boiled sauce should have a lot of big bubbles that come to the surface and pop. Because the bubbles are bigger the sauce may appear to be “popping” slower than when simmering. 

  
  
  

  

  
  
  

  4. Reduce the heat and allow the sauce to simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. Note: There should be small bubbles covering the entire surface of the sauce and it may appear that the sauce is “popping” quickly. Also, you want to make sure to stir the sauce occasionally so that the ingredients are well incorporated and nothing burns. 

  
  

  Give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out! I’d love to hear your thoughts and any tips you have for making the perfect BBQ Sauce ribs. Also let me know how you liked MyNameBeVal’s video. Feel free to share in the comments or message me if you have any fun twists of your own!

  
  

  Follow me on Instagram @salty_and_sweet_creations for more delicious recipes and to interact with me! 

  
  

  Looking for other content? Check out @seaofsoul on TikTok as well to watch her rib recipe. 

  
  

Mimie's BBQ Sauce

servings: about 6

prep time: 10 minutes cook time: 20 minutes

total time: 30 minutes

This recipe holds a special place in my heart, and I'm thrilled to share it with you. It's one of my very first family recipes, passed down from someone I hold dear. Below, you'll find my grandmother Mimie's cherished recipe for her mouthwatering BBQ sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (42g) chopped yellow onion

• 1 clove minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon (14g) cooking oil

• 1/2 cup (138g) red currant jelly, see key ingredients

• 1/2 cup (138g) chili sauce

• 2 tablespoons (34g) Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon (15g) vinegar

• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed

• 3 pounds meaty pork spare ribes

Recipe:

• Heat oil in small sauce pan over medium high heat.

• Add onion and garlic and cook until tender.

• Stir in the rest of the ingredients (excluding the ribs) .

• Turn temperature up to high heat and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

Mimie's Recipe Card