Culinary Disasters

In keeping with the spring themes of grilling/BBQ I have decided that some love needs to be shown for BBQ sauce.  Most people when they think of BBQ sauce just think of the stuff that is in squeeze bottles and has a shelf life equal to the half life of uranium.  However, BBQ sauce is a simple sauce to make and very customizable to your liking.  Plus chances are you already have everything lying around your kitchen so save your 3 bucks and take the hour to make it.

This recipe was one I used in a couple BBQ competitions and so far has not let me down.  Granted it has not gotten me a paycheck from a competition but at least one top 10 finish in chicken.

Besides being a good faithful it is very easy to modify and adapt to your likes.  For example let us say you wanted a nice whiskey BBQ sauce well in another skillet light 1/4 cup of whiskey to burn off the alcohol and add that into the pot when you add everything and tada whiskey BBQ sauce.  Want a smoky spicy BBQ sauce.  No problem instead of dicing up a jalapeno dice up a couple chipotles in adobo.  How about straight heat BBQ sauce?  Fear not super BBQ base can save the day just by adding in your favorite hot sauce.  Want a vinegar BBQ sauce well 1/4 cup of vinegar added with everything else will solve that craving.  I think you kind of get the picture so I will quit rambling on.

The one problem that most people make is in the application of the sauce.  BBQ sauce is a high sugar item and that means it should get applied a couple minutes before the meat is coming off the grill.  Basically enough to heat up the sauce but not turn it into a burnt sugary nasty mess.  Also, after I apply the sauce I will drop the grill temp down to low to aid in the fight against burnt BBQ sauce.

For this recipe you will need:

• 1/2 white onion diced
• 1 jalapeno with the 3 Ds (deseeded, deveined, and diced)
• 2 cloves of garlic diced
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 cup of ketchup (the zinginess of ketchup makes the dish I tried it with tomato sauce and it just turned out bland)
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of Hungarian paprika
• Cayenne to taste
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Neutral oil like canola

Over medium heat add a squirt of oil and the onion and jalapeno with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook this mixture till softened (about 5-8 minutes).  Add in the garlic and paprika and cook till fragrant (about another minute).

Add everything else into the pot, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and let it go for a good 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes taste and adjust.  If you are happy remove from the heat and carefully blend the mixture.  Remember kiddo blender and hot liquid means quick pulses while holding down the lid tightly.  If not you will end up painting your kitchen red.  If hot liquids and blender scare you then throw the mixture in the fridge to let it cool down and then blend it.  I like to keep a little chunk in mine so I don’t fully blend it to baby food consistency.

Now you have a perfectly capable BBQ sauce just begging the coach to throw in the game to make the game winning shot (you know what they say winners always want the ball when the game is on the line).  Grill up some chicken thighs that you rubbed with oil, salt, and pepper over medium heat and right before they are done sauce them up.

Serve and enjoy!

Tags: Base, BBQ, chicken, pork, All //