No. 5 Sauce


 
Originally posted by K Kruger:

If using homemade stock or dripping from a cook done ahead of the time of sauce preparation, treat them as you would meat, i.e., cool quickly and store in the fridge. With those protocols, shelf life is one of a quality issue, not a food safety issue.

An alternative is to freeze excess sauce in smaller quantities, either by vac-packing or in freezer containers.

Welcome to the board!
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Thanks Kevin. I have to admit, I used store-bought canned stock last time, because I haven't ventured into making stock yet. I forgot about freezing - that's a good idea. My wife makes a triple batch of pasta sauce every couple months and we freeze it in quart-size freezer bags. They lay flat in the freezer and hold the perfect amount for a half pound of pasta.
 
Ok Kevin, one more curve to throw at you. What if you made the sauce without any meat drippings? My wife and I had this discussion about whether or not you could leave out or it should be refriged. I said it would probably be ok out due to the vinegar in the sauce. She said no because of the ketchup. I put it in the frig
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paul-- You're both right. Ketchup is fairly shelf stable at room temp--which is why diners don't fridge their ketchup overnight--and the additional vinegar helps stability and helps to ward off safety problems. But restaurants use up the ketchup pretty fast. Tomato products suffer in terms of quality with air or exposure to heat (the black gunk that forms on ketchup bottle rims) and the flavor flattens markedly. It's best to fridge it.

C-- This sauce will freeze well. If using drippings, they might separate out during the freezing process. But a quick whisk to re-incorporate after thawing is all that would be necessary.
 
Not to go off subject, but we just got boxes of tomatoes. I am looking for a good marinara sauce. WOuld your wife care to share the recipe C Simms? Know any good pasta sauce recipes Kevin?

Erik
 
I made 25 pounds of pulled pork for an event at work today and used the economy size No. 5 Sauce.



I was able to make almost a gallon of sauce for less than $10. What a bargain! People loved the sauce on the pork, too.
 
I'm thinking of adding some Chiplotle peppers that have been through the blender to a batch, and in another batch maybe using some allspice. How much of the peppers do you think I should add? I don't want to burn anyones *** off, but just add an additional depth of flavor and a tad of heat.

Thanks,
Michael
 
Michael, it is interesting that you pose this question. Others have kicked it up with chili peppers and pepper sauces. I made a batch yesterday with the new rub I posted: Dr. Pepper Rub. This gives the sometimes laid back No. 5 Sauce some kick. The fresh penzeys spices certainly helped too.
 
Steve,

I ended up modifying your No 5 sauce by using 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of allspice, and 2 tablespoons of honey. I really like this version of the sauce. I was going to make the sauce with the peppers, but decided that would be for a different day. I am really liking this sauce though. The all spice really gave it the depth that I was looking for, it still has the zing from the vinegar, and it also has some sweetness to it, but even with all the extra brown sugar, it's not overpowering like it sounds like it would be.

I'm not where I want to be yet with it, but I'm pretty damn close. Next time I'm going to use a little less allspice, and maybe add a bit of ginger.

Michael
 
Michael, I use chipotle pepper powder in my no.5 sauce. It really takes it up a notch.
Originally posted by Michael Stella:
I'm thinking of adding some Chiplotle peppers that have been through the blender to a batch, and in another batch maybe using some allspice. How much of the peppers do you think I should add? I don't want to burn anyones *** off, but just add an additional depth of flavor and a tad of heat.

Thanks,
Michael
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Hello,
Just wanted to say that this Sauce is just great with a few twists of my own it has become a family favorite, the thing I love about it is that it is so easy but tastes complex. Thanks again
 
Excellent sauce! I first sautéed a finely chopped small onion and a jalapeno fresh from the garden, decreased vinegar to 1/3 cup. Added a dash of Frank’s Hot Sauce. Fantastic!
 
Silly question -- but how to you collect the drippings from smoking? Do you put a pan under the meat and above the water pan?
 
My goodies are collected from the liquid left behind after the rest in foil. I cool it and remove the fat. The rest is licquid gold.
 
My latest additions to Steve's perfect no. 5 base sauce: 1/2 tsp chipotle powder, 1/2 tsp (homemade) liquid smoke, a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1/4 stick unsalted butter, 1/2 tsp "Better Than Bullion", and another tsp of brown sugar. Thanks again Steve!
 
I just made a batch of this sauce for the first time and must say I was impressed. It works out as a great BASE, but I'm thinking of fine-tuning it for the next few months to get it exactly where I want it.

Has anyone tried a short simmer to mary the flavors and then through it on the bottom rack during a cook? I've done beans this way and the drippings and smoke make a nice addition!

Next cook I'm going to add some heat as well as cook it down in the smoker. I can't imagine the results being anything less than fantastic!
 
Originally posted by Dave L:

How does Steve's No. 5 sauce work with spare ribs as a side sauce or slather? Personally I don't slather my ribs but was wondering because some people like it that way. All the threads talk about pulled pork.
 
Dave when I use No. 5 to glaze ribs, I'll use one part honey to 3 or 4 parts sauce. My family uses No.5 on pork, beef and, chicken. If your rub works with different cuts of meat, then the sauce will generally work too.
 
This recipe is a keeper. I tried it just as it was posted with some split chicken first, then with a brisket by adding a teaspoon of Liquid Smoke and some black pepper. It was excellent both times.
As a side note, the best 'rub' that I've found to make this with is McCormick Grill Mates Barbecue spice. It comes out tasting like the prototypical sauce that I've been searching for.
 
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