HELP!!! My recipe needs something

[Pitmaster134]

I'm taking a recipe for a sauce that my grandmother uses for a party appetizer and tweaking it to make it my own. Here's her recipe. feel free to experiment:

1 12oz bottle of chili sauce
3 tbs brown sugar
3 tbs dark corn syrup
2 tbs vinegar
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs yellow mustard
1/2 cup ketchup

I added liquid smoke and hot sauce to give it a little bit of a smokier taste with more of a kick. It tastes alright, but it needs something. It doesn't really have the BBQ taste to it, and its also not very thick. There's not any cooking involved other than to cook the cut up hotdogs that she pours this sauce over. Any advice is welcomed.

[Elgine]

What abut fresh garlic and or onion powder

[mgaretz]

Ok, I am going to give you my secret ingredient: cream sherry. Try it. Also I would add some soy sauce and salt and some molasses instead of all of the corn syrup. In fact, that's helping to thin it. So I would get rid of the corn syrup, add 1 tbs of dark molasses and up the brown sugar. You could switch to white sugar since you're adding molasses. And I agree with Elgine that it needs some onion and garlic.

[Thunder77]

mgaretz, I believe you are right on the money! Get rid of the corn syrup. Molasses will taste much better. Also, maybe some ginger??

[bcostlow]

BBQ sauce typically has a caramel highlight to it. Simmering to a boil usually brings out more flavor, especially if you use the ingredients recommended by our BBQ Brothers above. That said, I would only add one additional step at a time, gives you more control over the final product.

[ecowper]

I'm with mgaretz replace the corn syrup with molasses and up the brown sugar. Also, I would add a bit of mustard powder, onion powder, smashed garlic cloves (per @Elgine) and some fresh ginger. Ginger adds a tang and some mellow sweet that will compliment the savory BBQ sauce very nicely. Not a whole lot of fresh ginger, a lot goes a long way.

[Atalanta]

IMO if you add Soy sauce, don't add salt - it has enough salt as is.

[jabostick]

I found some hungarian hot paprika that I really like. Might help bbq it up a bit.

[martybartram]

skip the ketchup, smoke some tomatoes and use them

[Powersmoke_80]

Grape Jelly

[Abom]

I was going to say the same thing, but you beat me to it. Sounds strange, but it works.

[MBMorgan]

Try adding a little Chipotle Tabasco Sauce for a smokey kick.

[Dr ROK]

Saute some onions and garlic in some butter, then add your remaining ingredients. Agree with the molasses and soy suggestions too. Simmer it a bit and let cool and refrigerate.

[ExtraChrispy]

All BBQ sauce comes down to just two key ingredients: sweet and sour. Use whatever you have for sweet. It can be nothing more glamorous than a can of Coca-Cola, or table sugar. It can be as lofty as turbinado (demerara) sugar. You can get your sweeteners from nearly anything. Even a really, REALLY good balsamic vinegar can add sweet (while also adding a hefty wallop of sour, so use sparingly).
Having said that, I would like to add a couple of provisos...
It's your grandmother's recipe.

Let me repeat that... It's your grandmother's recipe. It's a pretty fair bet that any and all tweaking has already been done, and "THIS" IS the final, finished product, and as such, requires no further tweaking.

Also, if you were inviting me over for your Labor Day BBQ, I couldn't use your sauce regardless, because I am allergic to the ingredients in Liquid Smoke. Try to arrive at your desired finished flavor without using pre-mixed, pre-packaged ingredients. Whenever possible, try to mix from scratch.

[frijolefrito]

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons mild (light) molasses
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 11/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook at high heat stirring often for 10 minutes. (epicurious recipe).

[Mr. Bones]

Love the sound of this recipe, and thanks!
Please, what is the yield, or volume?
Sounds approx. 2~3 C.?
I wish to try this tomorrow, but want to be able to adjust it for amount. Make it worth the effort, have some for later...

Thanks!

[HawkerXP]

only thing missing is bacon!

[frijolefrito]

It yields a lot actually. I don't usually add liquid smoke to it. The actual recipe is here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/fo...e-sauce-359849

[Porterdriver]

When I was a kid (late Cretaceous), our refrigerator always had a bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce. I have two abiding memories of that. First, I never ever remember seeing anyone in my family use (or even move that bottle)...ever. Secondly, I only remember tasting it a few times and to me it was indistinguishable from ketchup. I see it still for sale in the stores nowadays so apparently for some it has a place in someone's cooking.

But the question that I have is...what exactly is this Chili Sauce?

[frijolefrito]

http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaicurrypasterecipes/a/What-Is-Chili-Sauce-And-How-Do-You-Use-It.htm

[EdF]

Great link frijolefrito. Thanks!

[Porterdriver]

frijolefrito ,

Oh, Thai Chili Sauce (Sweet Chili Sauce, Nam Prik Kiga, Pla Rad Prik, and their ilk), I am very very familiar with since I lived in Thailand for a few years.

This is what I was talking about. This red mystery fluid...

[frijolefrito]

I was curious myself so I googled it and added the link. I probably should have put context.