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Dr. P's tamarind barbecue sauce
This sweet, tangy, complex sauce is especially good on pork. For baby back ribs, cook the racks for three hours in a 300°F oven with a pan of water on the lower shelf (the moist conditions prevent the sauce from evaporating too fast, and also helps the meat get that "falling-off-the-bone" consistency). Brush a few tablespoons of sauce onto each rack every half-hour. Applying the sauce this way creates layers of flavor that have been caramelized to different extents, further bringing out the complexity of the sauce. When the ribs are done, cut them up and toss with a bit of uncooked sauce. Each rack takes about 3/4 cup of sauce in total, maybe a bit more. I can't tell you how much love this sauce has gotten me over the past six years. It's a pain to make, but worth it. If you're reticent about making your own, I have quite a bit on hand. Perhaps you should just invite me over to your house for a barbecue :-) Ingredients
- tamarind pods - 1 pound
- peanut oil - 1/4 cup
- shallots - 6 (minced)
- garlic - 6 cloves (minced)
- ginger - 2 T (minced)
- coriander seed - 2 t (ground)
- anise seed - 1 t (ground)
- chili-garlic sauce - 1/4 c
- hoisin sauce - 3 c
- honey - 1/4 c
- adobo sauce (this is the dark brown liquid in which chipotles are preseved) - 1/4 c
- soy sauce - 3/4 c
- rice vinegar - 1/2 c
- lime zest - 2 t
Directions
- Make tamarind pulp: Strip the outer papery shell off of the tamarind pods. Put the sticky brown pods in a pot and barely cover with water. Simmer gently until most of the pulp has separated from the seeds (this process can be encouraged by frequent stirring). Strain the resulting goop through a colander to get rid of the seeds, and then simmer the goop down until you have 2 cups of pulp. This entire process takes a really long time and makes a mess.
- Heat the oil on medium flame and saute the shallots, garlic, and ginger for a minute.
- Add the ground spices and saute a minute more.
- Add the liquid ingredients (chili-garlic sauce, hoisin, honey, adobo, soy sauce,rice vinegar) and lime zest. Simmer for an hour (cover after the first 10 minutes or so).
- Puree with an immersion blender.
- Adjust the seasoning with salt, soy, vinegar and honey.
- Cool to room temperature and store in the cold. Sauce keeps well in the fridge but if you're not going to use it for a while the freezer is better.
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.%20Brush%20a%20few%20tablespoons%20of%20sauce%20onto%20each%20rack%20every%20half-hour.%20Applying%20the%20sauce%20this%20way%20creates%20layers%20of%20flavor%20that%20have%20been%20caramelized%20to%20different%20extents,%20further%20bringing%20out%20the%20complexity%20of%20the%20sauce.%20When%20the%20ribs%20are%20done,%20cut%20them%20up%20and%20toss%20with%20a%20bit%20of%20uncooked%20sauce.%20Each%20rack%20takes%20about%203/4%20cup%20of%20sauce%20in%20total,%20maybe%20a%20bit%20more.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%20can't%20tell%20you%20how%20much%20love%20this%20sauce%20has%20gotten%20me%20over%20the%20past%20six%20years.%20It's%20a%20pain%20to%20make,%20but%20worth%20it.%20If%20you're%20reticent%20about%20making%20your%20own,%20I%20have%20quite%20a%20bit%20on%20hand.%20Perhaps%20you%20should%20just%20invite%20me%20over%20to%20your%20house%20for%20a%20barbecue%20:-)){kind=small}
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