Cooking with Chef Jo: It's a Summertime BBQ

Nothing beats an old fashion barbecue on sweltering, hot summer days. Everything just tastes fabulous when cooked over hot coals. Yes, I'm continuing my recipe series, "It's too hot to cook." We still haten't financially managed to fill up our propane tank for the gas stove also.

For the 4th of July, I didn't go home for my family get together, I was still healing from my various injuries, surgeries, and illnesses. So Mel did under my direction this time. So I celebrated it with Mel instead, I made all my family's favorites. BBQ pork ribs and chicken all smothered in my copycat recipe for Sweet Baby Ray's recipe for barbecue sauce. Yes, I even canned some in half pint jars for later enjoyment. I peeled back the husks on some fresh corn spread a thick slab of butter, salt and pepper before wrapping it up in foil husk and all, and threw it on the grill too.

Side dishes like fresh salads. and my three potato salad, with plenty of mint flavored ice tea. For dessert, a frosted cherry and blueberry pizza (also cooked on the grill) was all we could eat. Mel made her lemon icebox pie was saved for later. Nothing could be simpler and oh, so delicious to make!

Now, I parcook my ribs and chicken thighs the night before (when it's cooler in the toaster oven) and place them in the refrigerator overnight. Just 10 minutes on both sides at 400 degrees. This way I know it will cook to well done on the grill.


I promised to share this recipe with our YouTube followers, but haven't yet. In my restaurant, I made this in 10 gallon batches weekly. I scaled the recipe way back to about 2 1/2 cups for y'all. I doubled this recipe to can the leftovers for my pantry stores.

 Jo's Copycat Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce
Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups or 20 servings


What you'll need
1 1/4 cups tomato sauce
1 cup dark brown sugar*
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup molasses, unsulfured
1/4 cup pineapple juice, about 1 of those single serve cans
1/4 cup water
2 TBS hickory liquid smoke
3 1/2 tsp ground mustard
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
                                          1/2 tsp allspice
                                           pinch nutmeg*
                                           pinch cayenne pepper, more if you want more heat
                                           1 tsp kosher or sea salt
                                           1 tsp black pepper

*Notes- *I make my own dark brown sugar. 1 lb of sugar mixed with 1/4 cup molasses. Mix well. Store in air tight container.
* I buy my nutmeg whole and grind it with my microplane grater. It holds its flavor better. One good swipe equals a pinch.

Putting it together 

• Mix everything in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer until the desired thickness is reached. Stir to keep bottom from scorching. I use the thick coating on the back of a spoon as my guide.(about 20 minutes) It will continue to thickens more as it cools. 
• Taste for desired flavor.
• To can this BBQ sauce, pour into hot half pint jars, wipe jars, warm lid, and ring the jars. Water bath can for 15 minutes. 

I've used this sauce whenever I've needed BBQ sauce for 15 years now. Most folks can't believe I made it from scratch. Now you can too!

My Triple Potato Salad recipe is coming up next post.

Y'all have a blessed day!

Cockeyed Jo