honey-ginger barbecue sauce

oh, this is one of those recipes that's more than the sum of their parts. my father used to make his own barbecue sauce and it was so delicious. I decided to do a variation of his recipe that includes fresh ginger and honey, but the basic recipe is his. it smelled so heavenly right that I wanted to eat dinner the moment it was done!

this sauce can be brushed on meat before/after grilling (I tend to think it's best to do a dry rub before grilling, then brush with sauce during the last few moments), used in a crockpot or French oven with a roast to make shredded BBQ beef (that's what's happening with mine right now -- in the oven with a 2+ pound chuck roast at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours; when it's done I'll shred the meat into the sauce), or served alongside grilled/barbecued anything. it will keep in the fridge, in a jar or covered container, for at least a week or two.

• 1 stick butter, divided into 2 pieces: a 2-tablespoon chunk and the remaining 6 tablespoon piece
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup ketchup (the simplest kind you can find is best; either regular or unsweetened will work fine)
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons Pickapeppa sauce (if you have it on hand -- it's good stuff)
• 1 cup red wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar will be good here, if you'd prefer)
• 1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 2-3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

in a large, deep saucepan or French oven, saute the onion in the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat until browned. add all the remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low (just enough to keep it bubbling). continue to simmer, uncovered (stirring from time to time) until thickened and glossy. remove from heat to allow to cool for a moment, then puree -- easiest to do with an immersion blender; if you're using a regular blender, be sure it's fairly cool so the heat doesn't blow the top off! do be sure to puree -- it brings out the ginger flavor and makes this beyond good.