Consumer Reports 1991 BBQ Sauce Recipe


 

Doug D

TVWBB Hall of Fame
CR, in July 1991, did a report on barbecue sauces, and judged none of them excellent. So they offered up their own recipe:

1 t. crushed garlic (2-3 cloves)
3/4 c. white vinegar
1 six-ounce can tomato paste
1/4 c. dark molasses
1/4 c. light molasses
1/4 c. water
2 T. orange marmalade
1-1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. ground mustard
1/4 t. allspice
1/4 t. celery seed
1/4 t. dried thyme leaves
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1 sm. bay leaf
1 T. liquid smoke

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all ingredients except liquid smoke. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add liquid smoke. Stir.

Yield: About 2 cups. Preparation time: 30 minutes.

In the September 2006 issue, New York reader John Costa reports "with a few adaptations (darker molasses, more cayenne, orange zest instead of marmalade, no liquid smoke), I've been using it ever since, and watching those to whom I serve it fall into an ecstacy".
 
I made this recipe this past weekend. I used it to go with pulled brisket.

The sauce itself is good. It's very well balanced, and the best way I can describe the flavor is probably "Classic American BBQ sauce" - the sauce is thicker than ketchup when it is done, and spoons well.

I didn't consider it to be all that spicy, but my wife thought it was a bit more spicy that she likes.

The liquid smoke that the person quoted ommitted is, in my opinion, quite necessary in this sauce. Prior to adding in the liquid smoke, the sauce didn't taste quite "complete" - but with the liquid smoke in it, the flavors finally seemed to blend together into the BBQ sauce flavor.

To properly evaluate the recipe, I completed it as it is written - except I didn't have dark molasses so I added in a bit of dark brown sugar to compensate for my use of only normal molasses.

It's a good base to start playing around with. I expect that the next time I make it I will likely tweak a few things, but those tweaks will depend on the mood I am in on that day. I will likely pump up the sweetness slightly by adding some maple syrup to it.
 

 

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