BBQ Mix 'n' Match

Summertime. The recipe is simple: sun, fun, eat, repeat. Similarly, creating your own barbecue sauce should be easy. To avoid the inevitable half-used bottles languishing in the back of the fridge come October, make your own small batches. Simply choose a base, some flavors that complement your victim, and spice it up. Too many flavors can get lost in each other, so remember: This is summer—keep it simple.

DIRECTIONS
 

In a saucepan, sauté your base. Add one or two items from the bulk category (if using two, divide amounts in half). Add a few special quirks, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, simmer, simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes roughly one cup of sauce.

THE BASE
 

For meat eaters:

Bacon (2 strips), diced onion (1/2 cup or 120 ml), garlic (3 cloves)

For vegetarians:

Oil (2 Tbsp. or 30 ml), diced onion (1/2 cup or 120 ml), garlic (3 cloves)

THE BULK
 

Peaches (6, pitted, in chunks)

Apricots (8, pitted, in chunks)

Raspberries (3 cups or 750 ml)

Blueberries (3 cups or 750 ml)

Plums (8, pitted, in chunks)

Watermelon (4 cups or 1 L, in chunks)

Pineapple (3 cups or 750 ml, in chunks)

Tomatoes (6, in chunks)

THE QUIRKS
 

Lemon juice (1.4 cup or 60 ml)

Orange juice (1/2 cup or 120 ml)

Vinegar (2 Tbsp or 30 ml)

Fresh ginger (1 Tbsp or 15 ml, grated)

Maple syrup (1/4 cup or 60 ml)

Honey (1/4 cup or 60 ml)

Brown sugar (1/4 cup or 60 ml)

Mustard (1/4 cup or 60 ml or 1 Tbsp dry)

Tomato paste (2 Tbsp or 30 ml)

Scallions ((1/4 cup or 60 ml, chopped)

Tamarind paste (1 Tbsp or 15 ml)

Tabasco (1 Tbsp or 15 ml)

Worcestershire sauce (1 Tbsp or 15 ml)

Hot peppers (3, seeded)

Whiskey (1/4 cup or 60 ml)

Molasses (1/4 cup or 60 ml)

Cilantro ((1/4 cup, chopped)

Mint (1/4 cup, chopped)

Cumin (1 tsp or 5 ml)

Cinnamon (1 tsp or 5 ml)

Clove (1 tsp)

Sage (2 Tbsp or 30 ml)

Rosemary (1 Tbsp or 15 ml)

Thyme (2 Tbsp or 30 ml)

Oregano (2 Tbsp or 30 ml)

Cayenne (1 tsp or 5 ml)

Smoked paprika (1 tsp or 5 ml)

Chipotle (1 tsp or 5 ml)

Soy sauce (2 Tbsp or 30 ml)

Hoisin sauce (1 Tbsp or 15 ml)

SOME SUGGESTED SAUCES:
 

• Peaches, tomatoes, brown sugar, mustard, cumin, smoked paprika
• Blueberries, tomato paste, lemon juice, Tabasco, whickey, smoked paprika
• Plums, ginger, molasses, soy sauce, lemon juice
• Raspberries, vinegar, honey, mint
• Pineapple, maple syrup, ginger, hoisin
• Tomatoes, mustard, molasses, Worcestershire, Tabasco, cumin
• Apricots, brown sugar, lemon juice, jalapeño pepper, cumin