Gold Medal Barbecue Sauce

Preptime

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chipped

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced, or 1 teaspoon hot sauce

¼ cup tomato paste

½ cup blackstrap molasses

½ cup honey

⅔ cup cider vinegar

¾ cup Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon soy sauce

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring well, until the onion is soft but not brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste, molasses, honey, vinegar, mustard, thyme and soy sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes. Cool and refrigerate for up to three weeks.

Note: To use this sauce as a marinade, coat bone-in chicken pieces and marinate covered in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to overnight.