Earlier this summer I wrote a few articles on ribs and one of my readers asked for a Barbecue Sauce recipe. There have been a few things going on this summer that’s kept me pretty occupied, but Carol, this one’s for you.
This recipe is similar to one I wrote quite a few years ago, but with a few additions and tweaks. It has a little heat that the first one did not, as well as a little more flavor due to those additions. One of the good things about cooking is that it’s always evolving and the more you get into it, the more you see where things can be added or subtracted. Cooking becomes an experiment in flavors. That is a great base Barbecue Sauce, but I wanted to expand on it.
When I think of Barbecue Sauce, there are a few ingredients that come to mind. Tomato is the first obvious ingredient and that is followed by vinegar, which means there must be some type of sweetener, which I’ll talk a little more about in a minute. Molasses is an ingredient that also gets thrown into the category of needed ingredients.
Use just a little chipotle for a tiny bit of heat and smokiness, add cayenne for straight heat or leave the heat out all together.
After those main things, I start thinking about other flavors or ingredients that just make sense in my mind that should, or at least could, be complimentary to the sauce. Garlic and onion are fairly obvious choices, and then celery and carrots, although possibly not things some people would think of in a Barbecue Sauce, are to me at least, ingredients that bring a subtle flavor that will blend in well with the other much stronger flavors. After these ingredients come the herbs and spices, and this is where it starts getting more individualized.
Barbecue Sauce, to me, has a slightly smoky flavor to it. Cumin, which I also use in the rub, can add a touch of this along with flavor, without adding any heat. Since I did want a touch of heat, I added first the chipotle, which being a smoked pepper will add a little heat, as well as some great smoky flavor. Then, since the chipotle isn’t that hot, I added some cayenne. Of course, you can also add thyme, rosemary or any other herbs if you want.
The recipe below is the exact amounts I used with the exception of the maple syrup, but you can start with half the heat and add more as your taste buds deem fit. Use just a little chipotle for a tiny bit of heat and smokiness, add cayenne for straight heat or leave the heat out all together. The liquid smoke will add smoky flavor, but it is strong so only use a few drops. As for the maple syrup, this is what I used for my sweetener. You can use just brown sugar, honey or any combination, but I wanted to see if the maple would also bring a little earthier flavor to it. Barbecue Sauce is pretty strong in the flavor department, so it can overwhelm your taste buds. Sometimes you need to walk away for a while or even finish seasoning it the next day to let those taste buds get a clear image of what you’re looking for.
Also, this recipe yields about 24 oz. of sauce that is pretty thick. You can thin it down a little with water or I used more maple syrup (you can never have too much syrup in anything), which is why that is the lone exception to the exact amount in the pull out section. That’s the amount I used for the initial sauce. Lastly, if you are shopping and need an idea of some ingredients, simply pick up a bottle of Barbecue Sauce off the shelf and check out what they used. The main difference is this one doesn’t have all the preservatives. Enjoy.
Barbecue Sauce
1 carrot, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
½ yellow onion, diced
3 large garlic cloves, diced
2T butter or oil
1, 12-oz can tomato paste
2½ T cider vinegar
2½ T red wine vinegar
4 T molasses
4 T brown sugar
1 t dry mustard
½ t cumin1/8 t cayenne
1/8 t chipotle
½ T fresh ground black pepper
1 C maple syrup (can substitute honey)
8 drops liquid smoke
¼ T salt to taste
Sauté the carrot, celery, onion and garlic in the oil or butter until soft. Add the tomato paste and stir until hot. Add the vinegar, molasses, sugar, dry mustard, cumin, black pepper and half the maple syrup and stir together. When this mixture is hot, remove it from the stove and place it in a blender. Start with a few quick bursts being sure to cover the top with a towel and hold it down tight.
Remember, hot things in the blender can expand rapidly when blended so be careful so as not to get burnt due to the top popping off. After a few pulses, let it blend until smooth, slowly adding the rest of the maple syrup, cayenne and chipotle to taste and desired heat level. Add the liquid smoke a few drops at a time to taste and then salt to taste. Thin out with water, vinegar or more maple syrup, according to taste and your own desired thickness.
Smitty is a personal chef specializing in dinner parties, cooking classes and special events. Trained under Master Chef Anton Flory at Top Notch Resort in Stowe, Vt., Smitty is known for his creative use of fresh ingredients. To read archived copies of Smitty’s column, visit chefsmitty.com or TheTahoeWeekly.com. Contact him at tmmsmitty@gmail.com or (530) 412-3598.
READ MORE:
Chef Smitty’s series on ribs & barbecuing:
Cooking Ribs
Chinese-style Spareribs
Rib questions answered
The basics of rubs
