I wish I could say this is an old family recipe, but the truth is that it came from the Creme de Colorado Cookbook, First Edition (The Junior League of Denver, Inc. [gaak]. C & C Publications: Denver, 1987. p 223). The cookbook was a gift from my mother-in-law, so maybe it qualifies as a family recipe all the same.

This recipe won a blue ribbon in a cook off featuring many homemade sauces and the sauce from the world famous Bobby's Barbeque in Warrenville, SC. I was proud that day, and never ever told everybody the recipe came out of a cookbook.

Family recipe or not, you're talking about a seriously rich, dark sauce, excellent on any meat you throw at it. But if you want to get the most out of it, better get some ribs. Mmmmm!

The version you find here is edited slightly from the original. Where I'm from, sauce should stick to the meat, so I've added a little corn starch to thinken it up a bit.

ingredients

1 cup double-strength coffee
1-1/2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup Worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 Tablespoons corn starch, softened in 1/4 cup cold water

directions

Stir together all ingredients except the corn starch in a medium saucepan. Heat to simmering over medium heat and cook for 20 minutes. Add the corn starch slowly and stirring constantly. Cool, cover, and refrigerate.

Sauce is at its fullest flavor when prepared several days in advance.