Homemade and Homegrown Barbecue Sauce

With our bountiful crop of tomatoes this year I made a barbecue sauce. I couldn't find a recipe that I liked so I looked at about 10 and made up my own. Most of the recipes were based on bottled ketchup, not quite sure if this qualifies as making your own sauce and it wasn't what I had in mind. I started with a large colander full of my tomatoes and added a whole range of spices, sugar, herbs and other flavourings.

Lots of recipes also included Liquid Smoke. I didn't run out and buy some but I was tempted, maybe next time...

 

The sauce is great! it has a slight spicy kick so if you want to share it with your kids leave out the chilli (we are quite happy to be selfish and keep it to ourselves). We eat it on egg and bacon rolls, lamb steaks, chicken burritos, pulled pork... Know I think about it I don't think I made enough.

Homemade and Homegrown Barbecue Sauce

 

5 C tomatoes that have been peeled, seeded and chopped (I started with a large colander full of whole tomatoes)

dash vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 chillies with seeds, chopped (optional)

3 tsp paprika (2 tsp smoked, 1 tsp hot)

1 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp cumin

5 thyme sprigs

2 tbsp coriander leaves

1/2 C brown sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

1/2 C cider vinegar

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

 

In a large heavy based pan sauté the onion, garlic and chilli in the oil until soft. Add dry spices and continue to fry for about a minute, until fragrant. Add the remaining ingredients including the tomatoes and stir over heat until the sugar is dissolved then simmer for an hour or two until thickened.

 

Puree in your best pureeing appliance. I am a big fan of the stick blender but this is a time to pull out the blender from the cupboard and wear the washing up. Puree as well as you can then return to the pan through a sieve.

 

Taste! Adjust for sugar, salt, flavour and spice.

 

Return to the boil and pour into sterilised bottles. Store in the fridge.