Barbecue Sauce

[SobaAddict70]

ok, I know its past time seasonally speaking for bbq sauce, but I love bbq and no place in NYC serves passable bbq except for Pearson's in Queens and Blue Smoke (and that's a stretch....for some of the items. Other ppl may concur or not, after all, this particular thread promises to be HIGHLY subjective in more ways than one.)

I love bbq in all its forms from wet bbq (with sauce) to dry bbq (without sauce or with spice rubs, usually with sauce on the side), to Asian style bbq (hoisin sauce/Peking duck comes to mind/roast pork and spare ribs). However, I think the crown jewel of all things bbq is the sauce. Some sauces are tomato based, some are vinegar based, some are fruit based, and most are delish. Some (thankfully) are bastardizations of the real thing....Heinz bottled stuff and Shake-and-Bake are two egregious examples.

What are your favorite bbq sauces? Composition? Recipes? Ways to serve? Experiences?

Debate, kvetch, and discuss.

SA

[=Mark]

First had this at the Oinksterfest pictured on the "Goat" thread, and fell in lust. It has been test driven by tommy this summer and approved...

South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

2/3 cup yellow prepared mustard

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 cup cider vinegar

2 T chili powder

(I use guajullo molido and ancho instead)

1 t black pepper

1 t white pepper

1/2 t cayenne pepper

(I add crushed red pepper and if I want it even hotter I use fresh ground pequins)

4 drops Tabasco

(I use Louisiana style hot sauce and lots of it instead)

1/2 t soy sauce

2 T butter

Combine all ingredients except the soy sauce and butter in a saucepan and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in soy sauce and butter. May be used as a basting sauce for barbecue meat or as a condiment.

I also added the juice of 1 lime and spiced it up quite a bit.

Experiment and enjoy!

[Nick]

I don't use them. I soak (marinate) the meat in something. If it's pork or chicken, usually Tamari and ginger. Beef is usually either plain or done in a marinade of evoo, wine vinegar, onions, garlic, and a few herbs. But, I'll be watching the thread in case something comes up to try.

Edit: Just saw Mark's recipe and think I'll give it a try. Thanks.

[Lyle]

I like a little Ginger in my traditional, runny tomato based. I'd say one part each white wine vinegar, soy sauce, and tomato sauce. 3-4 parts tomato purre. Spike with brown sugar, worceshershire, garlic, celery seed, mustard,salt pepper, and ginger. Not nearly as sweet as most restaurants serve in Texas..I search for restaurant vinegar bases and collapse in vain.

Edit: I forgot the heat! Red pepper or pepper vinegar sauce.

[tommy]

i wanted to mention mark's sauce, but i figured i'd let him. man do i like that one. everyone does. everyone's like "dude, what kind of sauce is this?", and i'm all about "homemade. it's a secret dude."

it's not really mustardy at all (using yeller mustard). i don't like overpowering mustard flavors generally speaking. this stuff, however, is goood.

[Schielke]

I am all about adding some kind of cola to the mix. I generally perfer Coca-Cola Classic due to it's balanced sweetness. I cant remember my bbq sauce recipe that I use right now, but Ill try to post it later when I can look it up. A main component is cola though.

Ben

[awbrig]

in re: to Mark's sauce...I dont like yellow mustard really...can I use dijon or a grain mustard? or like a flavored mustard like jalepeno?

[=Mark]

in re: to Mark's sauce...I dont like yellow mustard really...can I use dijon or a grain mustard?  or like a flavored mustard like jalepeno?

Certainly not! The recipe is to be used exactly as stated.

[phaelon56]

Marks recipe sounds as though it's similar in style to Bone Suckin' Sauce. I tried it recently when a friend brought some up from the Carolina's - very tasty.

[spqr]

The following is my more-or-less standard BBQ sauce. It's is based on Bobby Flay's recipe, but I've cut the sweet component way down and I use different ground chile powders than he originally specified. I think it's very good, great with ribs.

* Exported from MasterCook *

New Mexico-Style Barbecue Sauce (Gr)

Recipe By : (based on) GRILLIN' & CHILLIN' SHOW #GR3633

Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 medium red onion -- finely diced

1 garlic clove -- finely diced

6 plum tomatoes -- coarsely diced

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder

1 tablespoon ancho chile powder

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, heat the butter and sweat the onion

and garlic until translucent. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Puree the mixture

in a food processor, pour into a bowl, and allow to cool at room

temperature. This sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator or several

months frozen.

Yield: 5 cups

[TheMan,TheMyth]

My barbecue sauce:

Catsup

dried mustard

minced garlic

diced onion

worceshershire sauce

brown sugar

I mainly put it over my ribs and Brisket that have been partially cooked with a dry rub made up of:

paprika

chili powder

garlic powder

onion powder

salt

pepper

oregano

The Man, The Myth

TapItorScrapIt.com

[CathyL]

SA, here's a two-part kvetch: 1) Whaddya mean it's past season? I Q all year 'round. If you're in my neighborhood on Christmas, stop by for a pulled pork sammich. 2) Barbeque should be flavorful and juicy enough to enjoy nekkid, with sauce as a purely optional accessory.

That said, here’s what I make for brisket, smoked meat loaf and (occasionally) pulled pork -

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 large garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup melted fat (bacon grease, or rendered beef or pork fat)

1 cup ketchup (Muir Glen is less sweet than most)

¼ cup Worcestershire

¼ cup cider vinegar

3 Tbs Dijon mustard

Sauté onion and garlic in a little bacon grease until soft but not browned. Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire, vinegar & mustard. Simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in remaining melted fat and simmer another 15 minutes. The coup de grease is the key here.

What I usually serve alongside pulled pork is a variation on the Lexington-style Dip from Bob Garner’s ‘North Carolina Barbecue: Flavored by Time’ -

2 cups apple-cider vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup catsup

2 Tbs Texas Pete hot sauce

1/2 tsp each salt, black pepper, onion powder

1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet

Simmer briefly, turn off the heat and let it sit for several hours before serving.

[Wilfrid]

I am not seeing salt in your wet sauces, guys. I have suffered underseasoning in the past when making ribs. Do you season the meat separately from the sauce? Or after it's cooked? Or what?

[SobaAddict70]

Isn't there salt already in the ketchup and W. sauces? If so, why would you want MORE salt?

SA

[Chad]

From my recent smoking blog. This is a fairly standard western NC/Lexington style BBQ sauce. I like mine a little hotter than most, so I use 2-3 tablespoons of crushed red pepper rather than the more usual 1 tablespoon. I also let the red pepper, salt, sugar and black pepper steep in the vinegar for several days. I can't be dogmatic about it, but I believe that infusing the vinegar marries the flavors better and leads to a smoother tasting sauce. Some folks add a dash of Worcesteshire sauce and a tablespoon or two of prepared mustard.

    * 1-1/2 cups of white vinegar (more or less)

    * 1-1/2 cups of cider vinegar (more or less)

    * About an ounce of crushed red pepper flakes (two heaping tablespoons or so)

    * A shot of hot sauce

    * Kosher salt (about a tablespoon)

    * Coarse black pepper

    * About a tablespoon of sugar

    * All of that has been steeping in a Mason jar for about a week. In the morning I'll mix that with

    * A cup of ketchup (Lexington, NC, influence)

I'll bring the sauce to a very gentle boil, adjust sugar and salt, and let cool for about an hour before putting it back in the Mason jar and refrigerating.

This makes about a quart. If you need less than that, skip the white vinegar and just halve everything else.

Chad

[mnebergall]

Muchas gracias, senor.

edited to add: If I use a plastic milk jug instead of a mason jar, will it eat through the plastic?

Edited May 27, 2004 by mnebergall (log)

[enrevanche]

Chad's recipe will make a very tasty Lexington-style sauce. If you'd like to try a more basic Eastern NC vinegar-and-pepper sauce, here is the recipe, which is simplicity itself:

For every cup of good-quality cider vinegar you use, add a pinch of salt, one heaping tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes and a level tablespoon of brown sugar. Mix well and let it steep a few days.

I would definitely store in glass or Pyrex as opposed to plastic. I don't think it would eat through the plastic but highly acidic foods are, I find, often subject to picking up "off" flavors when stored in plastic.

Edited to correct bizarre formatting error.

Edited May 27, 2004 by enrevanche (log)

[snowangel]

I do not sauce my butts while on the grill or once pulled, but allow guests to select from a couple (or more sauces).

We're doing one on Saturday for a doo-dah on Sunday and thank everyone for their suggestions.

I do really like =Mark's mustard sauce recipe that is on RecipeGullet. It's wonderful, and it is vinegary.

[FunJohnny]

I like a root beer based sauce to add to the pork after it's been pulled:

2 liter bottle of root beer boiled down to one cup (make sure not to use diet)

1&1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 quarter cup of yellow (yes yellow) mustard

1/2 cup ketsup

1-2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tsp tabasco or similar hot sauce

The root beer really adds an interesting twist to this otherwise standard vinegar-based recipe.

[mnebergall]

I made Chad's sauce. But since I did not have time to let it steep in the fridge for a week, I did it sort of "sun tea" style and put the jar out in the sun for the afternoon. It seemed to come out just fine.

[Al_Dente]

I made enrevanche's sauce. Turned out just like I remember back in Raleigh NC.

I also made a mustard based one:

1 c cider vinegar

6 T Maille's Dijon mustard

2 T honey

4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Tabasco

3/4 c grapeseed oil

2 tsp kosher salt

Ground black pepper

[zoe b]

I guess this is an old thread--but just wanted to say that I made Marks's SC Yellow Mustard Sauce today and it is stupendous!!

We smoked a pork roast --a loin roast with bones--not as good as a shoulder but it's what we had--the last roast from this year's pig --and the sauce made the meal.

I added just a little too much red pepper at the end so it's a little more bitey

than I like, but the blend of flavors is perfect otherwise--sharp and sweet and a little unctuous due to the butter.

Zoe

Edited June 20, 2006 by zoe b (log)

[Kim Shook]

I use this rub and this sauce and I make really awesome ribs, everyone says. But I always have the rub around and when we want ribs that night and it's already midday, I will use the rub and Montgomery Inn Sauce.

[Badiane]

Hey...

Company party this coming weekend. We are doing pulled pork and brisket. I am looking for a good basic tomato based bbq sauce recipe (sorry, all you vinegar based sauce people, but my co-workers just wouldn't 'get' that as barbecue sauce) I am looking for the kind where I can make a base sauce and then add in things for a variation, like stir in some mango chutney and spices for indian flavor, or add ginger and soy etc for an asian flavor.

I have to meet the following restrictions. There can be no barley, malt or hops - so no beer, worcestershire or malt vinegar. And no nuts whatsoever.

So can anyone help me? I would love a base and some basic variations. I'm serving about 25 people and would like to have the sauces in bowls so people can help themselves.

Thanks for your help.

[CookinBenny]

I usually make mine with by starting with a couple red onions and garlic and saute that for a bit, then deglaze with a cup of red wine vinegar. let that cook down, then add tomato paste or ketchup to get a nice consistency, then add brown sugar molasses and a little bit of mustard and sometimes a little veal stock. Let it simmer for about a half hour and puree it in a blender. After that you should be good to go, hope that helps.