Mmm...BBQ Sauce

Yesterday was Mothers’ Day, and oh what a Mothers’ Day it was: I got a Blendtec blender for my Mothers’ Day gift.  I have been pining over a high-powered blender for a couple of years now, and scrimping and saving all the while.  So when I saw the Blendtec on sale on Costco’s website a week before Mothers’ Day, Hubster and I talked it over and decided that we could use part of our gift budget to make up the difference between what we had saved and the cost of the blender and take the plunge as a happy Moms’ Day for me!! Don’t I have an awesome husband?  And the kids are not complaining.  We opened it a couple of days early, and we have had smoothies four time since it has come.  In honor of the newest member of our family, I would like to share a recipe!  Now, this recipe can be made using any old blender, but I think the Blendtec definitely made it smoother.  So, without further ado:

Homemade BBQ Sauce

This BBQ sauce uses canned fruit, and I like to use any home canned peaches or pears that have gotten dark. It also calls for the use of ketchup, whether you use store bought or home made ketchup is up to you. This recipe shouldn’t be canned since it uses produce that has already been processed before, but it can be frozen for later use.

 

½ c. brown sugar

1 c. ketchup

1 qt fruit with juice (peaches are my fave!)

½ yellow onion

3-4 cloves garlic

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

If you are using a high powered blender such as a Blendtec or Vitamix, dump everything in the blender and run it through like you would a sauce and then dump it into a 3 qt or larger sauce pot and skip to next paragraph. If you are using another blender, measure sugar and ketchup into saucepot.  Put ½ of fruit and juice in blender and add onion and blend together until as smooth as possible and add to sauce pot.  Do the same with the remaining fruit and garlic and add to sauce pot.  Add salt and pepper to pot. 

Once all ingredients are in the saucepot, simmer over medium heat until the color darkens a bit and all of the sugar dissolves and the sauce isn’t grainy.

The Blendtec did an awesome job of getting the garlic and onion smoothly mixed into the sauce when I made this sauce, but it is just as good no matter what method you use.  We used the sauce on pulled pork sandwiches one night, and then on a crockpot chuck roast for Mothers’ Day dinner.  You can use it as you would any other BBQ sauce for cooking or topping.  I add a little hot sauce and dip wings in it for football games, too!

If anyone is interested, Costco has their Blendtecs on sale through the end of the month (May 2014) on their website, including the set with the "twister" pitcher that I opted not to get (I don't mind having to scrape the jar).  I don't know if they are on sale in store as well since our local store only carries Vitamix.  If, by any chance, you are trying to decide between a Vitamix or Bledtec, this side by side comprehensive review helped me to make my choice.  Happy blending!




This post found on The Homestead Barnhop #159