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Texas BBQ Sauce

Texas Barbecue Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

In Texas, beef ribs are accompanied by this simple, vinegary dipping sauce that is quite unlike the sweet, thick barbecue sauces found in the supermarket. Tomato juice is the key to keeping this sauce flavorful but light.

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• Salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2-1/4 cups tomato juice
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard mixed with 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• Pepper

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch salt and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the tomato juice, 1/2 cup of the vinegar, Worcestershire, molasses, mustard mixture and chipotle.

2. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced to 1-3/4 cups, 30 to 40 minutes.

3. Off the heat, stir in the remaining 1/4 cup vinegar. Cool to room temperature, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve. (The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.)

Texas Brisket

Story and photos by Rick Browne, Ph.B.

http://bit.ly/11mq51

Beef brisket: probably the most difficult cut of meat you’ll ever attempt on a barbecue. But it can be simple; time consuming for sure, but simple. Some claim that cooking a brisket is like cooking a snow tire, but I disagree. Snow tires taste like rubber; perfectly cooked briskets taste like heaven. But in the hands of a savvy pitmaster brisket is tender, drippingly moist, and loaded with real beef flavor that is the essence of barbecue.

To a Texan, brisket IS barbecue. It was most likely a Texan who started the rumor that the “BB” in BBQ stands for “beef brisket.”

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