Aaron Franklin's Basic Texas Sauce

[Michael_in_TX]

I recently watched all of Aaron Franklin's PBS and Web Special Videos (https://www.pbs.org/show/bbq-franklin/ and https://www.pbs.org/show/bbq-franklin/specials/) and as I was writing up my notes, I realized I had committed the sauce recipe he uses on one of the brisket specials to paper.

So here it is. Now, I have not made this yet. I don't have his cookbook yet, either, but I think this recipe is different, but similar to, what he uses at the restaurant. The vibe for it in the show is that if you wanted a Texas-style sauce that was simple and went together quickly, this is one you could use.

"Basic Texas Sauce" by Aaron Franklin

• Half pound of butter
• 1/2 of yellow onion, diced
• 1.5 cups "no high fructose corn syrup" ketchup
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 oz (1/4 cup) of lightly packed, light brown sugar
• Heaping teaspoon of kosher salt
• Heaping teaspoon of black pepper
• Little less than a teaspoon of chili powder
• Little less than a teaspoon of garlic powder
• Juice of half a lemon

1. Melt butter in stock pot.
2. Add yellow onion, cook until translucent.
3. Add ketchup, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic power, and lemon juice.
4. Whisk to mix.
5. Simmer to reduce down "a wee bit."

You can watch him make it starting at 2:30 in to this video: https://www.pbs.org/video/bbq-franklin-payoff/

<del>(I think the "no high fructose corn syrup" may be a joke as the bottle on the table looks like a Heinz container, which very much has high fructose corn syrup in it.)</del>

EDIT: After some research, it seems that Aaron is not joking. He prefers non-high fructose ketchup as it tends to be less sweet and less prone to burning.

(Also, if you want to see that video editing is never truly linear, look at 4:17 and look at the edge of the whisk he is using. It clearly has been in the sauce, yet in the very next shot when the whisk is about to go into the pot for the first time, it is now clean, but there is no break in the voiceover.)

[tbob4]

Looks good. I have an old recipe called Texas Beef Barbecue from Jeanne Voltz's cookbook BBQ Ribs and Other Great Feeds. It calls for basically the same ingredients plus some Worcestershire sauce, green peppers and celery, finely chopped. I don't use it as a sauce for cooking. Instead, after making a lot of brisket and serving on day one, I heat the leftovers up in the sauce and serve it as sandwiches on rolls. It is really good. It tastes like an upscale Sloppy Joe. You have to watch out for kids - they will devour it faster than you can.

[Mosca]

This looks good. For what it’s worth, I use Meathead ’s KC Classic sauce, with some minor variations to suit my taste, and people repeatedly tell me it is the best they’ve ever tasted.

[surfdog]

Good to know... I've not tried that one yet, but everything out of his book has been a winner so far.

[NYC Que]

That’s very different from the recipe in his book. I actually use it as a base for my own sauce.

[treesmacker]

Thanks for sharing... you can buy "Simply Heinz" - it is made with sugar, not corn syrup.

[Michael_in_TX]

I did not know that existed! Interesting. My local store carries it....may have to try it.

[treesmacker]

Costco carries it too...

https://www.costco.com/heinz-simply-heinz-tomato-ketchup%2C-44-oz%2C-3-count.product.100423250.html

[surfdog]

Michael_in_TX I picked up some because they were out of Stubb's and I didn't have time to make a sauce from scratch...as I needed some on the same day that I landed back in SoCal.
I ALWAYS check the ingredients...and when they list corn syrup I pass.
Anyway...while certainly not up to "homemade" it was pretty decent.

[mountainsmoker]

Simple sauce from Texas that I have several of including one from Paul Kirk. Look's mighty good.

[TheQuietOne]

I'm loving Franklin's series. He's such a charming host and a good fabricator/welder too.

[Michael_in_TX]

It's wild as they don't really come out and immediately state how good of a fabricator he is...it just sort of unveils and then you realize just what he is building all by himself!

[Histrix]

That is quite different from the recipe in his first book - here's the list of ingredients for his "regular bbq sauce" from that book:

• 1 3/4 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon chile powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse black pepper

[Michael_in_TX]

(Heh, can't believe I didn't bother to check this. The commercial versions of all three of the sauces he serves in the restaurant are available at my local grocery store -- HEB -- for $4.18 per 14 oz bottle. I think I shall be picking them up tomorrow!)

[surfdog]

Hmmm, well...I'll be in Texas in a week or so...so I'm thinking I might need to stop by one of the HEBs that I'll surely drive by.