And as I think back, makes me wonder how
The smell from a grill could spark up nostalgia…
—from "Summertime," by Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince.
Barbecue. A mere whiff can spur a powerful sensory overhaul, conjuring up sunbathed memories of meat, smoke, and summertime.
But can a barbecue meal pack the same nostalgic wallop if all its components begin with the letter B? That's the task we set ourselves.
It really wasn't that much of a challenge. All the best things in life start with B: bacon, baby back ribs, bourbon, brisket, bacon, beer, burgers, bread pudding…
Thus, the only logical conclusion is this:
A barbecue made from all B-list ingredients? Brilliant!
Joe Bardi’s (not quite) World Famous BBQ Sauce
“I’ve always bought my marinades and sauces at the grocery store, but I was up for a challenge and decided to make my own barbecue sauce from scratch. It turns out that creating your own 'World Famous’ sauce is a snap! I was able to whip up my own concoction based on a recipe I found at allrecipes.com for 'A Very Popular BBQ Sauce.' Combine the ingredients in a blender, hit puree for a few minutes, and voila, a sweeter, tangier sauce than Big Baby Ray could ever bottle. (Original recipe makes 4 cups.) Finger-licking good, if I do say so myself.” —Joe Bardi
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups organic ketchup
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 1/2 tbsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. paprika
4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
8-10 dashes hot sauce
Directions
Mix ingredients in a blender and pour onto ribs prior to grilling or cooking. Save leftover sauce for serving. We wrapped our ribs in foil after rubbing them down with sauce, and placed them on the grill. Pay attention to the meat thermometer to ensure your meat reaches the proper temperature for safe consumption. Then remove ribs from foil and finish them directly on the grill. Be careful not to catch them on fire, like we did. But do not despair; we learned it’s pretty hard to ruin slow-cooked pork covered in tangy barbecue sauce.
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