Been trying to make my own BBQ sauce for many years now and have not come up with one that is a keeper yet. Wife is not a big fan of tomato based BBQ sauce at all she does like a good vinegar based sauce. My kids like the most sweet sauce.

What I'm looking for is a good base BBQ sauce vinegar and tomato even one that is a mix. A good base where I then can try adding all the crazy spices I want. Thanks!

Here's a knockoff of sauce from Hickory Log of Dexter, MO.  This is usually paired with a rub, or just eat the ribs with no sauce. It is a good sauce, though.  :)

1 t mustard
½ C ketchup
1 T paprika
2 C cider vinegar
1 ½ C brown sugar
1 T red pepper
1 T seasoned salt
2 T Worcestershire
1 t black pepper
1 t garlic salt
1 t celery salt
1 t onion powder
Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, allow to cool and then bottle

Tag for when I get home I will post a few different ones.

Chef Morris has posted some good ones in his threads.

Give the new indexes a try! (I think they are listed as BBQ Sauce)

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Miles James’ Mustard Bourbon Sauce and Spice Rub

These recipes were designed to cover 3 whole racks of baby back ribs (about six pounds). If you’re cooking spare ribs or like a heavy coating of rub, you might want to double the ingredients. You can store the extra in a sealed jar for later use (both the rub and sauce are also good on grilled salmon and any cut of pork).

The recipe refers to the sauce as “straightforward,” but I’ve never been served anything that even closely resembles it. It’s sweet, thick, chunky and packed with a variety of flavors. I prefer a little extra heat to offset the sweetness. If that’s your thing, ladle some sauce into small pot and add some cayenne and/or finely diced fresh jalapeños.

Sauce
4 to 6 servings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 bunches green onions, chopped
2 cups white onions, chopped
8 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1 cup tomato paste
1 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
1 cup water
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup apple juice
1 large dried ancho chili, stemmed, seeded, and cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1½ cups bourbon

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté green onions, white onions, and garlic until tender. Mix in all remaining ingredients, adding bourbon last. Simmer sauce until thick and reduced to 7 cups, stirring occasionally, about one hour.

Spice Rub
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Coat ribs and let sit refrigerated overnight

Texas Barbecue Sauce Recipe

   Quick Glance
   20 M
   1 H, 50 M
   Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients

   1/4 cup lard
   1/2 cup diced yellow onions
   3 garlic cloves, minced
   1/2 cup diced celery
   1 cup natural ketchup (rely on a sugar-free ketchup if you do that Paleo thing)
   1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
   1 cup cold water
   1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
   1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
   1 tablespoon chili powder

Directions

   1. In a saucepan, melt the lard over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and celery, and cook until softened. Add the ketchup, vinegar, water, Worcestershire, and black pepper, and continue to simmer for about 30 minutes.
   2. In a small bowl, combine a few tablespoons sauce with the chili powder until smooth. Add this mixture to the rest of the sauce in the pan and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce stand for 1 hour.
   3. Okay, that’s it. You’re done. The slightly chunky sauce is nice as is, but for a more traditional sauce, purée it in a blender or with an immersion blender. This sauce is best served warm or at room temperature, but it stores well refrigerated in an airtight container.

North Carolina Barbecue Sauce Recipe

   Quick Glance
   30 M
   30 M
   Makes about 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients

   3 cups apple cider vinegar
   1/2 cup ketchup
   2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
   2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
   1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
   1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
   1/4 teaspoon chile de arbol powder or cayenne pepper

Directions

   1. Combine the vinegar, ketchup, ancho chile powder, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and chile de arbol powder or cayenne pepper in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. (The sauce is best when you cover and refrigerate it overnight to allow the flavors to meld. You can, of course, stash it in the fridge for up to a week or so. Bring to room temperature before using.)
   2. Rely on the sauce both for mopping pork butt, chicken, or burgers on the grill and for slathering over just about any grilled item just before serving—just be mindful to keep your mopping sauce separate from your slathering sauce, lest you contaminate the latter with cooties from raw meat from the former.

And my favorite one

Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
o1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
o2 medium onions, finely chopped
o3 cloves crushed garlic
o3 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
o4 cups ketchup
o2 tablespoons cider vinegar
o2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
o1 tablespoon honey
o2 tablespoons soy sauce
o1 cup brown sugar
o1 teaspoon dry mustard
o1/2 cup Bourbon
oground black pepper
Directions
1.In a deep frying pan (Dutch oven?), melt the butter and gently fry the onions, chilies and garlic for about 5 minutes.
2.Lower the heat and add all the other ingredients, except the Bourbon, stirring after each addition.
3.Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the Bourbon and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
4.Let the sauce cool, stir now and then.
5.Put in clean jars or wide neck bottles and label.
6.Store in a cool dark place.

I do change some of this and make it my own. You can sub the Bourbon for any whiskey, rum, or white lighting. Just FYI Jim Beam Ghost goes damn good with this.

Dead Guy Sauce:

http://food52.com/recipes/6400-dead-guy-sauce