Simmer down. I am well aware that authentic Texas-style barbecue requires no sauce, and, its purist fans proclaim perfectly-smoked beef, poultry or pork is so lip-smacking fantastic sauce ruins it. I'm neither here to disagree nor apologize -- I'm just a Yankee gal that likes a special or secret sauce with, or on, almost everything that comes off a grill or out of a smoker. There's more. I have absolutely no idea what might constitute the perfect Tex-Mex-style barbecue sauce, I'm simply here to share my culinary concoction of sweet and savory pleasing-to-me perfection.
Specific to no one dish, but loyal to the cuisine du jour.
My kitchen is no different than anyone elses. The cuisine we're in the mood changes from day to day. Be it Asian, Greek, Italian, Jamaican or Texican (to name a few of our favorites), having an all-purpose marinade or dry rub, along with a sauce for dipping or drizzling, suited specifically to the flavor profile for any cuisine, makes meal preparation for any family easy, not to mention creative and fun. Trust me when I tell you, any way you cook it, every dish prepared in the home kitchen doesn't have to be authentic, classic, or traditional. It just has to look and taste great.
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
1/4 cup light-flavored molasses
6 tablespoons Worcestershire
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dry English mustard
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon each: ground cinnamon and cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon each: garlic and onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
~Step 1. Place all ingredients as listed in a 1-quart saucepan. Bring to a steady simmer over medium heat and continue to cook, stirring constantly, 5-6 minutes. Sauce will be thick, but not too thick -- perfect for dipping or drizzling on almost any Tex-Mex-style grilled meat, poultry or pork. Place in a food storage container and store in refrigerator up to 3-4 weeks.
Try my Texican-style Pork Steak & Bell Pepper Spiedies:
Easy Sweet & Spicy Tex-Mex-Style Barbecue Sauce: Recipe yields 2 1/2 cups barbecue sauce.
Special Equipment List: 1-quart saucepan; spoon; appropriate-sized food storage container w/tight-fitting lid
Cook's Note: I'm a sauce-a-holic. I think almost everything tastes better with a perfectly executed sauce on top of it, underneath it or to the side of it. I think a saucier (a person who devotes oneself to the art of saucemaking) is the most valuable person in the kitchen. From appetizers to desserts, a simple or sophisticated sauce not only enhances food, it can mask a minor mishap or mistake. ~ Kansas City BBQ Sauce: Sweet, Spicy & Smokey ~, is one of my favorites.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)
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