Basic Barbecue Sauce

Hello, Barbecue Enthusiasts! Barbecue Sauce is for those who savor intense spicy flavors on their grilled meats and seafoods. It is not a marinade and should only be splashed on the finished meat just before it is removed from the grill and served. Barbecue Sauce is a grilling sauce that has a thicker consistency than a marinade, so the meat will not absorb the flavors until it has been cooked. Barbecue sauces come in a veritable plethora of flavors including spicy, hot, garlic, mustard, brown sugar, honey, KC style, oriental, thick and chunky, smooth and creamy, French, herb-based, smoke house . . . The list goes on. Simply stated, barbecue sauce is a matter of ones personal taste preferences and The Cook and Kitchen Staff strongly recommend that you develop your own sauce that suits your personal taste. Here are some to get you started: Basic Barbecue Sauce: Combine the following ingredients in a large saucepan: 1 quart vinegar, 1 32-oz. bottle ketchup, 1 32-oz. French or Western Salad Dressing, 1 cup sugar, 2 Tbs. lemon juice, 2 Tbs. ground red pepper, 2 Tbs. ground black pepper, and 1 tsp. salt. Simmer on low heat until the sauce is thick and creamy. As an option, add 2 or 3 Tbs. liquid smoke during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Teriyaki Barbecue Sauce: Combine 2/3 cup Soy Sauce, 1/4 cup Olive Oil, 1 Tbs. Ground Ginger, 1 Tbs. Garlic Salt, 3 Tbs. Brown Sugar, and 1 tsp. Ground Mustard. Add finely chopped fresh mushrooms and green peppers for a chunky sauce. Add more brown sugar or 1 Tbs. flour or cornstarch for a thicker sauce. Perfect barbecue sauce for beef or chicken kabobs with whole fresh mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, fresh chunks of pineapple, and green peppers. Goes well with rice, Chinese Noodles, and Oriental Cole Slaw. Hot Barbecue Sauce: Prepare basic sauce recipe and add 1 or 2 tsp. of Tobasco or a can of diced green chilies ranging from jalapeno to poblano. Great with chicken, seafood, or pork. Best served with baked potatoes, cornbread, or a plain pasta salad to tone down the heat. Honey Barbecue Sauce: Add 1/2 cup honey to basic barbecue sauce recipe. Perfect for Chicken or Cornish Hens. Mustard Barbecue Sauce: Substitute any type of prepared mustard for ketchup in the basic barbecue sauce recipe. Great on Seafood or Poultry. Garlic Barbecue Sauce: Add 1 to 3 Tbs. fresh minced Garlic, depending on the strength of garlic flavor desired, to the basic barbecue sauce. Add up to 1/2 cup of finely minced onions for extra zing, or add both 1/2 cup finely minced onions and green bell peppers for a really hearty barbecue sauce. Makes a little thicker sauce for use on any type of Seafood, Meat, or Poultry. Posted to dailyrecipe@recipe-a-day.com by Recipe-a-Day <recipe-a-day@bignetwork.com> on May 9, 1998