‘Tis the season, peeps; for white shoes and straw hats and suntan lotion and gin and tonics in a tall, frosty glass and lounging on the grass in the sunshine and…
‘Tis the season for barbecue.
And so, since it’s the season and all, I thought today would be the perfect day to re-post my most favorite of all barbecue sauces; a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, and as good on chicken as it is on ribs or salmon, this is One. Fine. Sauce.
INGREDIENTS
•#10 can Heinz ketchup
•3-3/4 cups dark brown sugar
•2 cups cider vinegar
•2 tbsp Colman’s dry mustard
•1 tbsp Caribbean Calypso Seasoning
•1 tbsp minced dried garlic
•1 tbsp freeze dried onion
•1 tbsp Aleppo pepper
•1 tbsp Cayenne
•1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
•1/4 cup Worcestershire
•2 tbsp Cajun Power Spicy Garlic Sauce
Substitutes: a bit of fresh lemon, lime, and orange zest with a dash of Cayenne could stand in for the Caribbean Calypso Seasoning, and mebbe a bit of good (Tellicherry) black pepper and some chili powder could replace the Aleppo pepper. Tabasco, or any other hot sauce is just not the same as Cajun Power, but mebbe try 1 tablespoon and see how it works.
Combine all of the ingredients in a tall pot over medium-low heat – years of making this sauce have taught me that using the low-power ‘simmer’ burner at the back of the stove works a treat here.
Years of making this sauce should also have taught me not to wear a white shirt while simmering tomato-based stuff, but, as you can see…
Simmer the sauce, stirring quite often, over that medium-low heat for about 2 hours, until it has thickened a bit and the flavors have all come together. My old rule of thumb was that, early on in the simmering stage, the vinegar-y smell of the sauce will almost take your breath away, while at the end, it’ll all come together into a rich, sweet and a little bit spicy aroma.
Transfer the warm sauce to freshly-boiled canning jars (this recipe will make about 6-1/2 pints) and process in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes.
This batch will see us into the beginnings of grilling season, tho’ 2 pints are already spoken for, and the half pint jar is going with us to a holiday barbecue on Monday – I plan on bringing a jalapeño cheesecake and a rack of ribs – so I will no doubt be back simmering sauce again soon.
Mebbe then I will remember not to wear a white shirt…