In these days preceding the Fourth of July, I’ve been thinking about American foods, the type you eat when it’s blazing hot. Devilled eggs, potato salad, corn on the cob, blueberry desserts. Hickory-smoke-infused, tomato-based barbeque sauce, often more sweet than spicy, slathered on some chicken or ribs, seems especially American. The appeal, I think, lies in that sticky, bronzed surface that comes from high heat and caramelization. I think this is why my nephews—Max and Charlie—suggested this post.* 

But in the UK, this kind of barbeque sauce doesn’t seem to be a thing. Sure, they have HP, also known compellingly as “brown sauce,” but it’s not the same. It contains dates and tamarind, which give a decidedly chutney-like flavor—I don’t think it would exactly scratch the itch here.

And to be honest, back in New York, I don’t usually have American barbeque sauce on hand either. The ingredients are usually too gnarly; high fructose corn syrup is often first on the list.** I like some sweetness (from honey or even sugar), but the idea of spreading some high fructose corn syrup on my chicken is pretty yucky, and actually embarrasses me, as an American—it just smacks of the rest of the world’s worst stereotypes of us. And liquid smoke, another necessary-seeming ingredient, is another fake and troubling food (despite the science-y triumph of making a gas into a liquid). I’m not a huge fan of smoked things to begin with, but the idea of a factory-made fake smoke essence, in a highly concentrated liquid, really weirds me out.

What is stranger still is that no one is trying to hide these facts in storebought sauce. In fact, they’re highlighted on the packaging. Sweeter and smokier every time. Cowboy-style ‘Merican. It’s Real, it’s Serious, it’s full of troubling innuendos. There’s lots of “ain’ts” and nary a “G” (rib stickin’, grillin’, chillin’). With names like Chicken & Rib Renegade, Grilled Onion & Garlic Showdown, Old West Hickory, Honey Garlic Bonanza, the whole BBQ marketing world has gotten so abstracted and cuckoo that I’m not sure I want to be a part of it anyway. (As much as I’m curious about a grilled onion and garlic “showdown”.) Can’t a person like barbeque, and prefer “isn’t”? Are law-abiding citizens not supposed to grill chicken? Can’t that person be a woman?? I digress.

Despite my ambivalence with supermarket barbeque sauce, I’ve always liked barbeque chicken, and especially as a kid. Sweet and sticky, barbeque chicken feels a bit like junk food. Which I think is likely why Max and Charlie like it. It’s good reason to eat with your hands and get incredibly messy. That’s summer.

But being me, I prefer to make the sauce myself. It’s quick and I can craft it to my preferences: spicy and tangy, and still sweet enough to create a dark crusty surface when cooked. It’s super flexible, just a matter of balancing spicy, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. I’ve given examples of all sorts of ingredients (not exhaustive) that will help you achieve that balance—use as few or as many as you like/have. It’s a great pantry clean out.

The only real must with making barbeque sauce is that you need to taste it as you go. The mix of your particular ingredients will affect the proportions, so the only way to tell if it’s balanced will be to taste it. For example, some hot sauces are actually quite sweet, so you might need less sugar or honey, and brines are often salty in addition to sour.

Happy 4th!

Sticky Barbeque Sauce

• The base: sautéed finely minced onion and garlic, tomato paste and/or ketchup
• Sweet: Honey, sugar, apple juice, apricot jam
• Salty: Salt, soy sauce, fish sauce
• Hot: fresh chilis, chili powder or cayenne, chili paste (any kind), hot sauce, mustard, ginger
• Sour: Vinegar (balsamic, apple cider, white), pickle brine (jalapeño, bread and butter, etc)
• Bitter/smoky: brewed coffee, bourbon, beer, canned chipotle chilis and/or their sauce, smoked paprika

After sautéing the onion and garlic, add tomato paste or ketchup for bulk. Then add one or more ingredient from each group little by little until you like the way it tastes. Cooking it all together for a few minutes helps your sweeteners melt and brings it all together. If it’s too thick, a tablespoon or two of water helps thin it down to saucy consistency.

To use, grill chicken, ribs, or even slabs of firm tofu. When it’s almost cooked through, brush on the sauce; turn frequently and brush on more sauce so you develop a crust. Or dump the sauce on some raw chicken and bake it at 325 or 350 degree (so the sauce doesn’t burn before everything is cooked through); if needed, broil it at the end to crisp up the surface, but watch it carefully.

* Hi guys! Thanks for the awesome idea. Keep ’em coming!

** I know that ketchup has plenty of corn syrup in it too, and I am not shy about using it here. Oh well. I’m full of contradictions.