How to Make Barbecue Sauce from Scratch

How to Make Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Making homemade barbecue sauce is just a matter of combining ingredients and simmering it to blend the flavors. Choosing ingredients that combine well, with just the right touch of sweet, sour and spice, can be an art. Start with these flavor combinations and spice it up or down to fit your flavor preferences.

Barbecue Sauce Ingredients

With the exception of the mustard based sauces favored in South Carolina, most American barbecue sauce begins with a tomato base in the form of ketchup. You can use pureed tomatoes or tomato sauce instead if you choose, but ketchup is the base most often used.

In addition to the ketchup, you will need to add a balance of sweet and sour as well as spices or heat to add interest. Let us look at each ingredient category.

For acidity or sour, some form of vinegar is commonly used. In addition, lemon juice and orange juice add additional tang and flavor, when included.

Balance the acidity with sweeteners in the form of molasses, honey, maple sugar or brown sugar. Some recipes even use cola or Dr. Pepper as a sweetener. The amount of sweetener used will depend on which sweetener you choose and how sweet you like your sauce. Start with less than you expect to need and taste your sauce as you add more to get the sweetness you prefer.

Additional flavorings are common and depend on your preferences. Common flavorings include sautéed onions and garlic, mustard powder or Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper, minced chili peppers or dried chili flakes and liquid smoke. Do not try to overload the sauce with all of these flavors. Start simply with the ingredients that you like.

Simmer your sauce for 20 to 45 minutes to blend the flavors and thicken the sauce. You can thin the sauce with water, orange juice, lemon juice, or sherry if needed.

Basic Barbecue Sauce Recipe

• 1/2 cup of ketchup
• 1/2 cup of vinegar
• 1/2 cup of molasses
• 1/2 cup of orange juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• Tabasco sauce as desired

1. Mix all ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Spice it up with and a few dashes of Tabasco sauce to taste. Add more or less spice to your own tastes.
3. Simmer for 30 minutes to blend flavors and thicken the sauce.

Southern Style Sweet Barbecue Sauce Recipe

• 1/2 large onion
• 1 tablespoon butter
• chili pepper, chopped and seeded
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• juice of 1 lemon
• garlic salt
• black pepper

1. Mince the onion and sauté it in butter for a few minutes until translucent.
2. Add a chopped and seeded chili pepper and stir for another minute.
3. Add the remaining ingredients. Season the sauce with garlic salt and fresh black pepper to taste.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes to blend the flavors.

Kings Cake Recipe for Fat Tuesday

Kings Cake is a traditional yeast cake made to celebrate Fat Tuesday.  The king cake of the New Orleas Mardi Gras tradition is a ring of sweet bread topped with icing and colored sugar.The purple sugar represents the passion of Christ, green sugar for hope, and gold for the rewards of leading a Christian life.

I like to knead in dried fruits such as raisins and mixed candied fruits.

Place a small plastic baby in the dough before baking. The person who gets the piece of cake with the baby gets to be king or queen for the day and has to host the next celebration or provide the Kings Cake the next year.

Ingredients
1/2 cup warm water (110°-115°)
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar plus 1 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups of sifted flour
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup warm milk
5 egg yolks
1 stick butter cut into slices and softened
2 tablespoons more softened butter
1 egg slightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 one inch plastic baby doll (optional and a choking hazard)
Decorations
3 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 – 6 teaspoons water
Colored sugar
Directions for the Cake:

1. Pour the warm water into a small shallow bowl, and sprinkle yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar into it. Allow the yeast and sugar to rest for three minutes then mix thoroughly.
2. Set bowl in a warm place, for ten minutes or until yeast bubbles up and mixture almost doubles up in volume.
3. Combine 3 1/2 cups of flour, remaining sugar, nutmeg and salt, and sift into a large mixing bowl. Stir in lemon zest.
4. Separate center of mixture to form a hole and pour in yeast mixture and milk. Add egg yolks and using a wooden spoon slowly combine dry ingredients into the yeast/milk mixture.
5. When mixture is smooth, beat in 8 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to beat 2 minutes or until dough can be formed into a medium soft ball.
6. Place ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and knead like bread. During this kneading, add up to 1 cup more of flour (1 tablespoon at a time) sprinkled over the dough. When dough is no longer sticky, knead 10 minutes more until shiny and elastic.
7. Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of a large bowl evenly with one tablespoon softened butter. Place dough ball in the bowl and rotate until the entire surface is buttered.
8. Cover bowl with a moderately thick kitchen towel and place in a draft free spot for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the dough doubles in volume.
9. Using a pastry brush, coat a large baking sheet with one tablespoon of butter and set aside.
10. Remove dough from bowl and place on lightly floured surface. Using your fist, punch dough down with a heavy blow. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top, pat and shake dough into a cylinder.
11. Twist dough to form a curled cylinder and loop cylinder onto the buttered baking sheet. Pinch the ends together to complete the circle.
12. Cover dough with towel and set it in draft free spot for 45 minutes until the circle of dough doubles in volume.
13. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush top and sides of cake with egg wash and bake on middle rack of oven for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
14. Place cake on wire rack to cool. If desired, at this time, you can “hide” the plastic baby in the cake. The one who finds the baby in the piece of the cake is responsible for bring the King Cake to the next Mardi Gras party.
15. Directions for Icing:
    Combine sugar, lemon juice and 3 teaspoons water until smooth. If icing is too stiff, add more water until spreadable. Spread icing over top of cake. Immediately sprinkle the colored sugars in individual rows consisting of about 2 rows of green, purple and yellow. Cake is served in 2″ – 3″ pieces.

     

Basic Crepe Batter – Tips and Tricks to Get the Perfect Crepe Batter Every Time

As a child I was always barely waiting for my mother to make crepes and eat them filled with home made sour cherry preserves! Back then is when I learned how easy it actually is to make the crepe batter whether you are mixing it by hand or using a food processor or blender. Just follow a few basic guidelines and you’ll always have perfect crepe batter!

Making the crepe batter requires a different technique based on the tools you have at hand to make it. If you have a blender or food processor you can just put all the ingredients together and mix until you get a smooth consistency. If you mix it by hand using a whisk start by beating the eggs then add a bit of flour and milk at a time. Sifting the flour will also help avoiding the flour to clump up but if you don’t have access to a sifter just add the flour one tablespoon at a time and try to spread it all over the batter surface rather than dumping it all in one place. Doing it this way is a bit more tedious but it will ensure that your final batter will be smooth and free of flour clumps.

Consistency wise, I prefer having the batter a bit thicker when using a spreader tool on a heavy cast iron crepe pan or an electric crepe maker, or runny if I use a light pan and spread the batter by tilting the pan. The best consistency is achieved when you poor the batter from a ladle 8 to 10 inches above the batter into the rest of the batter and it forms a continuous stream which does not splash when falling in the rest of the batter. Also you have to keep in mind that if you are refrigerating the batter for a couple hours to leave the flour absorb all the liquid, you will end up with a thicker batter. To compensate for this I usually check the consistency before cooking the crepes and add more milk to achieve the desired consistency.

The basic ingredients and quantities for the basic crepe batter are as follows:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt to taste

This will create a thicker batter best suited for use with a spreader. Add about 1/2 cup of milk for a thinner batter that will easily spread by tilting the crepe pan.

This batter will work for both sweet and savory crepes but if you want to make just sweet crepes you can add a bit of sugar and vanilla for more flavor!

Bon apetit!

How to Make Waffles- with Recipes

Making Waffles

By Diane Watkins

A well made waffle is a breakfast delight. Follow these tips to learn how to make waffles perfectly every time, then try out some of our variations of waffle recipes. First, read the directions that came with your waffle maker. The correct temperature setting is important. If the baker is too cold the waffles will stick or appear spotted. When too hot, the waffle will brown too quickly and the inside will not be cooked. You want them just right. Perfect waffles for breakfast can set you up for the day ahead like nothing else.

Preheat the waffle maker until the correct temperature is obtained, approximately 5- 8 minutes. Chocolate Waffles and Gingerbread Waffles need a slightly cooler waffle iron than plain waffles.

Pour the batter onto the pre-heated waffle iron using a ladle or pitcher. Pour batter into the center of the grid to about an inch from the outside edge. The batter will expand as it cooks and fill the grid.

If your waffles stick, the waffle iron may not be hot enough or the recipe may need more fat. Follow your waffle makers instructions about seasoning the waffle iron before the first use. An improperly seasoned waffle iron may cause sticking as well. It should not be necessary to grease the iron, the batter should have enough fat to prevent sticking.
Plain Waffles
Makes 4 waffles:

1 1/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg, separated
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons melted shortening

1. Pre-heat the waffle maker.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together.
3. Beat the egg white until stiff but not dry.
4. Beat the egg yolk, add milk and melted shortening; pour into the dry ingredients, mixing only until incorporated.
5. Fold in the whipped egg white.
6. Bake 4 to 5 minutes in a hot waffle maker.
7. Serve hot with melted butter, syrup, honey or other toppings.

Variations:
Pecan Waffles:

Add ½ cup chopped pecans. Serve with ice cream and butterscotch sauce.
Orange Waffles:

Substitute 1/3 cup of orange juice and 2/3 cup of milk for the milk. Add 2 teaspoons of grated orange zest. Serve with melted butter, syrup, or powdered sugar.
Chocolate Waffles

2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
4 tablespoons shortening
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1. Preheat waffle maker to a light setting- slightly cooler than for regular waffles.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together.
3. Melt together the chocolate and shortening.
4. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
5. Beat the egg yolks. Add the milk, mix well, and pour into the flour mixture, then add the melted chocolate and shortening. Stir all together until just mixed. Do not over mix.
6. Fold in the beaten egg whites.
7. Bake 4 to 5 minutes in waffle maker set to a light setting.
8. Serve hot with whipped cream or ice cream.

Gingerbread Waffles

½ cup molasses
6 Tablespoons shortening
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk

1. Preheat waffle maker to a light setting- slightly cooler than for regular waffles.
2. Combine molasses and shortening in saucepan, heat to boiling point, then cool.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt, ginger, and sugar together.
4. Beat the eggs, add the milk and cooled molasses mixture. Pour into the flour and stir just until moist.
5. Bake about 5 minutes in a waffle maker set on a light setting.
6. Serve with whipped cream, hard sauce, or stewed apples and bacon.

Apple Waffles

2 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 egg, separated
1 1/2 cup milk
6 tablespoons melted shortening
1 ½ cup pared and diced apples

1. Pre-heat the waffle maker.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar together.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
4. Beat the egg yolks, add milk and melted shortening; pour into the dry ingredients, mixing only until incorporated.
5. Fold in the whipped egg white.
6. Fold in the diced apples.
7. Bake 4 to 5 minutes in a hot waffle maker.
8. Excellent served with sausages.

Blueberry Waffles

2 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon sugar, divided
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 egg, separated
1 1/2 cup milk
6 tablespoons melted shortening
1 cup blueberries

1. Pre-heat the waffle maker.
2. Mix 2 tablespoons of sugar with the blueberries, set aside.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar together.
4. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
5. Beat the egg yolks, add milk and melted shortening; pour into the dry ingredients, mixing only until incorporated.
6. Fold in the whipped egg white.
7. Fold in the blueberries.
8. Bake 4 to 5 minutes in a hot waffle maker.

Six Tips for Cooking the Perfect Pancakes

by Terry Telford

Pancakes are the staple of a delicious breakfast and the highlight of a casual brunch. But for many weekend chefs, the first pancake inevitably ends up in the trash can or the belly of the family pet. So what’s the secret to perfect pancakes? How can you master the art of cooking right from the very first pancake? Here are a few of the most frequent pitfalls of the pancake artist:

* Leaving lumps in the batter. Although many people feel that good pancake batter should be lumpy and uneven, many chefs actually encourage cooks to completely mix the batter until it’s the consistency of rich cream. This allows the gluten to be released from the flour. For best results, whisk the batter thoroughly for several minutes to allow air into the mixture.

* Cooking right away. It’s hard to wait for breakfast, especially when it’s something as delicious as pancakes. But batter needs some time to set – at least one hour minimum, but three hours is ideal. This allows the starch to grow and expand and air bubbles to release. For lighter, fluffier pancakes, mix your batter and then cover the bowl with foil or plastic wrap and let it sit for a few hours in the fridge.

* Using a pan that is not properly seasoned. For best pancake results, start with a flat non-stick frying pan. Season the pan with a bit of vegetable oil first by heating the pan and then roll up some paper towel and carefully rub the oil into every inch of the heated pan. Leave the pan to cool down and then remove the unused oil. While not everyone can devote an entire fry pan just to pancakes, you’ll find the most success if you never wash a seasoned pan. Instead, wipe it down after cooking with a wet cloth.

* Using a pan that is either too cold or too hot. Stove temperatures vary, so there is no “perfect” setting to make pancakes. Ideally, the frying pan should be so hot that it almost smokes. But if it’s giving off plumes of bluish smoke, then it’s too hot and your pancakes will burn. If you’re not sure if your pan is ready for cooking, throw on a few drops of water. If the water instantly evaporates on contact, your pan is too hot. If the water sits for awhile and takes its time to boil, then you need to turn up the temperature a few notches. You’ll know the pan is the right temperature when the water droplets sizzle on contact and then evaporate after a few seconds.

* Pouring too much batter. Most amateur pancake chefs make the crucial mistake of overdoing it on the batter for the first pancake. This usually results in a thick, oily cake that is burned on the outside and raw in the middle. For thin crepe-style pancakes, use just enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan by turning the pan in circles. For thicker pancakes, use about half a ladle or about two or three tablespoons.

* Flipping the pancake too soon. Once you’ve poured the batter, let the pancake set for a few seconds, or until small bubbles start to form on the surface and the edges begin to look solid. Then take a spatula and gently jostle the ends of the pancake before shaking the pan to jar the cake loose. Firmly place the spatula under the entire pancake and then flip it in one quick motion. Stack pancakes on top of each other to keep them from cooling down too quickly while you continue cooking.

Follow these tips and your first pancake will wow your guests and loved ones – instead of your dog.

Terry Telford is the publisher of Kingston East News and an avid promoter of Kingston Ontario. He highly recommends the fine dining experience at Bistro Stefan.

Related Articles:

Make-Ahead Buttermilk Pancakes

How to Make Waffles

How to Make Crepes

Crock Pot Chicken Recipes

If you have a crock pot or slow cooker, you have an easy way to prepare dinner with little fuss. Most casseroles and many other dishes can be simmered slowly in the crock pot, ready to eat when you are.

Crock Pot Baked Chicken Breasts

4 – 6 chicken breast halves
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon tarragon or rosemary
1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained

1. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry; place in crockpot.

2. In a saucepan, combine remaining ingredients and heat until smooth and hot. Pour over chicken breasts. Cover and cook on low setting for 5 to 7 hours. Yields 4-6 servings.

 

Chicken Lickin Good (Crock Pot)

6 to 8 chicken pieces
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 can whole tomatoes
1 small can sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

1. Rince chicken and pat dry.

2. In skillet, melt butter and brown chicken quickly on both sides.

3. Place chicken in crockpot. Stir together the remaining ingredients except cream and pour over the chicken.

4. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

5. Just before serving stir in the cream.

6. Serve over hot spaghetti or pasta. Serves 6 to 8.

 

Stuffed Roasted Chicken in the Crock Pot

3 to 4 pound whole chicken
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
4 cups seasoned stuffing mix
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 teapoon sage
Dash freshly ground pepper
1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon butter
paprika
dried parsley flakes

1. Rinse the chicken well and pat dry; remove any excess fat.

2. In a skillet, melt the butter, saute the onion, celelry, and mushrooms until tender.

3. Toss in the stuffing mix, 2 tablespoons parsley flakes, sage, pepper and broth. Stir until stuffing is moistened.

4. Loosely stuff the chicken with the dressing. If using a large crock pot, truss the chicken to keep its shape.

5.Lightly oil the crock pot. Put the remaining dressing in the crock pot. Place chicken on top of dressing. Rub the chicken breast with 1 teaspoon butter; sprinkle with paprika and parsley flakes.

6. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

7. Remove the chicken to serving platter and surround with scoops of dressing. Garnish as desired.

Mock Terrapin Soup

Made with lean beef and enriched with real cream and butter, this is a rich soup with lots of flavor.

Mock Terrapin Soup Recipe

3 pounds lean beef
1 pint milk
1 Tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon mace
½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 ½ quarts water
1 stick butter
1 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil the meat and water until reduced by a third.
2. Add the milk and butter.
3. Remove the meat and grind or chop fine.  Return to stock.
4. Simmer for 5 minutes more.  Add flour dissolved in cream and seasonings.  Cook until thickened.  Serves 8.

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She Crab Soup Recipes

Easy Southern Cooking/ She-Crab Soup Recipes

Here are 2 different She-Crab Soup recipes. If you are purchasing your crabs whole, look for the first small set of feelers to be feathery (indicating a she-crab, he-crabs have a larger and hard shell on these feelers). The eggs add an extra richness and flavor to this soup. HINT: If you are unable to obtain she-crabs, crumble the yolk of a hard boiled egg into the bottom of the soup bowl.

She-Crab Soup

1 tablespoon butter
1 quart milk
½ cup cream, whipped
few drops of onion juice
1/8 teaspoon mace
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon Worcestershire
1 teaspoon flour
2 cups white crab meat and eggs
½ teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoon dry sherry

1. Melt the butter in top of double boiler and blend with flour until smooth.
2. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly.  Add the crab meat and seasonings.
3. Cook slowly in over hot water for 20 minutes.
4. Place 1 Tablespoon of Sherry in each of 4 bowls.  Add soup and top with whipped cream.
5. Garnish as desired with paprika or finely chopped parsley.

 

South Carolina Style She-Crab Soup

1 pound white crab meat
1 pint milk
1 pint cream
½ stick butter
2 teaspoons sherry
1/8 teaspoon mace
2 strips lemon peel (zest only)
¼ cup cracker crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

1. Put milk, mace, and lemon zest in top of a double-boiler over hot water.  Simmer for a few minutes until hot.
2. Add crab, butter, and cream and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add cracker crumbs, salt and pepper to taste.  Allow to stand for a few minutes to develop flavors.
4. When ready to serve, add sherry.  Serves 6.

Watercress and Corn Soup

This is a delicious and different soup, sure to wow your guests.

Watercress and Corn Soup Recipe

4 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon marjoram
2 cups frozen or fresh corn kernels
½ cup watercress, chopped finely
3 Tablespoons butter
salt and pepper

Simmer together: broth, parsley, and marjoram for 5 minutes.  Add corn and simmer for another 20 minutes. Strain through a course sieve if desired.  Stir in watercress and butter just before serving.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chicken Brunswick Stew

Chicken Brunswick Stew

1 chicken, cut up
1 quart corn
1 quart tomatoes
1 pint okra
1 pint butter beans or limas
2 onions
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil the chicken until very tender and falling from bones.
2. Pull the meat from the bones and cut into cubes.  Return to the water in which it was cooked.
3. Add vegetables and cook down until a thick mixture.  Cook slowly, stirring often to prevent scorching.
4. Bread crumbs may be added if needed to thicken.
5. I like to add a dash of Worcestershire sauce, but it is not part of this original recipe.

This is a quick and easy version of Brunswick Stew. For a more traditional recipe see Brunswick Stew Recipe – Liquid Barbecue

 

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