A Barbecue Sauce Recipe You Can Use in Countless Scrumptious Versions

There are countless ready-to-use barbecue sauces in the market today and if you are fond of barbecue, you have probably tried several. You may even have found a favorite brand to use regularly and figured out a way to enhance its flavor by adding lemon or garlic or a combination of other ingredients. There may be times, however, when you wish you could have your old favorite and still serve something new all in one occasion. If so, here’s a barbecue sauce recipe that might work for you and help turn your regular barbecue into a mini barbecue buffet!

The Basic Sauce

In a blender, puree a small onion, half a head of garlic and 1/3 cup of brown sugar. Pour into a bowl and add 1 cup of ketchup, 1 teaspoon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1/3 cup of lemon juice. Mix well. This is your basic sauce and you can use it as is. You can also divide this into two or three portions and flavor each one differently.

The Asian Variation

To your basic mix, add 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine, and 3 tablespoons of sesame oil. Marinate the meats you choose to serve with this Asian flavor for at least one hour, barbecue, and serve.

A Hint of Sate

To your basic mix, add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of peanut butter, 1 teaspoon tamarind sauce, 1 tablespoon sate sauce and the juice of one lime. It is important to slice your meat a little on the fine side because the peanut butter makes this recipe for barbecue sauce burn rather quickly. The tamarind sauce and the sate sauce are both available in Asian groceries in the US. Be sure to refrigerate once you have opened their bottles.

A Breath of Creole

To your basic mix, add your Creole seasoning. You can make this yourself by mixing 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon paprika, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, and 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper. If you intend to serve a Creole variation for your barbecue, you won’t go wrong by throwing in some sausages along with your beef.

A Trace of Mexican

Finely chop three tablespoons of cilantro. Throw this into your basic mix and add 1/2 to one teaspoon cumin, a teaspoon of white pepper, and half a teaspoon of cinnamon. You may also want to put a dash or more of taco flavoring.

A Touch of Thai

You can convert your basic sauce so that it has a touch of Thai in it by adding the juice of one lime, a heaping tablespoon of sugar, a tablespoon of fish sauce and two tablespoons of finely chopped ginger. Many Thai dishes are traditionally hot but you can make your Thai version as hot or as mild as you want. If available, one crushed lemongrass stem will go a long way towards bringing a taste of Siam to your sauce.

Adapting the Sauce to Your Own Taste

Some kitchens develop a fine reputation for their distinctive barbecue sauce. You can become known for having barbecues that provide a mélange of exotic flavors side by side with the fondly familiar tastes that come off the grill. If you decide to use this barbecue sauce recipe, try the basic version on a small amount of meat before using it for a big party. Then, as today’s foodies would put it, tweak it so that it suits your palate. Add pepper or nutmeg or balsamic vinegar- whatever strikes your fancy after you have tested it on your grill. Be the judge of how hot, how sweet or how salty you want your sauce to be. Reduce or add to the ingredients listed, be adventurous enough to make this sauce your very own then grill away and have fun!