Hard to beat Fred's Red Barbecue Sauce!

If it seems like we’re pushing Fred’s Red Barbecue Sauce on you, well, we are. This is by far our favorite BBQ sauce, it's great with chicken or pork, and it’s easy to make.

This is what you’d call a Memphis-style sauce, slightly sweet, tangy and complex -- without the dreaded flavor of artificial smoke. (We really, really hate the flavor of artificial smoke, so that puts a lot of supermarket sauces off limits.)

The only commercial sauce we've found that comes close to Fred’s Red is a Western North Carolina style sauce called “Bone Suckin’ Sauce.” (Click here, no corn syrup or artificial ingredients.) But Bone Suckin’ Sauce (great name!) costs about $6 a pint, more if you have to mail-order it.

The Fred’s Red recipe makes a quart for a fraction of that, and it keeps in the refrigerator for months. Granted the ingredient list is a bit long, but it’s stuff you’re likely to have on hand (maybe with the exception of the allspice -- so just leave it out).

Finally, one backstage story on this recipe.

We’ve always given credit for it to Beverly’s brother-in-law Fred Bisel, because he was doing the grilling when it was served at a family get-together. Turns out the sauce was actually concocted by Beverly’s sister Louanne, who didn’t love having Fred get all the credit.

BUT, a great barbecue sauce needs a great name, doncha know (Bone Suckin’ anyone?!). And it’s really hard to beat that name. Louanne’s Red just doesn’t sing.

So Fred’s Red it is, and boy is it terrific. After tasting it, Beverly’s mother threatened to start selling the sauce. She didn’t go that far, but she does make tons of it at Christmas to give to family and friends.

So, try it and tell us what you think -- in the comments area following this post.