Texas Barbecue Sauce #2

The boy loves barbeques and we have been invited to one next week. Unfortunately for him it’s connected to my work so he knows he will have to be on his best behaviour. And he can be charm itself when he decides to turn it on. It will be a huge affair so we are all bringing our own meat to grill. I’m bringing this barbeque sauce as well. It isn’t the 2^nd sauce I’ve posted – the original recipe from Texas on the Halfshell calls it that.

3 cloves garlic, crushed

5 medium onions, finely chopped

1 cup oil

2 small bottles of ketchup

1/3 cup Louisiana hot sauce

2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 cups vinegar

A slug of sherry

I don’t know how small the bottles of ketchup need to be, or whether one big one would be better. I’m just going for two of the small ones in the supermarket. The hot sauce needs to be the smooth American kind, like Crystal or Franks.

Put a little of the oil in a pan and brown the onions slowly. Add the garlic half way through. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, vinegar and the rest of the oil. Cook over a low heat until it thickens nicely.

Get the boy to taste it – I suspect it might benefit from a tablespoon or two of brown sugar. He has a really good sense for these things and he likes being asked for his expertise.

Once it’s done, cool it down and add the sherry. The original recipe says “a fifth of sherry” and Google suggests this is a whole bottle, which can’t be right – especially as it’s optional. So use your own judgement, bearing in mind you want it to stay nice and thick. I think a regular shot will do.

Pour into a mason jar and keep in the fridge.

The boy will want to wear a crisp white shirt at the barbecue and it will lead to trouble.