I am having about 15 people over Sunday. Going to smoke a few butts and serve with traditional sides. This will be the first time for me to do the Guru of Q's Serving Sauce. Of course we will have my traditional homemade sauce too.

Any suggestions on how to use this stuff. How potient is it? Should I add as I pull or wait and let folks use it as needed/necessary? Input would be aappreciated.

For those new to the Forum, the recipe iis below. Supposed to be killer stuff

Thanks!

**************

SmokinOkies Basting & serving Sauce

4 cups apple juice
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoon dry mustard
4 tablespoon brown sugar
3 bay leaf
6 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne (I sometimes use Hungarian Paprika)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (the secret ingredient)

Heat all of the ingredients in a non-reactive pan (the acid in the vinegar will react with some pans be careful) Bring it to a boil, reduce and simmer for 15 min. (makes about 5 cups)

Wheelz,

I've used this sauce many times and it is excellent. I do cut back 1/2 on the cayenne and/or use hungarian paprika.

Usually, I have injected my pork butt with the stuff and then use some after I have pulled. The sauce is watery so it will go a long way but the flavor is great.

We tend to add a little vinegar sauce and rub,to taste,as we pull.

Table sauces would be added by guests.

Wheelz, I have used the sauce as well. The flavor is great. We do not like the heat so I also cut back the cayenne 1/2 and same on the paprika. Depends on your local tastes. I add it when pulling..I found it gives that little "what is that" flavor. I usually, pull the "shultz treatment" I know notthhhiiinngg!

Then I tell em the recipe came from a friend in Ok, he cooks in alot of BBQ comps, and for some reason when the competition is almost over he always is walking back and forth on the stage..I still don't know what he is doing that for.

Thanks guys! Yeah, we are not very fond of heat so I'll cut it at least in half. May add the sauce to one of three butts when pulling and keep it in a separate dish and offer the straight sauce on the side. I'll let you know what the guests think.

Sure am open to more thoughts and responses

Wheelz, Lemme tell ya the "Sweet and Smokey" sauce in the Best of Forum sauces (pg 12) is really good as well. I have served it twice, gave some away and everyone raves about it.

In so far as a mustard based sauce Prisonchef (Hey Jack) has a great recipe, if you like the mustard style, it is easy to make.

Personally, I use Smokins vinegar sauce when I pull it then sweet and smokey on the table. For those that like the heat I simply add a bit of habenero powder, I have ground. Cayenne would work as well.

Here is a hint, from my chili cookin, I take all my spices for a spin in a small coffee grinder before adding to the sauce, just "wakes" em up.

Thanks Frayed. Got it and will give it a shot, probably not this weekend tho.

Anyone else want to save some time looking it up, below is the recipe.

Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Sauce

6 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke
1 tablespoon pure chili powder (not a blend)
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 cups ketchup
Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients, except for the ketchup, in a large, deep, heavy non-reactive saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, until all the ingredients are dissolved, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ketchup and bring to a boil, stirring well, as the ketchup has a tendency to spatter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Reduce the heat slightly and gently simmer the sauce, uncovered, until dark, thick and richly flavored, about 30 minutes, stirring often. Use right away or transfer to jars, cover, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate. The sauce will keep for several months.

Makes 5 cups.

From "Barbecue! Bible -- Sauces, Rubs and Marinades."

Ok, I just finished making some of Smokin's Serving Sauce. It's still rather warm to the touch and looks like some of Hippie's home-brew. I have it in a Tupperware-type plastic container. Stuff is settling down the sides and rising up thru the center. Reminds me of something in a Mad Scientist's chem lab. Kinda looks like the first squeezin's of apple cider with pupl still settling. The Mrs wanted me to post and ask "is this normal?"

I have 3 7+ # butts in the ST @ 200° for the evening. Will crank it up to 225° in the early AM.

Any thoughts on what's-a-brewing / what's going on with the serving sauce?

Yep, just 1 thought...



What time is supper?

quote:

Originally posted by Wheelz:

Any thoughts on what's-a-brewing / what's going on with the serving sauce?

Not sure what your asking.

Smokin,

Was just wondering if your servin sauce was supposed to look like apple cider. It sure was a moving n groving last night as the concoction was cooling.

Yeah, probably a dark apple cider. Not really very clear, and depending on the apple cider/juice you use, it could be even darker.

Just mix it up and go, looks won't matter, but taste will be there.

Used Smokin's serving sauce yesterday for the first time. It really adds a unique flavor to pulled pork. Out of cayenne, I substituted a 1/2 tsp of chipotle.

A dozen or so people ate sammies and finished off a whole eight lb butt. Several didn't even bother with buns. Can't think of a better compliment.

Thanks Smokin.

Gonna try a variation of Smokin's Vinegar mop this weekend on a butt. First time!

Are you still applying a rub? Traditionally all that I have used in the past.

When and how often are you mopping the butt?

Do you or have you tried the same mop for pork ribs?

Thanks All!
Bill

If you are using a traditional Cookshack,it is moist and shouldn't be needing much moppin'.

You want the heavy rub to build your bark.

If you get up above 8 lb butts,you might think about flipping and moppin' them 1/2 way through the cook.'

Yep, using an 008.

Had great success just rubbing them down and letting them go for 13+ hours. The talk of Mops has just got me thinking about giving it a shot.

Your opinion is to just give large Butts a good mopping about 1/2 way?

Thanks!

I saw the Smokin recipe and it looked good. When I went out to buy the apple juice I thought it might be good to replace the apple juice with pineapple juice, because I have used some pineapple juice based marinates and sauces before. Anyway, I made two different batches substituting paprika for the cayenne in each recipe. Since I didn't have any pork at the time I decided to to marinate two beef steaks and test the results.

The apple juice sauce sauce seemed to just be a flavor enhancer, while the pineapple sauce changed the favor more significantly. If I had to categorize the differences I would say the apple juice would work better with pork and beef, and the pineapple juice would work better with poultry and fish.

The main thing I noticed right off the bat with both recipes is that they don't contain any salt, which I thing in this case is a good thing. But since salt is used in excess in most rubs, used alone you notice the lack of salt immediately.

You have to be careful using high-acid fruit juices with delicate meats. It is possible to marinate long enough to 'pickle' the meat, or at least turn it to mush.

Like Tom sez.

Smokin's sauce is a "serving" or "finishing" sauce. While you can use it as a mop, especially if you are using a stick burner, it usually is not necessary to use mop with a CS. That said, try using Smokin's sauce as an injection prior to putting your meat in the CS.

Pulled some pulled pork from the freezer for dinner, used some of Smokin's sauce to moisten and finish it when I zapped it for sandwiches. You sure don't need any other additions to make something better than you can get anywhere but home.

Smokin's sauce was a hit, not so much as a serving sauce but for mixin with the meat as it was being pulled. Mixed it later with just a tad of my homemade Q-sauce and man it was good! Experimenting is so much fun!

Well, here's how it went....

I used a variation of Smokin's Vinegar Mop. (simple version really) Had just a 6.5lb butt and Moped every two hours beginning at the 6 hour mark. This added some real time to the cook! After 15 hours the temp was at 185. 7:00pm, I had to get it off. We were all hungry.

I put it on at 4:00am. The several others I have done took about 13.5. (Not opening the door) Thought the smaller butt would be about 12 hours. Maybe if I kept the darn door closed!

Anyway, I was killing the Mop idea for any future butt smokes until I put my gloves on and started pulling. Don't know how much the mop contributed, but it just completely fell apart. Awesome pulled pork sandwiches.....

From now on, I start the night before. Just reheat it in a foil pan using a little more mop.

Bill

I also tried some of the pineapple based sauce on the pulled pork also. A very different flavor but still very good.

This particular butt was smoked in my thermostat test in an older post. I used 3 oz. Hickory and 2 oz. Mesquite. The smoke flavor is much more pronounced that my usual porkies. I like it and the smoke is not overpowering.