Barbeque Sauce
If you live in the South, or have a decided opinion on the subject of barbeque, this might get your cooking hackles up. Like any other great food genre, barbecue is WIDE open to interpretation. Wars, or at least family feuds, have likely been fought over the nuances of what ought to be included in the recipe. State, city, county, and no doubt street address make a difference in the perfect barbeque sauce.
Let me just digress for a tad and talk about my (our family) favorite barbeque restaurant. It's in Naples, Florida, which is near where my parents live during the colder months, and it's the seat of annual family vacations since I was 3 years old. Michelbob's.
This place was started by a guy who used to be in politics and decided sunshine and ribs would be a good next move. We go there every single year and order a mess of food. You can imagine the eight of us and my parents with more than a few bones flying. We get ribs, chicken, and brisket, and the things that come along side of it all - Texas toast, beans, coleslaw, fries, sauce, slobber slobber slobber. After a day at the beach or on the golf course, the food literally gets inhaled. We all make a point of wearing red shirts, and consequently care little about manners or splatters.
Sigh. It's a loooong time until our annual April pilgrimage.
So here's the barbeque sauce recipe that works best for us. I use it on ribs, chicken, brisket, shredded beef-chicken-pork sandwiches, pinto beans, and any time a bbq dip is needed. It's simple and calls for ingredients that you most likely have right now in your pantry. It takes 15 minutes or so to make, and freezes beautifully. Tangy, sweet, spicy if you want, answering the call for standard barbeque flavor. Start with the recipe below, and make it your own!
Sassy Barbeque Sauce
Saute the onion and garlic in the butter for 5 minutes. Add all other ingredients plus 1/4 - 1/2 cup water, simmer until thickened a bit, about 15 minutes.
Let me just digress for a tad and talk about my (our family) favorite barbeque restaurant. It's in Naples, Florida, which is near where my parents live during the colder months, and it's the seat of annual family vacations since I was 3 years old. Michelbob's.
This place was started by a guy who used to be in politics and decided sunshine and ribs would be a good next move. We go there every single year and order a mess of food. You can imagine the eight of us and my parents with more than a few bones flying. We get ribs, chicken, and brisket, and the things that come along side of it all - Texas toast, beans, coleslaw, fries, sauce, slobber slobber slobber. After a day at the beach or on the golf course, the food literally gets inhaled. We all make a point of wearing red shirts, and consequently care little about manners or splatters.
Sigh. It's a loooong time until our annual April pilgrimage.
So here's the barbeque sauce recipe that works best for us. I use it on ribs, chicken, brisket, shredded beef-chicken-pork sandwiches, pinto beans, and any time a bbq dip is needed. It's simple and calls for ingredients that you most likely have right now in your pantry. It takes 15 minutes or so to make, and freezes beautifully. Tangy, sweet, spicy if you want, answering the call for standard barbeque flavor. Start with the recipe below, and make it your own!
Sassy Barbeque Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 crushed garlic clove
1 cup ketchup (or plain tomato sauce)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons worchestershire
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or chipotle) and more to taste if you like spicy
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 crushed garlic clove
1 cup ketchup (or plain tomato sauce)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons worchestershire
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or chipotle) and more to taste if you like spicy
salt and pepper to taste
Saute the onion and garlic in the butter for 5 minutes. Add all other ingredients plus 1/4 - 1/2 cup water, simmer until thickened a bit, about 15 minutes.