Fresh Cranberry BBQ Sauce

Tonight we had some cooked fresh cranberries. The liquid or sauce should be awesome in a bbq sauce.
BBQ is all about in your face flavor. Hot pepper plus cran=good.

Should it be cinnamon/allspice?
I think lots of sweet onion. And celery seed.

I haven't tried this yet, but it sure looks good.

From the
Shoalwater Restaurant website


Cranberry Barbeque Sauce

6 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
2 cups water
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tb. tomato paste
2 Tb. Worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tb. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. each tarragon, oregano, chili powder, thyme and paprika
1 Tb. garlic salt
2 tsp. dried mustard
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Place all ingredients into a stock pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to 1/3.

Place in a blender in small batches and puree (always be VERY careful when pureeing hot liquids in a blender!)

Strain the puree through a fne mesh strainer.

Refrigerate. This sauce will hold for weeks in the refrigerator!

This sauce may be used as is to baste over meats and poultry before grilling or roasting. For a lighter sauce to serve with your entree mix equal parts barbeque sauce and chicken or beef demi-glace, heat to boiling and then add cream to lighten the sauce. Reduce the mixture by 1/3 over high heat, and then spoon over grilled meats or poultry.

Yield: 5 1/2 cups

I like the ginger. My suggestion to Steve was to be thyme-ginger-allspice, or thyme-celery-clove-bay.

The sauce looks like a start but there are several things I'd change starting with the procedure. First I'd mix the mustard with an equal amount of water to develop its flavor and reserve it. Next: More flavor can be developed by caramelizing the onion and the sauce needs fat so I'd start there and saute the onion in 2 T unsalted butter till soft. Then I'd add a good pinch of salt and the thyme and continue cooking, uncovered and stirring occasionally over med heat, till the onions were golden. I'd skip the liquid smoke and the superfluous paprika replacing it with more flavorful Aleppo or doubling the chile powder (I'd use a pure one or a blend or 2 or three pure ones, adding a little heat). I'd replace the garlic salt with 1 clove of minced garlic and add it to the pot with the ginger--either 2 t of ground ginger or about the same of grated fresh ginger, add the chile or chile and Aleppo, and cook till the garlic and ginger were very fragrant, about 1 min, stirring constantly.

I'd cut the tarragon to 1/2 t and change the oregano to marjoram.

With the onions now browned and the garlic, thyme, chile powder (doubled) or Aleppo and ginger already added, I'd deglaze with the stock, whisk in the reserved mustard-water mix, then add the vinegars, water, tomato paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire, tarragon, marjoram and a little salt and freshly ground pepper.

After the sauce was cooked, reduced, pureed and strained, I'd return it to a pot over low heat and adjust salt and pepper. I'd add the Tabasco to taste and would add brightening citrus notes with several drops of fresh orange juice and a few drops of fresh lemon juice.

For richness I'd add several T of juices reserved from the foil of resting Q'd meat or simply smoke some trimmings and add the trimmings directly to the pot simmering it covered over very low heat.

Just a thought and yes, no one asked--but I can't help myself.

Kevin,

With your changes, the sauce sounds even better. I'll make some this weekend.

Here is Kevins Cranberry Barbeque Sauce in recipe form. Ingredients are listed in the order used.


Kevins Cranberry Barbeque Sauce

2 tsp. dried mustard + 2 tsp. water
1/2 cup diced onion
2 Tb. unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1 tsp. thyme
1 clove of minced garlic
1 tsp. Aleppo or 2 tsp. chili powder (Use a pure chili powder or a blend or 2 or three pure ones, adding a little heat)
2 tsp. of ground ginger or grated fresh ginger
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups water
1 Tb. tomato paste
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tb. Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. tarragon
1 tsp. marjoram
salt to taste
2 tsp. black pepper
6 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
Tabasco sauce to taste
several drops of fresh orange juice
a few drops of fresh lemon juice


Mix dried mustard with 2 tsp. water and reserve.

Saute onions in unsalted butter until soft. Add a good pinch of salt and thyme and continue cooking, uncovered and stirring occasionally over med heat, till the onions are golden.

Add garlic, chile powder or Aleppo and ginger. Cook till the garlic and ginger were very fragrant, about 1 min, stirring constantly.

With the onions now browned and the garlic, thyme, chile powder or Aleppo and ginger already added, I'd deglaze with the stock, whisk in the reserved mustard-water mix, then add the vinegars, water, tomato paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire, tarragon, marjoram and a little salt and freshly ground pepper and cranberries.

Bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to 1/3.

Place in a blender in small batches and puree (always be VERY careful when pureeing hot liquids in a blender!)

Strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer.

After the sauce is cooked, reduced, pureed and strained, I'd return it to a pot over low heat and adjust salt and pepper. I'd add the Tabasco to taste and would add brightening citrus notes with several drops of fresh orange juice and a few drops of fresh lemon juice.

For richness I'd add several Tb. of juices reserved from the foil of resting Q'd meat or simply smoke some trimmings and add the trimmings directly to the pot simmering it covered over very low heat.

Refrigerate.

Yield: 5 1/2 cups



Rusty

Well done gentlemen.