The official start of summer might still be a month away, but patio season is already here — and that means barbecue, grilling and all the other things that involve fire and food.
Naturally, that brings the talk to sauces.
Whether you are a proponent of low-and-slow or flash-seared, or prefer your proteins arrive as pork, beef or poultry, there is a sauce out there that will make your meal a more savory experience. Hey, there’s stuff to slather on grilled tofu and vegetables, too.
Some of the most lip-smacking sauces hail from the south-by-southwest quadrant of the American culinary compass. Some boast flavors that are dark and deep. Others are so bright that it’s like a boisterous rent party going on in your mouth.
Successful sauces start at the prep table.
“Fresh, top-grade ingredients are a must,” says Ryan Higgins, executive chef at in Larimer Square. “I like a good cider vinegar and quality spices that don’t taste like cardboard.” (He sources his from in Denver.)
Another key: “You want to cook the sauce low and slow, just like the meat,” Higgins says. “You don’t want to cook it too long, but you do want it to reduce and thicken a little.”
Here are a few sauce recipes that should pay off on the palate, a mix of classic and contemporary. Many will benefit from being made a day in advance to let the ingredients meld and intensify. Think of it as a meet-and-greet in a bowl.
Smokehouse Sweet Barbecue Sauce
Chef-restaurateur Frank Bonanno developed this all-purpose barbecue sauce for Russell’s Smokehouse, his carnivore emporium in Larimer Square. You can make a spicy version of this sauce by adding more chile pepper; Russell’s goes with a teaspoon of Ghost Pepper powder. Makes about 3 cups.
Ingredients
2½ cups ketchup
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup molasses
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dry mustard
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons cayenne
½ teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Directions
Combine wet and dry ingredients separately. Add wet ingredients into dry and stir. Simmer in a saucepan for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Make 1 day in advance.
Mustard Vinegar Sauce
This recipe from Russell’s Smokehouse in Denver is inspired by the mustard-spiked barbecue sauce that’s popular in South Carolina, where many Germans settled in the 18th century. Makes about 2½ cups.
Ingredients
1 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup mustard
½ cup ketchup
1½ teaspoon Worcestershire
Directions
Combine vinegar, sugar, dry mustard and spices in medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Whisk vinegar mixture into the mustard, ketchup and Worcestershire. Stir well. Make a day in advance.
Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce
This is the classic sauce found in Eastern North Carolina barbecue towns such as Wilson. It is made for the whole-hog pulled pork found there. It’s uncredited, because everyone in that part of the Tar Heel State pretty much makes it this way. It’s in the blood. Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup white vinegar
½ tablespoon sugar
½ tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients and stir vigorously, or put them in a Mason jar, screw the cap on, and shake well.
Barbacoa Adobo
This intense adobo sauce is tailor-made for slow-cooked lamb and goat. From Pati Jinich’s “Mexican Today” cookbook, recently published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The chiles are available at most grocery stores and Mexican markets. Makes about 2½ cups.
Ingredients
8 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
8 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
¼ cup-plus cider vinegar
1 medium ripe tomato, quartered
½ cup coarsely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
½ teaspoon ground canela (Ceylon cinnamon)
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 whole cloves, stems removed
2½ teaspoons kosher or sea salt
3 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add chiles and toast them, flipping often, until they are colored, a bit fragrant and well-toasted but not burned, about 2 minutes. Transfer chiles to a medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer about 15 minutes, until chiles rehydrate and soften.
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer chiles to a blender. Add 2 cups of their cooking water, the vinegar, tomato, onion, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, cloves and salt and puree until completely smooth.
Rinse and dry the saucepan. Add oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until hot but not smoking. The oil should sizzle when you add a drop of water to the pan. Add pureed marinade, being careful to avoid splutters, as the sauce will splash. Stir once, cover partially and cook for 10-12 minutes. Stir occasionally until the color darkens and the mixture thickens to a wet, paste-like consistency. Remove from heat, and it’s ready to serve.
Quick Salsa Verde
Terrific with grilled chicken or slow-cooked pork, this sauce features vivid colors and flavors. From Pati Jinich’s “Mexican Today.” Makes 2 cups.
Ingredients
2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed and thoroughly rinsed
2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, stems removed
2 garlic cloves
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup coarsely chopped white onion
¾ teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
Directions
Combine tomatillos, chiles and garlic in medium non-reactive saucepan. Cover generously with water and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the tomatillos go from pale to olive green and are thoroughly tender but not falling apart. Drain.
Transfer tomatillos and garlic to a blender. Add 1 chile to the blender, along with the cilantro, onion and salt. Puree until smooth. Taste for salt and adjust if desired. If you want more heat, and some or all of the remaining chile and blend. Serve.
Chipotle-Orange Cocktail Sauce
This recipe, from Steven Raichlen’s latest cookbook, “Project Smoke,” is delectable on shrimp. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon finely-grated orange zest
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1-2 canned chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce, minced, plus 2 teaspoons adobo
2 tablespoons minced white onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, plus 4 sprigs
Directions
Place all ingredients except the four cilantro sprigs in a bowl and whisk to mix. Divide sauce among 4 small bowls. Cover and chill until serving. Place a cilantro sprig in the center of each just before serving.
Red Salsa
This lively salsa works on just about anything, from chips to enchiladas to grilled meats. From Pati Janich’s “Mexican Today.” Makes 4 cups.
Ingredients
2 pounds ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
2 serrano or jalapeño peppers, stems removed
2 tablespoons chopped white onion
¾ teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Directions
Place tomatoes, garlic and a chile in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 10-12 minutes until the tomatoes are very soft. Drain.
Transfer the tomatoes, garlic and chile to a blender. Add onion and salt and puree until smooth. Taste and blend in some or all of the remaining chile if you want more heat.
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat until a spoonful of the tomato puree sizzles immediately when added. All the puree, watching out for splattering. Stir well and cover partially. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broth, stir, and cook for another 6-8 minutes until the salsa has thickened a bit. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve warm or cold.
Chimichurri
This is my variation on the national sauce of Argentina, where beef reigns at the grill. I often mix some cilantro in with the flat-leaf parsley. By William Porter. Makes about 1 cup.
Ingredients
1 cup lightly packed chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced scallions
¾ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
Put everything in a blender and puree. Serve in a bowl with a spoon for drizzling on steaks and chops.
Lemon-Dill Sauce
Bright with lemon zest and juice, plus fresh dill, this sauce goes well with any smoked seafood. From Steven Raichlen’s “Project Smoke.” Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients
½ cup good quality mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, lemon juice and lemon zest in a bowl. Whisk to mix, adding salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to an attractive bowl and refrigerate until serving.
Sweet Mustard-Dill Sauce
Another fresh dill sauce for smoked seafood, this also works well with grilled chicken. Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients
½ to ¾ cup mustard
¼ cup packed white or brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Combine mustard, brown sugar, oil and dill in a bowl and whisk to mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until mealtime.
William Porter: 303-954-1877, wporter@denverpost.com or @williamporterdp
