KFC Honey BBQ Sauce (Copycat)

My reverse-engineered recipe for KFC's sweet and savory Honey BBQ Sauce.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 32
• Yields: 1 pint barbecue sauce

Ingredients

• 2  cups  filtered water
• 2  cups tomato ketchup
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 3  tablespoons molasses
• 3  tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons liquid smoke
• 1  tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1  tablespoon ground sage
• 1  tablespoon hickory smoke salt
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  plain sweet chili powder
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground paprika
• 1  teaspoon  ground  celery salt
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1. NOTE: USE UNSEASONED CHILI POWDER. (STEP ONE): GRIND all of the dry seasonings EXCEPT ground black pepper (from ground sage through cayenne pepper) in a spice mill or coffee grinder.
2. WHISK the ground spices with remaining ingredients well in a medium saucepan (don't forget to add the ground black pepper).
3. HEAT sauce to a gentle boil, then REDUCE heat to a low heat setting (approximately the numeric "2" setting on rangetop control).
4. SIMMER sauce about one hour, whisking occasionally, until reduced to almost half (just slightly over 2 cups, or 1 pint).
5. COOL barbecue sauce completely.
6. FUNNEL into plastic squeeze bottles or Ball canning jars.
7. USE as you would any barbecue sauce.
8. SUGGESTION: Serve with barbecued chicken or ribs, or pulled pork sandwiches.
9. STORE refrigerated and capped.
10. ENJOY!