Gettin' saucy

For a culinary tour of any kind of flavor profile your grillin' and barbecuin' mind might dream up:

California Barbecue Sauce
This very different barbecue sauce combines some of California’s wonderful bounty to turn boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a culinary delight.

Yield: 3 cups

½ cup store-bought barbecue sauce
1 TBLS olive oil
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup minced fennel bulb
2 shallots, minced
1 cup pomegranate juice
½ cup dry red wine
2 TBLS black olive tapenade (available in most grocery stores)
1 tsp anchovy paste
3 TBLS sherry vinegar
½ tsp red pepper flakes

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rosemary, fennel and shallots and sauté till softened and just beginning to caramelize, 5-10 minutes. Add all other ingredients, bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat until the sauce has thickened, 20-25 minutes.

Florida-Style Barbecue Sauce
Light and delicious, this spicy, citrus-based sauce is the perfect compliment to the rich taste of chicken leg quarters.

Yield: 2 cups

½ cup original-style barbecue sauce
1 cup orange juice
¼ cup lime juice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ onion, chopped
2 TBLS olive oil
1 TBLS cumin
1 small jalapeno, seeded, deveined and chopped
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 tsp dried oregano
2 TBLS honey
2 TBLS chopped mint
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process 30 seconds. Pour into medium saucepan and warm over medium-high heat to meld the flavors together, about 5 minutes.

Heartland Barbecue Sauce
Sweet, thick and filled with the flavors of down-home comfort food, Heartland Barbecue Sauce turns a whole chicken into a very special dish.
Yield: 3 cups

1 cup store-bought barbecue sauce
1 cup beer
1 clove garlic, minced
½ small red onion, minced
2 TBLS brown sugar
2 TBLS molasses
¼ cup brown mustard
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 cup tomato puree
1 TBLS paprika
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower temperature and simmer to meld flavors together, 5 minutes.

Mid-Atlantic Barbecue Sauce
Usually used to enhance the flavor of seafood, Old Bay seasoning is added to this spicy sauce to highlight the rich taste of chicken drumsticks. A vinegar-based “mop” sauce can be passed at the table for those who like a little extra heat.

Yield: 2-2½ cups

¾ cup original-style barbecue sauce
1 TBLS vegetable oil
½ small yellow onion, minced (approximately ½ cup)
½ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 TBLS molasses
2 TBLS Old Bay seasoning
½ tsp kosher salt

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté till translucent, 5-10 minutes. Do not brown. Add tomatoes and cook 30 seconds. Add all other ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, stirring, till thickened, 5-10 minutes.


Spicy Mop Sauce
Yield: 1 cup

½ cup white vinegar
¼ cup water
1 TBLS vegetable oil
1 TBLS Worcestershire sauce
1 TBLS Old Bay seasoning
2-3 drops Tabasco sauce
½ tsp kosher salt

Combine ingredients thoroughly and serve.

Mountain States Barbecue Sauce
The combination of cherry jam, juniper berries and whiskey adds a sweet and smoky note to this flavorful barbecue sauce. The accompanying rub adds a hint of herbs and spice. Try both on chicken thighs for grilled chicken good enough for company.

Yield: 2½ cups

½ cup store-bought barbecue sauce
1 TBLS olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
4 juniper berries
1 tsp dry mustard
¾ cup cherry jam
juice of one lemon, about ¼ c
2 tsp honey
¼ tsp Tabasco sauce
¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup whiskey
1 TBLS parsley

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, ginger, juniper berries and dry mustard and sauté, stirring, till onions soften, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard juniper berries, add all other ingredients and cook over low heat till thickened, about 15 minutes.


Mountain States Barbecue Rub
Yield: 1/3 cup

2 tsp paprika
2 TBLS dried thyme
1 TBLS sugar
1 TBLS dried oregano
1 TBLS kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine ingredients and rub on chicken prior to grilling.

New England Barbecue Sauce
Did you know there was such a thing as "New England barbecue?" Keeping in mind that when they say "barbecue," they're talking about what we refer to as "grilling." This sweet and tangy sauce is a cinch to make and is delicious on chicken leg quarters.
Yield: 2 cups

1½ cup original-style barbecue sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
5 TBLS whole cranberry sauce
1½ tsp ground cloves
2 TBLS Dijon mustard
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook 5-10 minutes till thickened.

Pacific Rim Barbecue Sauce
Grill thin palliards (a really, really pretentious way of saying thin and round pieces) of boneless, skinless chicken breast on cedar planks (you can get them at Whole Foods or order them online) and slather on Pacific Rim Barbecue Sauce for chicken that deliciously contrasts the Asian influences of the region with the distinct flavor of smoked cedar.

Yield: 2½ cups

1 cup store-bought barbecue sauce
2 tsp peanut oil
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBLS minced scallions
½ cup hoisin sauce
2 TBLS soy sauce
½ cup hoisin sauce
1 TBLS Asian chili sauce
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 tsp sugar
2 TBLS toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp sesame oil
juice and zest of one lemon
¼ cup sherry vinegar
¼ cup apple juice
2 TBLS minced basil
2 TBLS minced cilantro

In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat, add ginger, garlic and scallions and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add all other ingredients, except basil and cilantro. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer till thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly and stir in basil and cilantro.

Southern-Style Barbecue Sauce
This sauce is filled with the bounty of the South: peaches, pecans, Vidalia onions and bourbon -- God's gift to cooking and something near and dear to my native Kentucky heart. I keep a fifth of Maker's Mark (made near my hometown of Bardstown, Kentucky) on hand for this, which is great smeared on grilled salmon.

Yield: 2 cups

½ cup original-style barbecue sauce
½ cup sliced peaches
¼ cup toasted pecans
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 TBLS olive oil
1 small Vidalia onion, minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ cup bourbon
2 TBLS molasses
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 TBLS brown sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 TBLS cold butter, cut in pieces

Combine the peaches, pecans and bell pepper in a food processor and process 15-30 seconds, till pureed. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add Vidalia onion and cook 5 minutes. Add ginger, allspice and cayenne and cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add the peach mixture and cook 1 minute. Stir in the bourbon, barbecue sauce, molasses, Worcestershire, brown sugar, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook 5 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly. Swirl in the pieces of butter till melted and well-combined.


Southwest Barbecue Sauce
The sweet potatoes, tomatillos, chili powder and other ingredients in our Southwest Barbecue Sauce turn skewers of cubed boneless, skinless chicken thighs into a delicious Southwestern delicacy with the complex flavors of a Mexican mole sauce. Serve skewers in warmed corn tortillas and pass chopped lettuce, tomatoes and our Barbecue-Sweet Potato Sauce.

Yield: 4 cups
1½ cups store-bought barbecue sauce
1 TBLS vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped tomatillos
1 small sweet potato, roasted 10-12 minutes in microwave – skin discarded and mashed flesh divided, reserving 2 TBLS for Barbecue-Sweet Potato Sauce
3 TBLS brown sugar
½ tsp anise seed
1 TBLS chili powder
1 TBLS cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 TBLS unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 2 limes
¼ cup tequila or water
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place oil in small saucepan and heat over medium-high. Add garlic and tomatillos and sauté till softened, about 5 minutes. Pour garlic-tomatillo mixture into a food processor and add remaining ingredients, except the reserved 2 T sweet potato. Process till smooth.

Barbecue-Sweet Potato Sauce

Yield: 1 cup

¼ cup store-bought barbecue sauce
½ cup sour cream
2 TBLS mashed sweet potato
¼ cup cider vinegar
3 TBLS minced cilantro

Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Serve with grilled chicken.

Texas Barbecue Sauce
Texas Barbecue Sauce gives a new twist to an old favorite when used on grilled chicken wings. The spice rub enhances the spicy, smoky flavor even more.
Yield: 2 cups

1 cup original-style barbecue sauce
1 head garlic
2 tsp olive oil
1 TBLS vegetable oil
½ onion, minced
2 scallions, white and light green portions sliced thin
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 TBLS cumin
2 tsp paprika
3 TBLS brown sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup white vinegar
juice of 2 limes
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut just enough from top of head of garlic to expose the cloves, leaving the papery covering on the bulb. Place on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and wrap tightly in foil. Roast till softened, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, squeeze roasted garlic out of husk. You should have 1½ to 2 T of roasted garlic paste.

In a small saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat and sauté onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add scallions, chipotle chili powder, cumin, paprika, brown sugar, Worcestershire, vinegar, lime juice and the roasted garlic, Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook till slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and season with salt.
Texas Rub

Yield: 1/3 cup

1 TBLS smoked paprika
1 TBLS kosher salt
2 TBLS brown sugar
2 TBLS cumin
½ tsp chile powder
1 tsp onion powder

Combine all ingredients and rub on chicken prior to grilling.

Sauces and rubs courtesy of the National Chicken Council.