Barbecued Erasers

"Erasers would taste good with this sauce."

At least that's what Jan Sterling thought! You may have no clue who Jan Sterling was (a 1950's actress), but if you have a favorite BBQ sauce, you know what she was talking about!

That's because you know that the perfect BBQ sauce isn't just a fancy ketchup for spicing up your barbecued meat. It's so much more complex and hard working than most other people realize.

BBQ sauce doesn't just add flavor; the right BBQ sauce tenderizes, protects and otherwise transforms an ordinary piece of meat into a tender and juicy piece of greatness.

A great BBQ sauce generally contains a selection of acidic, sweet and spicy ingredients which work in combination to produce an enzyme busting, outer crust sealing, and flavor enhancing formula.

And each of these ingredients has a specific job: Tomato, lemon, lime and vinegar provide the acid which breaks down protein and tenderizes the meat. Honey, molasses, syrup and regular white and brown sugar caramelize when heated to provide a thin crusty shell which seals in the juices. Tasty crust outside, moist and juicy inside!

While onions, garlic, the entire pepper family and a whole host of spices provide a punch of flavor. Add in the wine, beer and spirits and the transformation process has just begun! The possibilities for award winning combinations are endless!

There are many great recipes that incorporate a number of these key ingredients in perfect combination to create wonderful flavor sensations. And Randy's book, "Barbecue Secrets Revealed!", contains dozens of these great recipes to help guide you along in your quest for your own personal favorites.

Here's just one of Randy's favorites from the book:

All American Barbecue Sauce

10 large firm ripe tomatoes cored, peeled, and chopped
2 large onions finely choppe
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. crushed red pepper
1 tbsp. celery seed
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. mace
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup vinegar, 5% acidity
1/3 cup lemon juice

Combine tomatoes, onions, garlic, red pepper and celery seed in a large sauce-pot. Simmer, covered, until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes. Press tomato mixture through a fine sieve or food mill; discard seeds. Return tomato mixture to the sauce-pot and add the remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens, about 30 minutes. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Carefully ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head-space. Wipe jar rim clean. Place lid on jar and screw band down evenly and firmly just until a point of resistance is met.

Makes about three pints of barbecue sauce.

Try it out for yourself and see what you think!

You'll know you've found a winner when, like Ms Sterling, you find yourself wondering how it would taste carefully basted across the tops of some slow smoking erasers.