Your favorite BBQ sauce
I just bought my first gas grill and am eager to start grilling! I'm looking for some good recipes for BBQ sauce, something tangy, smokey and delicious. What's your fav BBQ sauce recipe? Are there any bottled ones that are extraordinary?
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Just this past summer, I uncovered an astonishing secret:
many "championship" BBQ sauce recipes start out usin "Hunt's" BBQ sauce, then adding various flavors for that personal, proprietary flavor.
BTW, if you do come up with a great recipe, let us in on the secret?
thanx.›3 Replies-
re: jerry i h
kchurchill5
Apr 25, 2009 12:13 PM
I make one using a Publix plain BBQ sauce as a base and then add chipoltes, lime, honey, garlic, cumin and spices which one a contest. We were allowed to use a base sauce or make our own. It was a small local contest, nothing fancy, but the sauce was really good. But also to me a lot has to do with what it goes on. I marinade the chicken in lime and garlic so it is great with the BBQ sauce.
As I mentioned above, I have probably 10 or some sauces, all different flavors, all using a store bought base for a quick fix. I do make my own, but always have a plain base I can JAZZ up or make my own for a quick fix.
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re: kchurchill5
Yes, indeedy, kchurchill...marinating chicken in lime & garlic is fab!!! (fish fillets are awesome cooked with lime & garlic, too, I've found!) Then offer the bbq sauce...right now, I've got chicken thighs marinating in lime juice, garlic, some soy sauce, a little oil, chili powder & cayenne pepper. Will grill them up around 6:30, it's so gorgeous and breezy in FL today!
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re: Val
kchurchill5
Apr 25, 2009 02:34 PM
Sounds like a plan to me. I'm grilling flank tonight and chicken, Chicken is to have later this week. Yes it is a chamber day for sure.
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Infomaniac
Apr 24, 2009 07:24 PM
When I make my own sauce I like to start by heating vinegar and molasses together in a sauce pan until the molasses is desolved.
Sometimes I'll simmer some bourbon for a minute, then add some vinegar and molasses.
Then take it off the heat and start adding ingredients. Usually sauteed minced onion and garlic.
For sweetness I'll add honey or brown sugar (palm sugar if I have it). Some peoole like to add Coke or Moxie.
That will give you a good base to start with, then you can build and season from there.
People love to brag about their barbeque sauces. Just make sure you have one secret ingredient. -
Caitlin McGrath
Apr 24, 2009 02:49 PM
I like the one in this recipe for a straightforward tomato-vinegar sauce with good flavor. I think it's a bit sweet as written, so I reduce the brown sugar. For smokiness, you could add chipotle or smoked paprika. Of course, you can use chips and generate smoke flavors from your actual grilling, too.
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Green Omnivore
Apr 24, 2009 01:56 PM
thanks everyone for the great advice and suggestions! I can't wait to customize and make some sauce.
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Botch
Apr 24, 2009 09:34 AM
My favorite is South Carolina style, made with a lot of yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, a little smoke flavoring, a lot of hot sauce, pepper and a little cumin. And a fair amount of brown sugar.
No tomatoes in this one, but the sweet mustard/hot sauce/vinegar combination is pretty darn good.
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hollyd
Apr 24, 2009 07:39 AM
My bbq sauce starts with strong black coffee. Add ketchup to form the base. While this doesn't work so well with Asian inspired bbq sauces (I tend to thin out the ketchup with soy sauce for those), you can really do your own thing on this base. It's a little sweet from the ketchup, and rich tasting from the coffee (but it doesn't taste like coffee). i add cider vinegar, cayenne, ancho chili powder, and worcestershire. But chipotle, lime, orange, ginger, whatever, all work great in this base.
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I like Fiorella's KC original and spicy.
http://www.jackstackbbq.com/sauces-ru...That being said, I would try to spend time at some BBQ competitions, ready to spend money by tasting and asking questions. Find some you like, and buy a couple bottles from small producers. Educate your self about what you like, what your family likes, and go from there.
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I really like Ina Garten's barbecue sauce. You could add some ginger if you like, and if you really want a smoky flavor, some liquid smoke. You could also use smoking chips for a real smoke flavor.
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We use this for competiton
http://www.blueshog.com/website/main....I've been playing around with using demi glace as a base and adding vinegar, my home smoked chipotles, tomato sauce, molases, brown sugar and spices. Its been fun, but I haven't come up with anything super mind blowing yet. I'm after a barbecue gravy sauce. Been at it for years with no break throughs. My lovely wife thinks I'm nuts.
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Gio
Apr 24, 2009 06:37 AM
My new favorite homemade barbeque sauce is one I recently made from the Virginia Willis cookbook, "Bon Appetit Y'All. Here's my report of it:
Mama's Barbecue Sauce, Pg. 285
....."Unsalted butter, ketchup, finely chopped sweet onion, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, Dijon, brown sugar, Kosher salt & FGBpepper are all combined in a saucepan, brought to the boil, then simmered for about 30 minutes. Once again, taste for seasoning and add more S & P if necessary. Ms. Willis says it will keep for months covered in the fridge."
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re: Sporkman
kchurchill5
Apr 24, 2009 06:19 AM
Never heard of headcountry and I haven't seen it locally, but I agree that there are quite a few good brands out there. As I mentioned I love to jazz up plain ones, but there is a small stand locally that sells a brand that I love. Unfortunately I don't have a bottle right now but they bring it down from TN and sell it at their local stand at the farmers market. It is pretty generic, but something gives it that extra something.
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kchurchill5
Apr 23, 2009 09:23 PM
I have made my own, lots of variations. I also take a good ol' bottled sauce and jazz it up with everything from fruit, preserves, spices, herbs, juices, peppers, etc. Tons of combinations. I don't have a favorite. I honestly have 5 or more and use them for different things. I can say that depending on what I am serving it with makes me decide what type of sauce I use.
I made some grilled cabbage, roasted gold/red beets and fennel, potatoes with dill and grilled chicken. For this I wanted tangy, so I used a white BBQ. It was the perfect compliment. To me a red sauce wouldn't of worked. It isn't my fave however, I always use different sauces.
When I use spicy almost Mexican sides I make a mexican flare and smokey flare I use cumin and chipoltes.
But you need to decide if you want a "standard" sauce or a base you can add or change accordingly to your taste. Some like just one taste... me I always change.
I'm sure I didn't help at all and my apologies, I just thought I would share because I have several of my clients (catering) ask me what my favorite sauce is ... so I try to explain this to them.
Have fun and enjoy the grilling
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re: kchurchill5
Green Omnivore
Apr 23, 2009 09:51 PM
Thanks for the info. Jazzing up bottled sauce is a great idea! Can you recommend a good brand that can serve as a base? Tell me more about this white BBQ sauce, I thought it only came in various shades of red :)
I used to run my kitchen like a science experiment so now I'm trying to learn how to cook more freestyle.-
re: Green Omnivore
kchurchill5
Apr 23, 2009 10:18 PM
I add apricot preserves and ginger for an Asian style
Terriyaki and ginger and garlic to another
Chipoltes and garlic and raspberries to make a sweet spicy sauce
Peppers to another for just a hot sauce
Cumin and chipoltes and honey for sweet and spicy
OJ, lime and garlic for a citrus or use orange marmalade and lime zest
Also some spices and extra seasoning can make tons of varieties of flavorsThe white is a vinegar based sauce. My recipe is 1 cup cider vinegar and mayo, 1/2 small shallot grated, 1 tabelspoon lemon, 1 tablespoon sugar, and pepper, some cayenne or red pepper I prefer red pepper and a dash of salt. I go light on the salt. Mix and chill and then use. I think this is pretty standard. I have also fine chopped a small jalapeno now and then and used that which is good it you want something hotter.
I know using a bottled sauce is not the best, but I use just my grocery store brand Publix. Base plain sauce and then go from there. But I rarely use 1 sauce so this is why I do this.
I have made my own and have a great sauce recipe, but use it primarily use it for entertaining or parties. I just like the variety of so many flavors this is why I use a jar for the base. I know I'm cheating. I guess I could use my own base but I just down't have time.
But BBQ, there will be hundred of recipes and everyone claims to be the best. And to them it is which is fine. I have NO favorites that is why I make mine using a base when I can. I suppose I could make a base and freeze but I use a little at a time usually so the JAZZED up bottle works best for me.
The white sauce you can also jazz up with some spicy, cumin, peppers, more onion according to your taste. Also some nutmeg and different spices to make it very savory, sage and thyme. Anything goes.
I hope this helps and I do have my own base if you would like the recipe and I do make it, but for me my JAZZED up versions work best for me during everyday meals. Even on weekends when I make my own I have to make 3 versions just to please everyone, me spicy, Dad smoky and some friends sweet ... soo ... you can guess why I start with the bottle to make my life easier.
Enjoy!!
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