Poor Woman's BBQ Sauce

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• Dash of salt
• Dash of pepper
• Dash of liquid smoke (optional)

Get out a 2 quart sauce pan and heat up the oil or bacon grease in it. Add the chopped onion, and sauté it until the onion is translucent and smells really good. Add all of the other ingredients. If you have liquid smoke around, it makes the sauce taste very good, but if you don't have any, don't worry, it is still quite delicious. Stir everything up and let the mixture simmer over medium low heat for about 15 minutes. The mixture will thicken up some, but it won't be as thick as commercial barbecue sauce. Makes about 3 cups.

To barbecue chicken in the oven:

First prepare the barbecue sauce as directed above. While it is simmering yank the skin off of 4 or 5 chicken leg quarters. Cut the thigh from the leg if desired (I always do, the kids like legs, and Fred and I like thighs, so everyone is happy). Arrange the chicken in a large baking pan, 9 by 13-inch or 10 by 15-inch. When the sauce is finished simmering, pour it over the chicken in the pan. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake it at 350° for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. You can remove the foil for the last half hour of cooking to thicken up the sauce in the pan if desired. The chicken is done when it is well flavored, and falling from the bone. Serve with the sauce from the pan. Provide plenty of napkins, or even a dish towel for each person, sloppy but good.

You can do country style pork ribs the same way if desired. I cook them for 2-1/2 to 3 hours, so they are good and tender for eating.