Fat Matt's BBQ Sauce Recipe


 
I finally tried to make the sauce. I did not go well. I have never made a ketchup based sauce, and could not fiure out what I was missing. In doing so I think I over-tweaked the recipe. The coloring was perfect, the taste was completely different. I didn't like what I had made at first, but once on the ribs, the sauce I made was very good, but not ala Fatt Matt's. Here is what I did:

1 and 1/3 cup Ketchup
4 tbs mustard
8 tbs cider vinegar
4 tsp worcestshire
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
2 tbs dark corn syrup
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt

the sauce had too much tang and ketchup flavor. I didn't know where to go with it, so I stopped. I know I added some other ingredients. Fatt Matt's is the same color as this sauce, but much smoother, less ketchupy tasting, and a little sweeter. Any suggestions would be helpful...Thanks!

--just realized that I forgot molasses. I think that would have helped smooth the flavor. I'll have to do it again this weekend.
 
I wish I'd been able to get by there by now to taste it. I was at Harry's the other day but not enough time.

Anyway, I have a few thoughts based on your comments upthread and your post of today. Get some light corn syrup then try again using this procedure:

Using the recipe in today's post as a starting point, add 3 T of light corn syrup and 2 T molasses to the list.

In a pot, combine half the ketchup with 2 T of the mustard, 4 T of the vinegar, just 2 drops lemon, everything else as written, plus the light corn and molasses additions. Bring that to a simmer and cook, covered, about 15 min, taste, then try to figure how to build from there. You'll be short some ketchup, mustard, lemon and vinegar. One or more of those can be added a little at a time--I'd go no more than 1 T of ketchup at a time and no more than 1 t of vinegar or mustard at a time. The lemon should go in by the drop. Keep a simmer going. If at any point the tang gets a bit too much add a t of light corn syrup and/or a 1/2 t of molasses or sugar.
 
Awesome Kevin! Thanks for the coaching, I can't wait to try it again. The sugar, salt, and worcesthire amounts looked okay? I was trying everything I could. I will buy some molasses and light corn syrup today. Will this be in addtion to the dark corn syrup or instead of? Thanks!
 
Now that you mention the salt, start with just a pinch in the pot--you can always up that as you go. The sugar looks fine to me as does the Worcestershire. Keep the dark syrup in.

Let me know how it goes.
 
Thanks for the quick response. I'll do as you say, and hope for the best. I'll post the results when I try it this weekend. Thanks again!
 
Kevin and Rita,

I made a version of the sauce this weekend, following Kevin's suggestions. It was awesome. From my memory, it was pretty close to Fatt Matts. However, I am waiting to post the "clone" recipe until I receive the bottle of sauce that Rita has generously purchased for us for comparison. I will surely need to tweak the sauce a little from what it is now. However, I may have come up with a new favorite sauce in the mean time. I will post the recipe for this one and the "clone" once it is ready!
 
Good work, Dan! Yours arrives today, Kevin's tomorrow. Just think....sauce by committee!
Rita
 
Dan-- Well done! As I'm sure you've surmised, final tweaking can be difficult due to variances in ingredients between yours and the other's. Go slow and sparing--often you end up with something better precisely because of those variances, your cooking technique, and other factors.

Rita-- Thank you so much for sending the sauce.

Maybe the three of us can meet someday at Fat Mat's and try the clone, Dan's sauce, the bottled they sell, and the one they serve. I'm sure we'd have a good time!
 
Rita,

Got my sauce yesterday, Thanks!!! You were right about it being smokier than the sauce they give you with the ribs. Boy does it taste good. It is definately different than the sauce I made last weekend. I will be smoking again this weekend, and will attempt to clone the sauce, again. Kevin, once you get the sauce, tell me what you think. The first think I'm doing is dropping the garlic salt from my recipe. My sauce had too much of a complex flavor compared to the bottle. Isn't this fun?!
 
Hmmm....looks like we're getting into the Obsession Range here.
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Obsession Goooood!

Dan, I think you're right about the complexity. When we ate there, I'd mentioned that I liked the sauce because it seemed lighter than many others and complemented the meat rather than taking it over. Also, I prefer the less smoky sauce they serve at the shack. Maybe it's a manufacturing and bottling variation. The next time we go there, I think I'll mention it and see what they say.

Here's their website:

http://www.fatmattsribshack.com/

Rita
 
Hey guys!

After many batches of sauce, I think I finally cracked it...or at least I've got close enough to satisfy myself, and everyone who has tried it.

Here we go:
1/2 cup ketchup
4 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs Worc. Sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 Tbs dark corn syrup
2 Tbs light corn syrup
2 Tbs Molasses
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

The sauce is very similar in color to the bottled sauce, not as smokey (as we said, the sauce they serve is not as smokey as the bottled version). The bottle also doesn't have quite as much black pepper. To be right on, cut the black pepper in half.


The first sauce I came up with, which my wife actually prefers has all the same as above plus:
2 Tbs mustard
1 Tbs light corn syrup
1/2 tsp garlic salt

It is also very good. Try out the recipe, and let me know what you guys think! I am very happy with the results.
 
Sorry, I forgot about that important step. I kept it on low as I added the ingredients to the ketchup, and then brought the temp up to get it to simmer. I let it simmer for about 15 minutes, and then brought the temp back down to low for 15 minutes, and then off.

Thanks for reminding me Chris!
 
So this is the keeper, Dan? Good job, and quick too! I'm going to make both versions for my next cook and will let you know.

Now we have to come up with a proper name for the sauce. Any ideas? Somehow "Fat Dan's" doesn't quite do it, or does it?.
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Dat Matt's? Matt's Vat?
 
Kevin I like it!

My wife was saying that we needed to name them. I like MossSauce. Can't wait for feedback after you guys make them!
 
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