New Barbecue Sauce Concoction

Thanks to my friend Brent at Beanilla Trading Company, I am experimenting with a vanilla-based barbecue sauce, *possibly for use in the 2009 State of Michigan Competition (for use on my pulled pork)

Here is the basic recipe- adapted from a Steve Raichlen book, Raichlen on Ribs: (recipe discovered via RecipeZar)

Ingredients

• 1 cup tomatoe sauce
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• 2 tablespoons mustard (prepared- Dijon or spicy brown)
• 1-2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 Madagascar Vanilla Beans
  
• Kosher salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine tomato sauce, molasses, vinegar, Worsestershire sauce, sugar, mustard, cayenne, vanilla beans (split the beans and scrape out the inside “guts”) and 1/4 teaspoons each of salt and pepper in a non-reactive saucepan and slowly bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium and let sauce simmer gently until dark, thick, richly flavored and slightly reduced, 6-10 minutes.  Taste, add more seasonings (salt, pepper, cayenne for test)
3. Let sauce cool to room temperature before serving. Keep in a well sealed container in refrigerator for up to several weeks. Makes enough for 4 lbs. ribs.

As a brethern of the barbecue, Brent and Beanilla Trading Company are certainly worthy of being certified 100% Grilladelic.

* possibly, but my experience is that simplicity and classic barbecue ingredients are what judges prefer in competition.   Many a gourmet has went down in flames in these competitions.  Tenderness, taste and appearance gets the call outs.

Win the Adoration of Thousands Rub

 I got this recipe from one of Steve Raichlen’s first cookbooks…an awesome, overlooked cookbook. (for the uninitiated, Steve has a written a series of cookbooks for grill enthusiasts.  They remain some of the premier grill books on the market.)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1885183100/ref=sib_dp_pt/002-7686950-8400061#reader-link 

An All Purpose, Impress Your In-Laws, Get Promoted, and Win the Adoration of Thousands Rub  (my name for it)
3 Parts Kosher Salt
1 Part White Pepper Seeds
1 Part Cumin Seeds
1 Part Granulated Garlic

Roast pepper, cumin and kosher salt in dry skillet until smoking.  Cool.  Add garlic and then pulverize in food processor.  It becomes a powder.

I have used this dry seasoning on pork, chicken and steak.  It is terrific.  Although I have no scientific data, I do think it would be absolutely delicious on a turkey.  Different but delicious.

I like using a simple lime juice and olive oil marinade prior to applying this rub.  The cumin is really distinct…