In celebration of today’s Summer Solstice (oh, WHY can’t I be in Santa Barbara today?), I offer up — again — my hard-learned and developed recipes for rub and sauce. If I get some of the same response I did when I put this up the first time, I’ll elaborate more on technique. Yes, that’s a hint, lurkers — comment away!
From May 2007:
After bragging on Dave Barry’s blog about all the great tricks I began learning when I lived in Missouri, I was asked to share my recipes for my barbecue dry rub (or “seasoning”, for you rookies) and my barbecue sauce. Because I am much more of a show-off than I am the secretive type, I have decided to divulge, with one caveat: I reserve the right to yank this post if a bunch of food sites start linking to it. Damned if I’ll share this with strangers for no gain. But if you’re reading it here, you’re already a friend and therefore worthy…
Do keep in mind that the rub is an essential ingredient in the sauce, so it comes first:
Steiner’s Authentic Missouri BBQ Dry Rub
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet (as distinct from “hot”) paprika
3 tbsp black pepper
3 tbsp salt (preferably coarse/kosher)
1 tbsp hickory-smoked salt (can be tricky to find; substitute more coarse salt if necessary)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp celery seeds
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Now the fun part — combine all ingredients in your favorite mixing bowl and mix them up with your fingers. It’s the only way short of using a blender (not recommended, too big a PITA) to break up the lumps of brown sugar.
Store in an air-tight container.
Steiner’s Shot-&-a-Beer Missouri Barbecue Sauce
This is my all-purpose, all-meats sauce. You’ll think you died and went to Kansas City! (For anyone who has ever been to a Gates’ in KC, this is modeled on a 50/50 mix of their original and their extra hot sauces. Don’t tell Ollie Gates. To get a sauce closer to their original, omit the cayenne and halve the black pepper.)
One 15 oz. can (or two 8 oz.cans) tomato sauce (straight, no flavors)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce (avoid the cheap stuff such as French’s)
2 tbsp molasses
2 tbsp Dijon mustard (preferably Grey Poupon — again, don’t skimp on quality)
1 tbsp Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp of my rub above
2 tsp Liquid Smoke
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional if you have to keep it tame for timid eaters)
50 ml (one shot) bourbon (I prefer Jim Beam Black)
1 shplurp of beer (as with wine, don’t cook with a lesser quality than you would drink)
Combine all but the last two ingredients (recommend dry ingredients first, then the wet) in a non-reactive saucepan — a wire whisk works best — add the bourbon and beer while bringing slowly to a boil over med-high heat. Reduce the heat enough to achieve what I call a ‘gentle simmer’ — if the sauce splatters out of the pan, that’s too much heat. Stirring often, let the sauce cook down until it’s noticeably darker and thicker than what you started with, about 10-15 minutes. Makes about 2 1/2 cups. Any unused amount will keep at least six months in the fridge. (Tip: for a fun and different dip for fries and/or veggies, mix the sauce 50/50 with mayonnaise.)
There you have it, folks. If you are new to authentic BBQ, as distinct from grilling, leave a comment and I’ll augment this post with tips on how to achieve low-and-slow indirect grilling. If that is an alien term to you, please, you MUST learn more from me before you attempt the above, as you’ll just set fire to the sauce and you’ll hate the results.
UPDATE: Rather than rewrite what’s already been written better, here’s a link to an excellent site by grill guru extraordinare Steven Raichlen over at BarbecueBible.com. To begin learning immediately about direct vs. indirect, barbecue vs. grilling, click on the “Techniques and Recipes” button.
You know how President Allstate is always asking, “Are you in good hands?” Well, you are now, at least when it comes to outdoor cooking. For insurance, talk to my mother-in-law.
Tags: barbecue, barbecue sauce recipe, Dave Barry, Dennis Haysbert, dry rub recipe, Gates BBQ Sauce Recipe, Gates Kansas City, grilling, Kansas City, Ollie Gates, Santa Barbara, Stephen Raichlen