July 22, 2011: Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce Recipe

I was watching Paula Deen on TV not too long ago and just happened to catch a couple episodes of her show, back to back, that focused on barbecue sauces. I pretty much had the basic recipe down after watching it over and over. I had a couple peaches that needed to be used up (or get thrown to the chickens) so I decided to start with Paula Deen’s barbecue sauce base and add my own twist to it. It came out quite tasty, although a bit too hot for my husband’s taste (cut the chile in half if you want it less spicy). I used it on pork spareribs but it would also be great on pork chops or chicken or fish.

Although the ingredients list is long, don’t be intimidated; this is easy to make.

Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce

¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup finely chopped onions
3 T. prepared mustard
½ cup ketchup
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
Juice of one lime
½ cup water
3 T. brown sugar
1 T. honey
1 t. garlic salt
2 t. paprika
1 t. black pepper
2 peaches, peeled and sliced
1 canned chile in adobo sauce + 1 T. adobo sauce

Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a saucepan. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes, until translucent. Add remaining ingredients (up to peaches) and cook over low heat.

Meanwhile, add the peach slices, chile and adobo sauce to a blender and puree. Add to the mixture in the saucepan. Continue cooking over low heat for 20 minutes, until the sauce is cooked down. Cool and store in a clean jar in the refrigerator.

June 28, 2011: Sesame Ginger Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Here’s another barbecue sauce recipe that’s great on chicken – it would also be a good sauce for pork chops or a pork loin. Serve it with rice and veggie kebabs for a quick, easy-to-clean-up and satisfying meal.

Sesame Ginger Barbecue Sauce

1/3 cup plum sauce (here’s my homemade plum sauce recipe)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. Asian chile sauce
½ cup water

Combine all ingredients up until water in blender; puree until smooth. Slowly add water until the sauce is thin enough to brush on meat. Brush on meat as it is grilling, about 5 to 10 minutes before it’s done.

June 8, 2011: Jerk-y Style Barbecue Sauce Recipe for Chicken

Although this recipe doesn’t include completely traditional Jamaican jerk spices, it is reminiscent of the slightly sweet and hot blend of flavors that characterize jerk dishes. Try this sauce on chicken next time you barbecue and see if you agree!

Jerk-y grilled chicken with potato and leek skewers

Jerk-y Style Barbecue Sauce

3 green onions, white and green parts cleaned and chopped into short lengths
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 t. minced ginger
1 t. each coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and black peppercorns, crushed (use a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder)
½ t. pumpkin pie spice
½ to ¾ t. cayenne pepper (depending on the desired heat level)
2 T. brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
Juice of 2 limes or 1 medium-sized lemon (about 1/4 cup)
½ cup vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients except oil in blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Slowly add the oil in a steady stream and blend until sauce is well mixed and thickened. Reserve ½ cup for brushing on while grilling; add a quarter cup of water to remainder of sauce and use to marinate chicken or pork.

Makes enough to marinate one chicken, cut up, 4 leg quarters, 4 bone-in breasts, one 3-pound pork loin, or 4 thick pork chops.

June 1, 2011: Ginger-Ale Barbecue Sauce

Welcome to June! This is one of my favorite months for several reasons. For one, the weather is just fantastic (at least where I live) – the winds usually die down by now, the danger of frost is past, and it’s not too hot. For another, my mother was born smack dab in the middle of June and although she’s gone from this world, the lovely month always reminds me of what a lovely person she was.

This is the perfect time to start grilling outdoors as much as possible. At least for us, the grilling season is limited so we really enjoy being outdoors in the warmer weather and making meals that are healthy (no frying!) and require little clean up.

To get the month started, I’m sharing a barbecue sauce that is my adaptation of a recipe I first found in Sunset magazine. It has amazing flavor that is perfect for grilled chicken, ribs, or pork chops.

Ginger-Ale Barbecue Sauce

1 T. coconut oil
1 t. sesame oil
1/2 large red onion, chopped
2 T. minced fresh ginger
2 T. minced fresh garlic
1 cup pale ale or any dark beer
½ cup ketchup
3 T. rice wine vinegar
3 T. brown sugar
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. soy sauce (can substitute Worcestershire sauce)
½ t. sea salt
½ t. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Saute vegetables in coconut and sesame oils over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add remaining ingredients, up to lemon juice, and simmer over medium-low 5 – 6 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add lemon juice. When cool, puree in a blender until smooth. Makes 2 ½ cups barbecue sauce.

Tip: Prepare chicken pieces by sprinkling with salt and pepper (or brining). Grill for 45 minutes, then brush on barbecue sauce. This is the best way to keep the skin from burning.