Texas barbecue sauce. What does it mean to you? If you're a Texan, what is the sauce you believe to be "The Sauce of Texas?" Same question to those who aren't Texans, I like to get every viewpoint here.
I say, well, in the first place: Good bbq doesn't need sauce at all. It should be able to stand on its own, with sauce on the side for dipping if desired. No question about that.
Now that that is out of the way, let's address the sauce. To me, a good sauce should also stand on its own. The sauce should be so satisfying that you can eat it with just bread and feel content. The sauce should be so good it should be in its own food group (Yeah, you know, like Aunt Meg's gravy in that movie...ha!)
To me, a good sauce has sautéed onions, garlic, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon, red wine or apple cider vinegar, a bit of molasses, S&P, chili powder, paprika, a few drops of Tabasco...and no feckin ketchup! Tomato paste is acceptable, but it is optional. Make it, throw it in a blender (optional), and serve it.
This is the sauce I grew up with. Every bbq event, (whether private or public), had this sauce. Maybe it was a county thing or a regional thing...I wasn't old enough to drive around and sample sauce everywhere, nor did I think about doing such a thing when I was a kid. I just knew that I could expect it no matter where we had barbecue.
Now I am hard pressed to find it anywhere around here. Bottled sauce seems to be the go-to for many. If it's not bottled, then it is some weak, pitiful version of bbq sauce. Maybe someone around here actually has it and I missed it somehow. I don't eat a lot of bbq these days, but I know most of the places in this area just don't have it. The last few times we bought plates to support various causes in the area, the people responsible for the bbq didn't have it either.
Sauce seems to be an afterthought most of the time. I can understand that, because if you believe you have the best bbq, why is it needed in the first place, right? Okay, I get that, but if you are going to offer it, offer a sauce that has substance, not these weak, wannabe sauces. Not these sauces that are bottled sauces thinned with water, or a sauce with ketchup, Worcestershire, maybe a little vinegar & molasses. Forget about that! Make a good "stick to your ribs" sauce (pun intended?), and you'll get even more butts in those proverbial seats.
What the heck happened to the good sauce? I remember watching it being made so many times when I was a kid. The cooks used giant stockpots, or even the giant iron cauldrons that can be hung over a fire if needed. That's the ticket!
My grandparents worked with a lot of families in this area when the big events were held, like Father's Day at Millheim Harmonie Hall, Mother's Day at Peter's Hall, and countless others. I watched Mr. & Mrs. Lux make this sauce for the Chuckwagon Cafe at the fair when I worked there during the high school years. Everyone in our family made the sauce for barbecue. Any excess was frozen for future use, because it does freeze well. I'm sure my grandma has it written down somewhere among her collection of recipes.
Today I made it for the 4th of July with some assistance from Mom to make sure I had the proper elements nailed down. Taste test, taste test. The ultimate taste test, I grabbed a piece of bread to test it. It passed! Score one for the kid! I know it will taste even better tomorrow, just like chili & stew do. When someone tells you the flavors need to "marry," they ain't pullin' your leg, Pod'nah.
I hope everyone had a nice 4th of July!
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| Brisket with Texas BBQ Sauce on the side |
