BBQ Sauces for Consideration

Here is a listing of some great and fully tested BBQ sauces from throughout the United States.   While I prefer modifications on the standard Kansas City sauces, which are tomato based, this posting provides a wide range of regional choices to try.  Sorry but, I will not be sharing my personal recipe. However, I do plan on willing my recipe to my sons. Enjoy.

Kansas City Style

(2-1/2 cups - soften onions with butter for 4 minutes - add rest boil reduce and simmer until thickened - cook 20 minutes)

2 TB butter

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 12-oz can of beer

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 Teas. celery seed

1 Teas. hot sauce

1 Teas. salt

North Caroline Western Style

(combine and cook low heat for 4 minutes)

1 cup vinegar

2/3 cup ketchup

2 Teas. sugar

1 Teas. salt

1/2 Teas. red pepper flakes

1 Teas. Worcestershire

Tennessee Style Sauce

(Combine and cook medium heat for 5 minutes)

1 cup cane syrup

1 cup tomato sauce

1 TB cider vinegar

1/2 Teas. allspice

1/2 Teas. Black pepper

1/4 Teas. ground cloves

1/4 Teas. ground cinnamon

1/4 Teas. Cayenne

Texas Style Sauce

(melt butter and cook onion and garlic for 2 minutes, add flour and cook 4 minutes, add rest blend, boil and cook 15 minutes)

4 TB butter

1/3 cup minced onion

1 clove garlic, crushed and minced

2 TB flour

1-1/2 cup beef broth

1 cup tomato sauce

1 TB Worcestershire 

1 TB Cider vinegar

1 Teas. black pepper

1/2 Teas. brown sugar

Northern Style Generic Sauce

(whisk all and store in closed container in Frig)

1 18-0z bottle of favorite BBQ sauce

1/2 cup honey

1 Teas. northern rub

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 salt

1/4 cup Lawry's Seasoned salt

2 TB granulate garlic

1 TB onion powder

1 TB Lemon pepper

1 TB chili powder

1 TB paprika

2 Teas. allspice

1 Teas. cayenne

1 Teas. Black Pepper

1 Teas. Dry mustard

1/2 Teas. black pepper

1/4 allspice

Sprecher Cream Soda Sauce

medium heat - melt butter and oil, add onion and jalapeno and cook 4 minutes, add flour and blend, add rest except for paprika and tomato paste and mix well, bring to boil and reduce to simmer, cook for 15 minutes, pour into blender and smooth - 30 seconds, return to heat, whisk in paprika and tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes)

2 TB butter

2 TB vegetable oil

1 cup chopped red onion

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and minced

2 TB flour

16-oz cream soda

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 TB Worcestershire

2 TB lemon juice

1 TB white vinegar

1 TB Soy sauce

1/2 Teas. black pepper

3 TB tomato paste

Southern Generic Style

(heat bacon grease - add onion and garlic and cook until soft - 4-5 minutes, add rest and simmer for 15 minutes)

2-3 TB bacon grease

1/2 cup minced onion

2 Cloves minced garlic

1-1/3 cup ketchup

2/3 cup yellow mustard

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup Worcestershire

2 TB hot sauce

1 Teas. black pepper

1 Teas. salt

Eastern Generic Style

(combine over medium heat and cook 5 minutes)

2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup yellow mustard

2 TB Worcestershire

1/2 TB granulated garlic

1/2 TB onion powder

1/2 TB black pepper

1/2 TB hot sauce

Western Generic Style

(oil in pan, add onion, garlic, and chiles and cook 5 minutes, add rest and stir as you go, into blender for 3 minutes. check for thicken)

2 Ancho chiles in adobo sauce

2 TB olive oil

1 medium onion minced

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup Soy sauce

2 TB Sugar in the Raw

1 TB Balsamic vinegar

1 TB Smoked Paprika

1 Teas. salt

1/2 Teas. Black pepper

Big Jim's Hog Breath Sauce

(combine and cook for 15 minutes)

3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

3/4 cup prepared chili sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup molasses

3 TB Soy sauce

2 TB lemon juice

1 clove garlic, masked

1 TB prepared dark brown mustard

2 Teas. Worcestershire

1 Teas. Tabasco 

1 Teas. salt

Coke-Cola BBQ Sauce

(combine and cook for 15 minutes)
1 cup Coca-Cola
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 Chipotle Pepper
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup fruit preserves
1/2 cup Chinese sweet chili sauce 

Coffee Caramels

Coffee Caramels have a smooth, smoky coffee taste and a rich, chewy, buttery texture. The recipe as written produces a caramel with a noticeable but not overwhelming coffee taste--you can adjust the amount of instant coffee to suit your personal preferences, using anywhere from 1-3 tbsp instant coffee.  This recipe yields about 4 dozen small caramels.

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1.5 cups half and half (not fat-free)
• 2 tbsp instant coffee
• 1/4 cup (2 oz) butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Procedure

• Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with Parchment paper (extend paper about 2 inches in each direction beyond the rim of the pan and spray the pan heavily with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place the sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, honey, half and half, instant coffee, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the butter is melted and the sugars dissolve. Insert a candy thermometer.
• Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the thermometer reaches 250.
• Once at 250, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Allow it to set at room temperature for 3 hours, or until cool and firm.
• Remove the caramel from the pan by using the parchment paper as handles. Flip it upside down and peel the foil off the back. Spray a large sharp knife with nonstick spray, and cut the caramel into small squares or bars.
• Wrap the caramels in squares of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. (Alternately, they can be dipped in chocolate.) Store wrapped Coffee Caramels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

BBQ Shrimp

We just found a new magazine called Fine Cooking.  This recipe is from the April/May 2014 issue of the magazine.  Alexis and I will be making it the next time we cook together.  Let me know what you think.

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized lemon
• 8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic
• 4 Bay Leaves
• 1 Teas. Sweet Paprika
• ¼ Teas. Cayenne Pepper
• ¼ Teas. Kosher Salt
• ½ Teas. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• ½ Teas. Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• 24 Shrimp (12-15 per pound), fresh and unshelled

Procedure

• Cut the lemon in half and juice it.  Press each lemon half flat on the cutting board, and then cut into ½-inch wide strips. 
• Melt butter in skillet over medium heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add the lemon juice and peel, Worcestershire Sauce, Garlic, Bay Leaves, Paprika, Cayenne, salt, ground and cracked pepper.  Stir and simmer for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors, do not burn the Garlic.
• Add the shrimp and increase the heat to medium.  Cook, turning the shrimp with tongs until all the shrimp are beginning to turn pink, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Cover the skillet and remove it from the heat.   Let sit for 15 minutes so that the shrimp can adsorb the flavors and finish cooking, stir every 5 minutes.
• Serve immediately.