Anglo-Tex Mex Tamarind and Treacle Barbecue Sauce

Mille® 's Note:

This is a double-duty sauce -- it also does a stellar job as a basting sauce for a roasted whole bird!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup finely diced onion
• 4 garlic cloves , finely diced
• 6 plum tomatoes , coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons English mustard
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons treacle (may substitute molasses)
• 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried ancho chile powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Place the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Return to the saucepan and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened to your liking.

Reviews

[Mirj]

A visitor from London brought me some treacle, and I just knew I could find a use for it in one of Miller's recipes! Tamarind paste isn't available locally, but we do have a tamarind product that is more liquidy, so I just boiled it down and reduced it to get a "paste". Ancho chili powder was a no-show, so I substituted some super mouth searing Moroccan chilies, dried and ground finely in my spice mill. Anyway, once I had the whole sauce prepared, the fun really began. I had made a double batch, used half as a marinade for two whole chickens cut into serving pieces. I let those marinade in the fridge overnight. Then I put them over the coals, and mopped them constantly with the 2nd half of the batch. This sauce gave the chicken almost "God-like" proportions. A friend who was recovering from minor surgery leapt out of her bed and danced for joy. Depressed guests broke into line-dancing on my lawn. Brits used to boiled meat and soggy potatoes raised their eyebrows and then licked their lips. Most impressive event of the evening pertaining to this chicken -- Dornette #1 asked for seconds! Miller, we should take this on the road, your sauce, my chicken, we could set up a tent and rake in several billion dollars. Or maybe not. Still, it's gooooooood stuff. One Scottish friend declared it perfect with some Glen-something-or-other. I didn't get the name, his mounth was too full of chicken and he had had enough Glenwhatever to make his Scottish brogue even broguy-er. To make a short story long, make this sauce, you'll thank me first, then you can thank Miller.