Vinegar Base BBQ Sauce

[Big Dave]

I smoked a pork roast today for some pulled pork sandwiches. I followed a bbq recipe in the Big Weber book. It called for 1 1/2 cups of cider vinegar. I brought the vinegar to a boil. The issue was the pungent odor that came from the boiling vinegar. It stunk up the house and completely overpowered my sauce. I double checked and I did use the right amount. Is this common with vinegar base sauces? Is there anyway to tame the vinegar?

 

[K Kruger]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Is there anyway to tame the vinegar? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Yes, water.

 

[Doug D]

My experimentations in copying a commercial vinegar-based sauce led me to realize I needed to cut the vinegar with about half the volume of water. See the Recipes forum, there are a few vinegar sauces there that you'll see call for some percentage of water.

 

[Paul H]

Dave, go to the recipe for the Number 5 sauce on this site under rubs and sauces. Great sauce with vinegar to start with. Adjust it to make it your own

 

[John Mason]

The vinegar sauce recipe I use is pretty much all vinegar with a bit of spice -

NC Eastern-style sauce

 

[Jeff Smith]

I use a touch of turbinado to cut the acidity which worked well in my last sauce.

Oh and about the smell. I made that mistake once too and the wife was none too happy with the smell in the house.

Now I use the side burner of my gasser to boil it

 

[Billy]

My recipe is fairly close to John Mason's link. I don't actually boil anything, just mix it together and let it sit!

As Kevin mentions, adding water will help with the pungency. I usually taste test mine closer to serving and doctor it with water until I'm happy.

If you're not used to vinegar sauces, I can see how you might think you're off in the weeds, but it's probably just right.

 

[Jeff T Miller]

I have made the Carolina Red out of smoke and spice several times. It has 1 1/2 cups of cider vineager I don't find it too pungent. I don't boil it though. I don't know if that would make any difference.

 

[Steve Petrone]

I would suggest 20-25% water. If you want a Lexington style vinegar sauce...add 20% ketchup. They will both cut the vinegar bite.

 

[dsitterson]

The first time I did one of paul kirks vinegar sauces it stank up the house my wife was like what are you doing. After I tased it on the pork it was like ...like like real goood. So know the smell doesn't bother me or the wife. Maybe time to use the outside burnner.