The Weekend Grillers
Weekly BBQ & Grilling Recipes #3




From Weekend Griller, Mark

Let's talk Sauce.  I've had BBQ Sauce on my mind a lot lately.

Jamie has a new website for his Derby City Sauces up at http://www.derbycitysauces.com/ and it looks really good -- even if he did have another friend of ours design it.  He has recently added a BBQ Rub to his products which his friends have been enjoying for years.  (I just hope this doesn't mean my "free bag days" are over.)

Head over to http://www.derbycitysauces.com/ and check out the whole collection of Derby City Sauces and Rubs. 

Another saucy friend of ours is Bob from over at http://lebayougourmetfoods.com/index.html -- which I didn't do either.  What's up with that??  Anyway, Bob only makes one sauce -- Le Bayou Gourmet Barbecue Sauce --  but, as he likes to say, "that's all you need."  Imagine how good a Cajun BBQ Sauce would taste.  Now stop imagining it -- it's here.  

Go grab yourself a bottle at http://lebayougourmetfoods.com/index.html

Bob and I may be working on a project together soon.  I'll keep you posted -- since you just know it will be all about BBQ.

Meanwhile, I have a few Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes for your enjoyment today.  They're not as good and Jamie's or Bob's ;)  -- but they are really good and a lot of fun to make.

Enjoy.


St. Louis Barbecue Sauce

As many of you know, BBQ Sauce Styles are different all over the country. 

I'm not sure whether you would call St. Louis BBQ Sauce a true "style" -- or just a variation.  Maybe a cross between KC and Texas.  

Anyway this recipe for "St. Louis-style Barbecue Sauce" is thinner and has more of a tangy flavor most people are used to.

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 to 2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat. Stirring occasionally and simmer for 20 minutes. Sauce should be thin, but not watery. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Sauce is better if allow to sit for a day.


 TGI Friday's Jack Daniel's Barbecue Glaze

A little Restaurant Recipe action for ya.

The truth is that most "chain" sauces are not really very good.

It's understandable when you consider that a national restaurant has to please tastes in cities and towns from Maine to California and Washington to Florida. And that's impossible.

A hot sauce that would please a Texan would be way too hot for most people in Ohio, for example. A good mustard in New Jersey would never please someone in Denver. And consider that there are 1,000's of varieties of hot sauce, BBQ, mustard, gravy, steak sauce, etc.

No, most chain restaurants do not have very good sauces.

Which is why it is such a pleasant surprise to discover T.G.I. Friday's Jack Daniels Dipping Sauce.

This stuff is good. Really good.

It's smokey and tangy and sweet. It's everything you want from a barbeque glaze.

Is it the best ever? Of course not. But it may be the best chain sauce I've ever tasted.

Ingredients:

  • 1 head of Garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 3/4 cup Water
  • 1 cup Pineapple Juice
  • 1/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 1 1/4 cups Dark Brown Sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 3 tablespoons minced White Onion
  • 1 tablespoon Jack Daniels Whiskey (Course, you may want to use some good Kentucky Bourbon.  I'm just sayin')
  • 1 tablespoon crushed Pineapple
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 

Directions:

Roast Garlic:

  1. Cut about 1/2 inch off of the top of the Garlic and then cut the roots off so it will set flat.
  2. Remove most of the papery skin from the Garlic but leave enough so it will stay together.
  3. Put garlic into a small baking pan and drizzle with the Olive Oil.
  4. Cover with lid or foil
  5. Bake at 325 for 1 hour.
  6. Remove and cool.

 

Mix and Simmer:

  1. Combine Water, Pineapple Juice, Teriyaki Sauce, Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar in a medium saucepan.
  2. Simmer over medium/high heat, stirring occasionally until mixture boils.
  3. Reduce heat until mixture is just simmering.

 

Add Roasted Garlic:

  1. Squeeze the sides of the head of garlic until the garlic is squeezed out (it should be the consistency of butter)
  2. Measure 2 teaspoons.
  3. Whisk into saucepan.

 

Bring it all together:

  1. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir.
  2. Let the mixture simmer for 40-50 minutes or until sauce is reduced by about 1/2. It should be thick and syrupy.


 BBQ Pit Boys Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipe

"A basic BBQ Sauce that's quick and easy to make, and goes real well with most kinds of BBQ. Start with this recipe and then make it your own "secret sauce" by adjusting the ingredients and quantities. That's what BBQ is all about."

Is anyone else thinking of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" right now?

 

Take care and never settle for bad BBQ!

Mark & Jamie