Root Beer BBQ Sauce Revisited

What I thought was recent but just realized was 2 years ago - I made a root beer BBQ sauce.  It was pretty good, but it didn't have a really strong root beer flavor.  I've talked about making it again for a while.  (Two years, it seems...  Time does fly...)

I was talking root beer to one of the guys at work a while back and he mentioned a hand-crafted root beer from Appalachian Brewing Company at a pub he has frequented. Today, he brought me in a couple of bottles. No time like the present to start it off, again.

I brought it home and took a sip.  It really does have a rich root beer flavor - just like old-fashioned root beer barrel candies!  It seems the blurb from the website is true:

Appalachian Root Beer

Our original Root Beer is brewed with pure cane sugar, a touch of vanilla and a delightful blend of honey. Truly tastes like old fashioned, home made root beer thanks to wholesome ingredients - like grandpa made! Appalachian Root Beer is a caffeine-free soft drink. We hope you enjoy drinking it as much as we enjoy brewing it!

I started to work.

Root Beer BBQ Sauce Duex

• 2 bottles good quality root beer
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3  small hot red peppers (from our garden.  They're hot!)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 16 oz can tomatoes in juice
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• salt and pepper, to taste

Reduce the root beer (24 oz) to 1 cup (8 oz) and set aside.

Saute onion, peppers, and garlic in sauce pan until translucent.  Add spices and lightly cook.  Add tomato paste and cook.  Add tomatoes and juice, molasses, and vinegar.  Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes.

Add reduced root beer and check for seasoning.  Add salt and pepper and simmer.

Use an immersion blender and puree until smooth. (Or carefully use a blender.)

Refrigerate until ready to use.

I like this version much better than the first - but it still doesn't have as much of a root beer flavor as I'm looking for.  But it is spicy!  Those little peppers from the garden are g-o-o-d!  I actually want to make a hot sauce from them later in the season.

But the BBQ sauce is really really good and I'm looking forward to using it tomorrow night on some chicken.

Tragically, I'll just have to try it again, one of these days, to see if I can get that stronger root beer flavor I'm looking for.

The things I have to do...

::sigh::

 

 

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by Tim Dineen

One of those days.....

Today started off bad and then proceeded to go downhill.

Every Monday morning since last August - almost a year - I have gone grocery shopping for Victor's mom.  It's an easy list of things and while a couple of items come and go there are a few things that I get every week without fail. 2 packages of apple strudel bites and 4 corn muffins from the in-store bakery at The Acme.

Same store every week.  Same time every week.  Same employees every week.  Same two items every week.  Half the time they're not there.  "Oh, I haven't gotten to them, yet."  "I can put them in now.  They'll be ready in about a half an hour."  Every week.

I keep pushing my shopping time later and later - and I keep having the same conversation.

Every week.

So this week there was one package of strudel bites and one package of corn muffins.  I wasn't going to wait 30 minutes for more.  Went over to the dairy case.  No half-gallons of whole milk.  None.  Nothing.  A big, empty space.  A couple of gallons and a lone quart.  I looked around for an employee but none were to be found.  Finally I spot a guy pushing a dairy rack and start to ask him if there were any half gallons and before I can get the question out he blurts "It will be in tomorrow" while shoving by me - not looking and not stopping.

Not amused.

And then no crossword books.  Victor's mom likes her crosswords...

I go to check out and there's one cashier and a long line.  I headed over to the self-check.

I head over to the Customer Service desk where I vent in a nice way.  The women behind the counter know me and one states "Heck.  Even I know you get those every week.  That's not right."  She says to wait a minute.  I don't want to wait a minute, but I do.

Out comes the "Store Director" who immediately says "We must not have gotten our delivery from our supplier - it's not our fault."  I told her I understood that deliveries can be missed, but my frustration was with the bakery.  She let me know how busy they are and how they have to get the donuts and the bagels made first, and then the rolls, and then they do the other things."  I asked what time would be good for "the other things" and she said "After they get the other things finished."

I thanked her for her help.  And left.  What I didn't say was "you're the manager of the store and have no idea why you don't have milk or what your staff is doing.  Maybe you should leave your office now and again and actually manage your store."  Unfortunately, had I started saying anything, it would have been a string of expletives.  It was better to smile and leave.

I went to the CVS on the way and picked up the milk. Sign on the counter said "ring bell for cashier."  Really.

I dropped everything off with Nonna, and went to PathMark to do a bit of shopping for us.

Another fun experience.  Not as bad as Acme - at least the employees are nice - but I wasn't seeing what I wanted or needed.  I don't get into moods like this often, but I knew I had to get home.   One of the smallest weekly shopping trips I've made in a long time.

I get home, put the few things away, and start a peach BBQ sauce.  I chop up three nice, ripe, juicy peaches and put them into a small pot with about a half-cup of Irish whisky.  I turn on the heat, leave the room, come back a couple of minutes later and they have carbonized to the pan.

Burnt doesn't begin to describe it.  Those lovely sugars from the peaches and the whisky have formed an impenetrable layer on the pan.  It's probably my most-used Calphalon pan.  1 1/2 quarts.  Perfect for  rice, vegetables, sauces - cooking for two. Burnt to a crisp.

Not amused.

I start the soaking process.

It's now after noon and We're both hungry.  I already have a royal case of the crankies.  I figure some food can't hurt.

I grab the hot dogs, put them on the grill, go to get the buns - and they're frozen.  I had bought them on Saturday and Victor didn't know I was going to use them, so...

I grab frozen buns and thaw them on the grill.

I bring them back in, get them dressed, go back out for the hot dogs - and they're burnt to a crisp.  I like charred hot dogs.  These were beyond charred.

We ate them, anyway.

Not amused.

At this point I should have just gone to bed and pulled the covers over my head.  But, no.  I trudge on.

I remade the BBQ sauce and it came out pretty good.  I start the ribs in the oven on low and let them go for several hours.

I get the pot cleaned.  A bit of cursing was involved and even the dog left the room - but I got the pot cleaned.

I'm brave. I bake some peach blondies.  I need to break the spell.  From all appearances they're doing okay.  I'm watching them closely.

Time to start dinner.

I cut a potato, brush it with butter, garlic, and smoked paprika, wrapped them in foil, and placed on the grill.  15 minutes later, I added corn on the cob that I also brushed in butter, but sprinkled with cumin.  I wrapped it in foil and onto the grill it went.

10 minutes later, I went out the check everything - and I was out of propane.

Empty.

Nada.

Zip.

I actually started laughing.  Not hysterical shrieking laughter (although it would have been fitting.)  More of a chuckle that spread into a big grin.

The spell was broken at that point.

I brought the corn and potatoes into the house and put them into the oven.

I placed the ribs under the broiler and got them sizzling.

Dinner was served.

In just a while we'll be enjoying the Peach Blondies.

Life is good.

Quick Peach BBQ Sauce

• 3 ripe, juicy peaches, chopped
• 1/2 cup bourbon or whisky
• 1 bottle good-quality BBQ sauce

Chop peaches and place in pot.  Add whisky and bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until reduced a bit.  Add BBQ sauce.

Mix well with immersion blender until smooth.

Read the label on the BBQ sauce.  Look for good ingredients.

I think a hot and spicy BBQ sauce will work better than a sweet sauce, but...  use your judgement.

Tomorrow, a friend from work will be giving me a couple of bottles of hand-crafted root beer.  I'm going to attempt the Root Beer BBQ sauce again.

I'm brave.

 

 

 

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by Tim Dineen

Trish's White BBQ Sauce

I was perusing facebook about 10 days ago when I noticed that my friend Genevieve Boulerice was making a variation of a white BBQ sauce that her friend Trish Cairnes makes.

Well...  This is the month of BBQ Sauces, right?!?  I had to make it!

Gen posted her recipe and Trish posted hers right after.  Just similar enough that I knew I could play with this one!

In the end, I followed Trish's recipe pretty close, but added a teaspoon of dill at the last minute - just because.  I also didn't add any water.  Didn't need to thin it any more than it was.

Also, I marinated the chicken in the sauce and then grilled them over indirect heat.  After one side was cooked, I dipped them back into the sauce and cooked side two.

Trish Cairn's White BBQ Sauce

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup water x2
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1-2 teaspoon prepared horseradish. depends on what you like.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoon sugar

This is awesome on chicken! I brush some on the chicken when its about 3/4 of the way done. But make sure you keep a bunch for dipping! There are some recipe that are thicker, but I don't like that as much. I've been using for years now. :) But play around with it and see what you think.

And what I think is that it was pretty awesome!  I can see where this could just have a bazillion-and-one possibilities.  I could see switching out vinegars, adding chipotle powder or smoked paprika...  Really.  The possibilities are endless.

So thanks, Genevieve, for posting your dinner and thanks, Trish, for the recipe!

Good food and good people.  What more can ya ask for?

Well...  you could ask for flooding rivers to recede, that's what you could ask for.

Lori and Ev are safe.  They made a harrowing ride back to Cairo last night to grab what they could.  Lori wrote about the ride back:

When you live in Southern Illinois you see some impressive storms, but I've never been in one like this. Lighting was striking so close to the car it was blinding for a few seconds. It was raining so hard it was like driving under water, with the wind whipping the big trees along I-57 and Ev hanging onto the steering wheel for all she was worth, hoping we wouldn't hit a spot where the water from the drainage ditches finally spilled across the highway.

That is much more adventure than I ever want to experience.

It's still a great big what-and-see game, but I'm of the mind that their 112 year old home has weathered floods before and will, again.

Positive thoughts...

 

 

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by Tim Dineen

Honey Tangerines

Today was my day to play with honey tangerines.  They are at peak season right now and probably the best I've had in a long time.  I was at the produce store earlier today and while talking with a guy over the honey tangerine display, he said "these things make salt taste like sugar!"

Right to the point.  Sweet doesn't even begin to describe them.  There's just flavor like you wouldn't believe.

I knew  couple of days ago that I was going to use them for the next BBQ sauce experiment but didn't have a clear idea of what I was going to do.  The recipe came to me as I was frying peppers this afternoon. (I fried up 3 pounds of frying peppers and 1 pound of long hot peppers in olive oil just to have around the house.)

Right before that I had boiled down 5 cups of fresh-squeezed juice to 1 1/4 cups and it was cooling on the counter...

Honey Tangerine BBQ Sauce

• 1 cup reduced honey tangerine juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 fried peppers
• 1 6oz can tomato paste
• 1 tsp tabasco sauce
• salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in sauce pan and bring to boil.  Reduce heat and, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.  Simmer about 10 minutes, taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or hot sauce, as desired.

And since I'm doing salads for dinner and need a salad dressing for tonight, I thought a honey tangerine dressing would bw just the ticket!

Honey Tangerine Salad Dressing

• 1/4 cup reduced honey tangerine juice
• 1/4 cup strawberry white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in jar or bottle and shake well.

It's really crisp and fruity - perfect for a spring salad!

As with the BBQ sauce, I really practiced restraint - not something I do on a regular basis.  In both instances, I wanted the juice to be the star and really shine above the other ingredients.  It's why I used grapeseed oil - a neutral oil - instead of a heavier olive oil.  I didn't want the flavors to have to compete.

I made the strawberry balsamic vinegar a few days ago.  It is simply crushed strawberries soaked in the white balsamic and then strained.

So dinner tonight is going to be salads with bbq'd pork tenderloin.

More on that, later...

 

 

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by Tim Dineen

Pork Ribs and Peach BBQ Sauce

It was 75° today.  Overcast, but warm.  I could wear shorts. I'll take it.

It was also the perfect day to start the BBQ Sauce of the Week.

I've been wanting to try a peach bbq sauce for a while and thought I'd start there.  Peaches aren't exactly in season right now, so I went for the next best thing - frozen slices.  I actually like frozen fruits and vegetables.  With produce being grown all over the world with the prime concern being shipping and not flavor, frozen can ofttimes be your best bet.  Unlike it's fresh counterpart, it's picked and processed when it's ripe and ready to eat.

So, armed with a 1-pound bag of frozen peaches, I went to work.

Peach BBQ Sauce

• 1 pound peaches, peeled
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 dried New Mexico Chilis, broken up
• 1/4 cup whiskey or bourbon
• 1 can diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper

Saute onion and bell pepper until translucent.  Add garlic and quickly saute. Add chilis and dried spiced and cook until fragrant - about 3 minutes.

Add whiskey and mix well.  Add tomatoes and continue cooking until thick.

Use an immersion blender and puree.

When it's as smooth as you can get it, strain through mesh strainer, discarding solids.

Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper-  or more cayenne - as desired.

This came out pretty good.  It had a nice peach flavor, the whiskey gave it a nice balance, and it was just smoky-spicy enough.

If I hadn't been making Phoebe's baked beans - that call for chipotles in adobo - I probably would have made this with chopotles.  I think the smoky chipotle would work just a bit better than the smoked paprika.  Regardless, this worked well!

Speaking of little sister's baked beans...  here's the recipe for those.  The only baked beans I ever make, anymore.

Phoebe's Baked Beans

• 1/2  cup minced shallots
• 1  tablespoon ground cumin
• 1  tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2  cup tomato puree (I use tomato paste – I never have puree in the house!)
• 1  tablespoon canola oil
• 1/4  cup honey
• 1/4  cup cider vinegar
• 2  tablespoons molasses
• 1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 2  chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce, seeded and chopped
• 2  (28-ounce) cans baked beans

Preheat oven to 300°.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots; sauté 4 minutes or until golden. Add cumin and garlic; sauté for 1 minute. Add tomato puree and oil, and cook for 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients (except beans.). Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine beans and shallot mixture in a 2-quart baking dish. Bake at 300° for 1 hour or until thick and bubbly.

They are so easy and just soooooo good!

I was on a BBQ roll, so I also made a three-bean salad - with five beans.  I mean, who's counting, right?!?

Bean Salad

• 1 cup green beans, trimmed, blanched, and cooled
• 1 cups green and wax Italian beans, blanched and cooled
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can canellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 red onion, sliced in sticks
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp tarragon vinegar
• 1 tsp herbs d'Provence
• salt and pepper, to taste

Mix it.  Chill it.  Eat it.

I need to think about what I want to do next.  Maybe something with a pulled pork...

The wheels are turning...

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by Tim Dineen