Chris Hart <hart2001@yahoo.com>
bbq list
                                                            W
Well I was complaining recently that I couldn't put together a good BBQ
sauce.  I think it was
Gary from Chicago whom seemed sure I could do better than doctored SBR.  I
went to my Cooks
Illustrated collection - these guys, as I'm sure many of you are aware,
author well researched
SOLID recipes - and found a simple but very good BBQ sauce recipe.  And I
only made ONE change! 
The recipe calls for liquid smoke as an optional ingredient.  Not being a
big fan of liquid smoke
I subbed 1 pureed chipotle pepper and dropped the cayenne as the chipotle
provided enough heat
(OK, 2 changes).


Here it is:

1 Medium Onion Peeled and Quartered
1 Cup Kethcup
2T Cider Vinegar
2T Worcestershire
2T Dijon Mustard
5T Ketchup
1t Tabasco
1/4t ground black pepper
1 1/2 t liquid smoke (optional)
or
1 pureed chipotle pepper (my addition, optional)
2T veg oil
1 med garlic clove, minced (I used a mortar and pestle to bring down to a
paste)
1T Chili powder
1/4t cayenne (optional, if using chipotle)


1. Process onion and 1/4 cup water in a food processor until pureed and mixture
resembles slush, about
30 seconds. Srain mixture through fine mesh strainer into cup, pressing on
solids to obtain 1/2
cup onion juice. Discard solids.
2. Wisk Onion juice, ketchup, vinegar, worcestershire, mustard, molasses,
hot pepper, pureed
chipotle (or LS), black pepper in medium bowl. 
3. Heat oil in saucepan add garlic, chili powder and cayenne - cook until
fragrant, about 30
seconds. Wisk in ketchup mixture and bring to boil; reduce heat to med-low
and simmer gently,
uncovered about 25 minutes.  Cool and refrigerate.

The onion juice and cooking of the chili powder give this sauce a great
flavor punch.  Add a few
T's of honey if you like it sweet.  I strained the sauce to remove any bits
of garlic.

Chris.

~`xxxx~~

Well, I'm pretty happy with my Pork sauce, a butter, cider vinegar and 
bacon grease rendition.  I'm searching for the perfect, glossy, sweet, 
tangy  sauce to glaze ribs and chicken with.  And I just can't follow a 
traditional BBQ sauce recipe.  I'm always adding a little more sugar, 
honey instead of mollases, a bit of chipotle, a dollop of peach jam 
etc.  Mostly, I end up with an unbalanced mess, sometimes the sauce is 
inspired but not reproducable.

I have followed the recipe out of Thrill of the Grill and its good, but 
lacking WOW factor.  Is there a BBQ sauce recipe out there, generally 
regarded as solid, has been made again and again, that if I follow to 
the T will be happy with the results?

MY SBR doctor calls for 2 bottles SBR, 1 bottle Rick Bayless' Honey 
Chipotle Grill sauce, 2T good chili powder, 1T fresh toasted ground 
cumin, and for the judges a bit of MSG.

Chris.



