Cluck, Muck & Cook

Baking & Foodie Blog From Sunny Brentwood Essex

Condiments

4 Condiments

Kansas City Style Sweet and Spicy Chilli BBQ Sauce

When you think of BBQ sauce, you are probably thinking of that rich, thick, sweet and spicy sauce
that is delicious on ribs and chicken. That deep flavoured tomato based sauce is a Kansas city style
sauce. I have been tweaking this recipe for years and have never shared it outside close friends.
Whilst there looks a lot of ingredients, it is very simple to make and is a great use of onions and
chillies you may be growing.

This sauce can be used on its own as an accompaniment, or slathered over delicious ribs on the BBQ.

 

Makes 2 Jars

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped
3-4 large red chillies, deseeded and chopped
Thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 pinch of nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon English mustard powder
240ml ketchup
240ml water
60ml cider vinegar
60ml honey
60ml maple syrup
60ml Worcestershire sauce
160g soft brown sugar
1 bay leaf

Instructions:

  1. In a medium saucepan gently fry the chopped garlic, chillies and ginger in the oil for a few
    minutes until the garlic is softened but not coloured.
  2. Add all of the dried spices and fry for another minute.
  3. Once all combined, add all of the liquid ingredients and sugar and bring to a gentle simmer
    whilst stirring. Add the bay leaf.
  4. Gentle simmer uncovered for 35-40 minutes until the sauce is nice and thick, stirring
    occasionally.
  5. Take out the bay leaf and allow to cool.
  6. Blitz in a food processor, blender or you can use an immersion blender. Just make sure it
    becomes a nice smooth sauce.
  7. Pour into sterilised jars and keep in the fridge.

Kansas City Style Sweet and Spicy Chilli BBQ Sauce
 
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When you think of BBQ sauce, you are probably thinking of that rich, thick, sweet and spicy sauce that is delicious on ribs and chicken. That deep flavoured tomato based sauce is a Kansas city style sauce. I have been tweaking this recipe for years and have never shared it outside close friends.
Author:
Serves: 2 Jars
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 3-4 large red chillies, deseeded and chopped
  • Thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 pinch of nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon English mustard powder
  • 240ml ketchup
  • 240ml water
  • 60ml cider vinegar
  • 60ml honey
  • 60ml maple syrup
  • 60ml Worcestershire sauce
  • 160g soft brown sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan gently fry the chopped garlic, chillies and ginger in the oil for a few
  2. minutes until the garlic is softened but not coloured.
  3. Add all of the dried spices and fry for another minute.
  4. Once all combined, add all of the liquid ingredients and sugar and bring to a gentle simmer
  5. whilst stirring. Add the bay leaf.
  6. Gentle simmer uncovered for 35-40 minutes until the sauce is nice and thick, stirring
  7. occasionally.
  8. Take out the bay leaf and allow to cool.
  9. Blitz in a food processor, blender or you can use an immersion blender. Just make sure they
  10. become a nice smooth sauce.
  11. Pour into sterilised jars and keep in the fridge.

 

8 Condiments

Christmas Mincemeat

Stir up Sunday is just around the corner. My last Bramley apples are just falling off the tree . The baking cupboard is full of odds and sods of dried fruits that never get quite used up. Supermarkets have started the Christmas push and it is not even November yet. The morning is misty and Autumnal. It feels like a perfect day to make some mincemeat, so it can mature in time for mice pies or a Christmas version of a Pain Aux Raisin.

Christmas Mincemeat

Christmas Mincemeat

When I lived in Chicago, my US colleagues were often cautious when I announced I was making mince pies, convinced I would be hiding some form of meat in a sweet pie! The 1861 volume Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management called for beef suet and rump steak mixed in with the dried fruit and spice. However my version is packed full of fruit and uses butter instead of suet, not an ounce of meat in sight. Plus a very healthy glug or three of alcohol. Traditionally Brandy but today I substituted the brandy for some damson vodka I made last year. Sherry, Port, Rum or Whiskey all work well.

Christmas Mincemeat

Christmas Mincemeat

The joy of making your own mincemeat is that you can tweak it to your liking. I am not a big fan of almonds so I have substituted in pecan nuts. I have dialed down the mixed peel and thrown in a handful of glacé cherries. As long as the overall weight of dried fruit adds up to total in the recipe, play around with the ratios of fruits.

Makes: 4 Jars
Ingredients
175g currants
175g raisins
175g sultanas
175g dried cranberries
50g mixed peel
50g glace cherries, chopped in quarters
1 medium cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped
125g butter
50g chopped pecan nuts
225g light brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
1 lemon
200ml brandy (or alcohol of your choice)

Instructions
1. Gently heat the butter, sugar, spices, juice and zest of the lemon until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the brandy/alcohol into the pan and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
3. Allow the mixture to cool a little and then stir in the alcohol.
4. Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jam jars. Put on the lid and store in a cool place. These will improve with age and will store well for up to 6 months in a cool place.

Christmas Mincemeat
 
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The 1861 volume Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management called for beef suet and rump steak mixed in with the dried fruit and spice. However my version is packed full of fruit and uses butter instead of suet, not an ounce of meat in sight. Plus a very healthy glug or three of alcohol
Author:
Serves: 4 jars
Ingredients
  • 175g currants
  • 175g raisins
  • 175g sultanas
  • 175g dried cranberries
  • 50g mixed peel
  • 50g glace cherries, chopped in quarters
  • 1 medium cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 125g butter
  • 50g chopped pecan nuts
  • 225g light brown sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 lemon
  • 200ml brandy (or alcohol of your choice)
Instructions
  1. Gently heat the butter, sugar, spices, juice and zest of the lemon until the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the brandy/alcohol into the pan and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
  3. Allow the mixture to cool a little and then stir in the alcohol.
  4. Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jam jars. Put on the lid and store in a cool place. These will improve with age and will store well for up to 6 months in a cool place.
Notes
Stores well in a cool dark place for 6 months

 

2 Condiments

Sweet Chilli Jam

As Autumn takes hold, the nights draw in and there is a fresh chill in the air, it is time to pick that last glut of produce from the allotment and greenhouse. Ready for the Autumnal pastime of pickling, jam or chutney making to preserve some of those goodies for the winter months.

chillijamclose

Every year I grow too many chillies. The ones that do not make it into the freezer for stir fry and currys are destined for my favourite sweet chilli jam recipe.

For me this is the Russian roulette of jam making depending on what chillies I have decided to grow. Using supermarket standard red chillies give consistent results of a sweet spicy jam with a gentle kick. This year a combination of red and yellow aji lemon chillies have produced a slightly more atomic version. Tweak the number and type of chillies to your liking and tolerance for heat.

This sweet chilli jam is very versatile and will perk up your cold meats, cheeses or I love a little on my fajitas.

Adding a little ancho chilli paste gives an additional fruity and smoky depth of flavour or a teaspoon of smoked paprika will also work well.

Makes: 3 large jars or 4 small jars
Ingredients
8 red peppers
10 red chilli
Thumb-sized piece fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 bulb garlic (10-12 cloves)
400g can cherry tomatoes
750g caster sugar
250ml cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ancho chilli paste (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Deseed peppers and chop roughly. Chop up chilli, garlic and ginger.
  2. Put all the chopped ingredients into a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. Pour into a heavy saucepan. Put the tomatoes into the blender or food processor, whizz up and add to the saucepan. Add the ancho chilli paste if using.
  3. Add sugar and vinegar and bring to the boil stirring occasionally. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface as the mixture boils. Then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. The sauce should have thickened, continue to simmer until the mixture bubbles like lava, stirring more often so it does not burn on the bottom of the pan.
  5. Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes then transfer to sterilised jars. It will last up to 3 months in the fridge.

Adapted from a GoodFood recipe

Sweet Chilli Jam
 
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This sweet chilli jam is very versatile and will perk up your cold meats, cheeses or I love a little on my fajitas.
Author:
Serves: 3-4 jars
Ingredients
  • 8 red peppers
  • 10 red chillies
  • Thumb-sized piece fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 bulb garlic (10-12 cloves)
  • 400g can cherry tomatoes
  • 750g caster sugar
  • 250ml cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chilli paste (Optional)
Instructions
  1. Deseed peppers and chop roughly. Chop up chilli, garlic and ginger.
  2. Put all the chopped ingredients into a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth. Pour into a heavy saucepan. Put the tomatoes into the blender or food processor, whizz up and add to the saucepan. Add the ancho chilli paste if using.
  3. Add sugar and vinegar and bring to the boil stirring occasionally. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface as the mixture boils. Then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. The sauce should have thickened, continue to simmer until the mixture bubbles like lava, stirring more often so it does not burn on the bottom of the pan.
  5. Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes then transfer to sterilised jars. It will last up to 3 months in the fridge.
Notes
Lasts up to 3 months in the fridge.