Rebecca Nielsen's Recipe

Orange-Pineapple Ginger BBQ Sauce

Category: Sauces and marinades

Serves/Makes: 1 1/2 quarts
Difficulty: 3
Total Prep/Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
2 T Sorrento Orange Olive Oil*
1 cup yellow onion chopped fine
1 small red onion chopped fine
2 inch piece fresh ginger peeled and grated
1/2 cup minced garlic* (about 15 cloves)
Zest of large naval orange
5 T fresh squeezed orange juice
3 cups ketchup
1 cup tomato juice
1/4 cup Pineapple Balsamic Vinegar*
1/2 c white wine
1/3 cup pineapple juice
6 T pure maple syrup
1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
3 cups water
2 t kosher salt
1 t freshly ground pepper

Directions:

In 3.5 quart dutch oven or large heavy bottom sauce pan over med-high heat add sorrento orange olive oil and 1 stick butter. Add chopped yellow and red onion. Saute for 3 minutes add garlic and ginger, saute for 2 more minutes. DO NOT LET GARLIC BURN.

Turn heat to medium and add orange zest and orange juice stir to combine well. Switch to metal wisk and add ketchup, tomato juice, pineapple balsamic vinegar, white wine, pineapple juice, maple syrup, worcestershire sauce, and water wisking after each addition. Add salt and pepper. Adjust to your liking.

At this point it will appear very watery but don't worry you won't believe how this thickens.

You will be simmering this for about 1 hour 20 minutes total. For the first 20 minutes keep on medium heat and stir every 6 minutes or so remembering to scrape the bottom of the pan when you stir, I find a flat bottom wooden spoon works best. After about 20 minutes it is time to taste for the ginger factor. If you like it spicer you can add more grated ginger. Turn heat to low and continue simmering 1 more hour, stirring occassionaly. The sauce will start to reduce and thicken.

After simmering for the 1 hour and 20 minutes there should be no "tomato water" on top. Turn off heat and using an immersion blender carefully blend until there are no more pieces of the onion, garlic and ginger.

You are done. Cool completely in pan uncovered and store in canning jars in the refrigerator.

* The Sorrento Orange Olive Oil and Pineapple Balsamic Vinegar are available at The Olive Tap in Long Grove, IL or online at theolivetap-dot-com. Investing in these are well worth it.

Cooks Notes: I don't use chili powder in this version because it tends to overpower the orange and pineapple flavor. So add additional ginger if you need more heat. Storing it in glass jars is not only so you can see the beautiful dark orange color everytime you open the fridge but because of the acid in the vinegar will soak into plastic containers.

The picture I put with this shows my beef ribs cooked with this BBQ sauce. It is equally good on chicken and in BBQ sandwiches. I hope you all try this and send me a note if you do.