Honey Barbecue Sauce
This recipe is highly adaptable to your family’s tastes. For example, if you prefer a maple flavor barbecue sauce, use maple syrup in place of honey.
INGREDIENTS | MAKES 6–7 PINTS
- 20 pounds firm ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
- 4 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
- 6–8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ¼ tablespoons crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons celery seed
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground mace
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon grated orange peel
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 2/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
In a large stockpot, combine tomatoes, onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, and celery seed. Simmer, covered, until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
Press tomato mixture through a fine sieve or food mill; discard seeds and skins.
Return tomato mixture to stockpot; add remaining ingredients.
Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 60–90 minutes.
Cool; ladle sauce into freezer-safe containers, leaving ¼" headspace. Use within 6–8 months.
Mother of All Sauces
In cooking, there are several sauces known as mother sauces (or grand sauces)—tomato or red sauce, Hollandaise or butter sauce, brown sauce or demiglace, veloute or blonde sauce, and béchamel or white sauce. They get this designation because once you know how to make them you’ll know the fundamental process for all other sauces.
