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Wood Ranch BBQ Sauce Recipe

Wood Ranch BBQ Sauce Recipe

5 from 2 votes
If you’ve ever dined at Wood Ranch and found yourself scraping every last drop of their legendary BBQ sauce from your plate, you’re not alone. This copycat Wood Ranch BBQ sauce recipe brings that restaurant-quality flavor straight to your kitchen. With its perfect balance of smoky chipotle heat, tangy vinegar brightness, and deep molasses sweetness, this wood ranch BBQ sauce has become a cult favorite across California and beyond.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 32
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: American
Calories: 100
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup malt vinegar
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 can 6-7 oz chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1/3 cup dark soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

  • Medium to large saucepan
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Glass bottles or mason jars for storage
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in your saucepan over medium heat. Allow the oil to warm for about one minute until it shimmers slightly but doesn’t smoke.
  2. Add the diced yellow onion to the heated oil. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes. Watch as the onions soften, turn translucent, and develop golden-brown caramelized edges. This caramelization is crucial for building the wood ranch BBQ sauce’s signature depth, so resist the urge to rush this step.
  3. Pour in the apple cider vinegar, malt vinegar, water, and ketchup. Stir thoroughly to combine all the liquid ingredients with the caramelized onions. The mixture will appear thin and watery at this stage-this is perfectly normal and expected.
  4. Add the molasses, the entire can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and honey to the saucepan. Stir continuously until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the sugar begins to dissolve. The kitchen will fill with an intoxicating smoky-sweet aroma.
  5. Sprinkle in the onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to ensure the dry spices distribute evenly throughout the sauce and don’t clump together.
  6. Reduce the heat to low or medium-low. Allow the ranch BBQ sauce to simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent sticking or scorching on the bottom. The sauce should produce gentle bubbles, not a rapid, rolling boil. You’ll notice it gradually thickening and darkening as it reduces.
  7. Remove the saucepan from heat. Carefully pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer positioned over a large bowl. Use the back of a spoon to press the solids against the strainer, extracting as much flavorful liquid as possible while leaving behind the onion pieces and chipotle pepper skins.
  8. Allow the strained copycat wood ranch BBQ sauce to cool to room temperature before transferring it into clean glass bottles or mason jars. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Video

Notes

Store your wood ranch BBQ sauce in airtight glass containers or bottles in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. The vinegar acts as a natural preservative, maintaining freshness and flavor. No reheating necessary-use directly from the fridge or let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.