Ass Kickin' BBQ Sauce for All Things Summer

     I absolutely love this time of year, which is probably why I blog so much less, but honestly, I should make more of an effort because if there's one thing I learned by going to grad school in Denver, it's how to enjoy your damn summer. Stop and smell the flowers people. Life is right there in front of you, and watching the world around you wake up for the warmth is a beautiful thing, despite our crazy weather. However, things have settled down here in D-town and it's time to live it up. Go outside. Spend time on a rooftop, relax, cook outdoors, ride a bike, drink some brews, listen to some live music, and - most importantly - cook up some fabulous food!

    So in order to kick off summer on the right foot I've decided to share a pretty amazing secret recipe of mine, my BBQ sauce. Tangy, thick, and with a little kick, this sauce is not only guaranteed to please, but the recipe itself makes a large amount and by freezing it, this will last you all summer long. The biggest bonus is that it doesn't take a lot of effort to make. If you aren't a fan of the spice, you can omit the chilies.

    First I'll start off by sharing the actual secret, I've adopted this recipe from one of the best BBQ joints in this country: Dinosaur BBQ (the original is in Syracuse, NY...UPSTATE PRIDE!). MB and I went here countless times in college, and these guys know their shit. My aunt and uncle make the three hour drive from Buffalo to here at least annually. Needless to say, I've adapted one of their recipes to fit my own taste, and I must say, the result is worth a try. This recipe uses different chilies and is more adapted to a paleo diet. I won't give the original recipe because of my respect for intellectual property, but below is an image of the book - and yes, this recipe is a definite indicator of the quality of awesomeness of recipes in this gem.

buy it...for serious

     Well without further adieu...recipe after the break...

What You'll Need: (yields 8 cups)

1/4 a cup of Ghee (or coconut oil, but ghee is best)

1 cup minced onion (the type is up to you, I prefer yellow or white for this guy)

1/2 cup of minced green or red pepper

1 jalapeno seeded and minced

Pinch of kosher sea salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon of freshly minced garlic

1 28oz can of organic tomato sauce

2 cups of organic or non-corn syrup katchup 

1 cup of water

3/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup of cider vinegar

1/4 cup of lemon juice

1/4 cup of molasses

2 tbs of cayenne pepper

1/4 cup of spicy brown mustard

3/4 cup of dark brown sugar

1 tbs of chili powder

2 teaspoons of freshly ground pepper (a few more pinches of whatever you've got)

1/2 tsp of ground allspice

1 tbs of liquid smoke (optional)

1 habanero pepper minced and seeded - partially if you can really handle heat (optional)

2 serrano chilies minced and seeded (optional)

Notes:  Be careful when working with chilies, use gloves or baggies to protect your hands. Chili oil doesn't come off with soap, only time.

Large sauce pan

Emulsion blender (optional)

Basic cooking utensils

How to Do It:

1. Pour the ghee or oil into a large saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Toss the onions, green/red peppers, and jalapsenos and season with pinch of salt and pepper. 

2. Cook until just turning golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

Goldeny brown onions yum yum!

3. Dump in everything else (except the liquid smoke, if using)!

4. For a chunkier sauce, leave as is and let simmer uncovered until sauce is thick enough to your liking, for me it took around 45mins. Stir occasionally.

Chunky version of the sauce

5. For a thicker sauce, after you have added all of the ingredients, let cook for 5 or 10 mins then use the emulsion blender to get the texture you are looking for.

Be carful not to pull the blender up while it is on, or you'll have a hot mess on your hands!

6. After the right thickness is achieved, stir in the liquid smoke.

6. Store for use or use right away. This is AMAZING with pulled pork made in a slow cooker. To do this, simply buy a pork shoulder butt, a box of chicken broth (or use your own, about 3 cups), and peel about 8 cloves of garlic. Cut small slits in the pork butt on all sides, stuff the garlic cloves in the slits, cover with chicken broth. Cook using the slow cooker on low for 8hrs. The pork should literally fall apart of touched. Drain the crock pot, shred using two forks, toss in about 2 cups of the Mutha Sauce, garnish with avocados, and prepare to be in heaven!

Happy BBQing!

-M

     I absolutely love this time of year, which is probably why I blog so much less, but honestly, I should make more of an effort because if there's one thing I learned by going to grad school in Denver, it's how to enjoy your damn summer. Stop and smell the flowers people. Life is right there in front of you, and watching the world around you wake up for the warmth is a beautiful thing, despite our crazy weather. However, things have settled down here in D-town and it's time to live it up. Go outside. Spend time on a rooftop, relax, cook outdoors, ride a bike, drink some brews, listen to some live music, and - most importantly - cook up some fabulous food!

    So in order to kick off summer on the right foot I've decided to share a pretty amazing secret recipe of mine, my BBQ sauce. Tangy, thick, and with a little kick, this sauce is not only guaranteed to please, but the recipe itself makes a large amount and by freezing it, this will last you all summer long. The biggest bonus is that it doesn't take a lot of effort to make. If you aren't a fan of the spice, you can omit the chilies.

    First I'll start off by sharing the actual secret, I've adopted this recipe from one of the best BBQ joints in this country: Dinosaur BBQ (the original is in Syracuse, NY...UPSTATE PRIDE!). MB and I went here countless times in college, and these guys know their shit. My aunt and uncle make the three hour drive from Buffalo to here at least annually. Needless to say, I've adapted one of their recipes to fit my own taste, and I must say, the result is worth a try. This recipe uses different chilies and is more adapted to a paleo diet. I won't give the original recipe because of my respect for intellectual property, but below is an image of the book - and yes, this recipe is a definite indicator of the quality of awesomeness of recipes in this gem.

buy it...for serious

     Well without further adieu...recipe after the break...

What You'll Need: (yields 8 cups)

1/4 a cup of Ghee (or coconut oil, but ghee is best)

1 cup minced onion (the type is up to you, I prefer yellow or white for this guy)

1/2 cup of minced green or red pepper

1 jalapeno seeded and minced

Pinch of kosher sea salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon of freshly minced garlic

1 28oz can of organic tomato sauce

2 cups of organic or non-corn syrup katchup 

1 cup of water

3/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup of cider vinegar

1/4 cup of lemon juice

1/4 cup of molasses

2 tbs of cayenne pepper

1/4 cup of spicy brown mustard

3/4 cup of dark brown sugar

1 tbs of chili powder

2 teaspoons of freshly ground pepper (a few more pinches of whatever you've got)

1/2 tsp of ground allspice

1 tbs of liquid smoke (optional)

1 habanero pepper minced and seeded - partially if you can really handle heat (optional)

2 serrano chilies minced and seeded (optional)

Notes:  Be careful when working with chilies, use gloves or baggies to protect your hands. Chili oil doesn't come off with soap, only time.

Large sauce pan

Emulsion blender (optional)

Basic cooking utensils

How to Do It:

1. Pour the ghee or oil into a large saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Toss the onions, green/red peppers, and jalapsenos and season with pinch of salt and pepper. 

2. Cook until just turning golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

Goldeny brown onions yum yum!

3. Dump in everything else (except the liquid smoke, if using)!

4. For a chunkier sauce, leave as is and let simmer uncovered until sauce is thick enough to your liking, for me it took around 45mins. Stir occasionally.

Chunky version of the sauce

5. For a thicker sauce, after you have added all of the ingredients, let cook for 5 or 10 mins then use the emulsion blender to get the texture you are looking for.

Be carful not to pull the blender up while it is on, or you'll have a hot mess on your hands!

6. After the right thickness is achieved, stir in the liquid smoke.

6. Store for use or use right away. This is AMAZING with pulled pork made in a slow cooker. To do this, simply buy a pork shoulder butt, a box of chicken broth (or use your own, about 3 cups), and peel about 8 cloves of garlic. Cut small slits in the pork butt on all sides, stuff the garlic cloves in the slits, cover with chicken broth. Cook using the slow cooker on low for 8hrs. The pork should literally fall apart of touched. Drain the crock pot, shred using two forks, toss in about 2 cups of the Mutha Sauce, garnish with avocados, and prepare to be in heaven!

Happy BBQing!

-M

     I absolutely love this time of year, which is probably why I blog so much less, but honestly, I should make more of an effort because if there's one thing I learned by going to grad school in Denver, it's how to enjoy your damn summer. Stop and smell the flowers people. Life is right there in front of you, and watching the world around you wake up for the warmth is a beautiful thing, despite our crazy weather. However, things have settled down here in D-town and it's time to live it up. Go outside. Spend time on a rooftop, relax, cook outdoors, ride a bike, drink some brews, listen to some live music, and - most importantly - cook up some fabulous food!

    So in order to kick off summer on the right foot I've decided to share a pretty amazing secret recipe of mine, my BBQ sauce. Tangy, thick, and with a little kick, this sauce is not only guaranteed to please, but the recipe itself makes a large amount and by freezing it, this will last you all summer long. The biggest bonus is that it doesn't take a lot of effort to make. If you aren't a fan of the spice, you can omit the chilies.

    First I'll start off by sharing the actual secret, I've adopted this recipe from one of the best BBQ joints in this country: Dinosaur BBQ (the original is in Syracuse, NY...UPSTATE PRIDE!). MB and I went here countless times in college, and these guys know their shit. My aunt and uncle make the three hour drive from Buffalo to here at least annually. Needless to say, I've adapted one of their recipes to fit my own taste, and I must say, the result is worth a try. This recipe uses different chilies and is more adapted to a paleo diet. I won't give the original recipe because of my respect for intellectual property, but below is an image of the book - and yes, this recipe is a definite indicator of the quality of awesomeness of recipes in this gem.

buy it...for serious

     Well without further adieu...recipe after the break...

What You'll Need: (yields 8 cups)

1/4 a cup of Ghee (or coconut oil, but ghee is best)

1 cup minced onion (the type is up to you, I prefer yellow or white for this guy)

1/2 cup of minced green or red pepper

1 jalapeno seeded and minced

Pinch of kosher sea salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon of freshly minced garlic

1 28oz can of organic tomato sauce

2 cups of organic or non-corn syrup katchup 

1 cup of water

3/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup of cider vinegar

1/4 cup of lemon juice

1/4 cup of molasses

2 tbs of cayenne pepper

1/4 cup of spicy brown mustard

3/4 cup of dark brown sugar

1 tbs of chili powder

2 teaspoons of freshly ground pepper (a few more pinches of whatever you've got)

1/2 tsp of ground allspice

1 tbs of liquid smoke (optional)

1 habanero pepper minced and seeded - partially if you can really handle heat (optional)

2 serrano chilies minced and seeded (optional)

Notes:  Be careful when working with chilies, use gloves or baggies to protect your hands. Chili oil doesn't come off with soap, only time.

Large sauce pan

Emulsion blender (optional)

Basic cooking utensils

How to Do It:

1. Pour the ghee or oil into a large saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Toss the onions, green/red peppers, and jalapsenos and season with pinch of salt and pepper. 

2. Cook until just turning golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

Goldeny brown onions yum yum!

3. Dump in everything else (except the liquid smoke, if using)!

4. For a chunkier sauce, leave as is and let simmer uncovered until sauce is thick enough to your liking, for me it took around 45mins. Stir occasionally.

Chunky version of the sauce

5. For a thicker sauce, after you have added all of the ingredients, let cook for 5 or 10 mins then use the emulsion blender to get the texture you are looking for.

Be carful not to pull the blender up while it is on, or you'll have a hot mess on your hands!

6. After the right thickness is achieved, stir in the liquid smoke.

6. Store for use or use right away. This is AMAZING with pulled pork made in a slow cooker. To do this, simply buy a pork shoulder butt, a box of chicken broth (or use your own, about 3 cups), and peel about 8 cloves of garlic. Cut small slits in the pork butt on all sides, stuff the garlic cloves in the slits, cover with chicken broth. Cook using the slow cooker on low for 8hrs. The pork should literally fall apart of touched. Drain the crock pot, shred using two forks, toss in about 2 cups of the Mutha Sauce, garnish with avocados, and prepare to be in heaven!

Happy BBQing!

-M

     I absolutely love this time of year, which is probably why I blog so much less, but honestly, I should make more of an effort because if there's one thing I learned by going to grad school in Denver, it's how to enjoy your damn summer. Stop and smell the flowers people. Life is right there in front of you, and watching the world around you wake up for the warmth is a beautiful thing, despite our crazy weather. However, things have settled down here in D-town and it's time to live it up. Go outside. Spend time on a rooftop, relax, cook outdoors, ride a bike, drink some brews, listen to some live music, and - most importantly - cook up some fabulous food!

    So in order to kick off summer on the right foot I've decided to share a pretty amazing secret recipe of mine, my BBQ sauce. Tangy, thick, and with a little kick, this sauce is not only guaranteed to please, but the recipe itself makes a large amount and by freezing it, this will last you all summer long. The biggest bonus is that it doesn't take a lot of effort to make. If you aren't a fan of the spice, you can omit the chilies.

    First I'll start off by sharing the actual secret, I've adopted this recipe from one of the best BBQ joints in this country: Dinosaur BBQ (the original is in Syracuse, NY...UPSTATE PRIDE!). MB and I went here countless times in college, and these guys know their shit. My aunt and uncle make the three hour drive from Buffalo to here at least annually. Needless to say, I've adapted one of their recipes to fit my own taste, and I must say, the result is worth a try. This recipe uses different chilies and is more adapted to a paleo diet. I won't give the original recipe because of my respect for intellectual property, but below is an image of the book - and yes, this recipe is a definite indicator of the quality of awesomeness of recipes in this gem.

buy it...for serious

     Well without further adieu...recipe after the break...

What You'll Need: (yields 8 cups)

1/4 a cup of Ghee (or coconut oil, but ghee is best)

1 cup minced onion (the type is up to you, I prefer yellow or white for this guy)

1/2 cup of minced green or red pepper

1 jalapeno seeded and minced

Pinch of kosher sea salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon of freshly minced garlic

1 28oz can of organic tomato sauce

2 cups of organic or non-corn syrup katchup 

1 cup of water

3/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup of cider vinegar

1/4 cup of lemon juice

1/4 cup of molasses

2 tbs of cayenne pepper

1/4 cup of spicy brown mustard

3/4 cup of dark brown sugar

1 tbs of chili powder

2 teaspoons of freshly ground pepper (a few more pinches of whatever you've got)

1/2 tsp of ground allspice

1 tbs of liquid smoke (optional)

1 habanero pepper minced and seeded - partially if you can really handle heat (optional)

2 serrano chilies minced and seeded (optional)

Notes:  Be careful when working with chilies, use gloves or baggies to protect your hands. Chili oil doesn't come off with soap, only time.

Large sauce pan

Emulsion blender (optional)

Basic cooking utensils

How to Do It:

1. Pour the ghee or oil into a large saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Toss the onions, green/red peppers, and jalapsenos and season with pinch of salt and pepper. 

2. Cook until just turning golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

Goldeny brown onions yum yum!

3. Dump in everything else (except the liquid smoke, if using)!

4. For a chunkier sauce, leave as is and let simmer uncovered until sauce is thick enough to your liking, for me it took around 45mins. Stir occasionally.

Chunky version of the sauce

5. For a thicker sauce, after you have added all of the ingredients, let cook for 5 or 10 mins then use the emulsion blender to get the texture you are looking for.

Be carful not to pull the blender up while it is on, or you'll have a hot mess on your hands!

6. After the right thickness is achieved, stir in the liquid smoke.

6. Store for use or use right away. This is AMAZING with pulled pork made in a slow cooker. To do this, simply buy a pork shoulder butt, a box of chicken broth (or use your own, about 3 cups), and peel about 8 cloves of garlic. Cut small slits in the pork butt on all sides, stuff the garlic cloves in the slits, cover with chicken broth. Cook using the slow cooker on low for 8hrs. The pork should literally fall apart of touched. Drain the crock pot, shred using two forks, toss in about 2 cups of the Mutha Sauce, garnish with avocados, and prepare to be in heaven!

Happy BBQing!

-M