Get Saucy - World championship barbecue sauce

Ben Bartlett, Britain's barbecuing champion and catering development manager at Union Pub Company, reveals how to make a world championship barbecue sauce.

Far-fetched? I don't think so. Many of today's barbecue sauces started out in someone's kitchen. Barbecue sauce is tomato-based and most are a combination of sweet and sour with seasonings and spices.

The first time you make a good barbecue sauce, I suggest you start with ketchup; it's a proven flavour enhancer. Then add more sweet (if you want it sweeter), sour, spices and some other liquids to come up with your own sauce.

Start with 100ml of your favourite ketchup. For a sweet sauce add 50g brown sugar. If you like a less sweet sauce, halve the amount of sugar. For a sour sauce, add 30ml white wine vinegar.

My basic barbecue flavour points start with onion, garlic and celery. Other spices or seasonings to include are chilli powder, salt, pepper, allspice, coriander, nutmeg, mace, clove, cumin, oregano, mustard and ginger.

Pick three or four that you like and add them sparingly. Start with a teaspoon and build up from there. I use dry spices for consistency.

You could also add Worcestershire or soy sauce. One of my secret ingredients is liquid smoke. This is wood smoke diffused in water and should be used sparingly.

Put your seasonings in a saucepan with the sugar and add the liquid ingredients to dissolve them. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. Enjoy!