Getting Saucy

So, now that I've made my rub, I'm going to make my BBQ sauce. I have no photos of my BBQ sauce, so I'm going to insert random photos from the web of people who look like me.

This is Chef Paul Prudhomme, apparently  before he lost 130 pounds, bringing him down to a, um, comfortable 360 pounds. 

The base of my sauce is (great secret revealed now) ketchup. Plain old store bought ketchup. (Are there supposed to be commas in that sentence?) Here's my recipe:

Pour some ketchup in a sauce pan over low heat and add stuff.

Clip that. File it.

What stuff? Well, again, I like my BBQ sweet and spicy. So, stuff that makes it sweet and spicy.

Here's what I used in this particular batch:

Dom Deluise. I did not use him in my BBQ sauce.

Ketchup
Brown Sugar
Apple Cider Vinegar
Honey Mustard (two kinds - a mild one and a spicy one)
Maple Syrup (I only use the real, more expensive kind)
A dash of Worcestershire
A few dashes of Tabasco
AND...SOME OF THE RUB

I yelled that that ingredient because it's important.

The rub is a complex blend of spices (really) and adds a depth of flavor and richness to the sauce. It was especially important in this sauce since I planned to use the rub and sauce together on the same food. Using the rub to complete the flavor profile of the sauce carried that flavor through from beginning to end. It worked nicely.

This is Burl Ives. I'm sorry to use this particular photo in a food blog, but every time I see it I think, "Yeah! That's what I want for my next publicity photo: my naked body, a bathtub filled with dirty water, a cigar, and an electric fan dangerously close to the water." 

In the past, I've used other items in a BBQ sauce. It depends on what I'm in the mood for and what I have on hand. Sometimes I'll finely chop a little onion. Maybe some fresh garlic. I've used plain yellow mustard. Maybe a little molasses if I have it on hand. Tomato paste, if I want to intensify the tomato flavor. Even apples. Play with it. Close your eyes and TASTE it. Use your senses and trust them to tell you what to use. Make mistakes. Try again.

Buying dairy products to make cheese.

Be like Tevye. He never gave up.

Eat Well. Have Fun. Be kind. Give love.