Well, hellooooo 2012! Just like that, Christmas and New Year’s are yesterday news, and here we are practically in mid-January.
The holidays were, as always, full of fun with lots of free time to play with the kids and try new things. 2011 was certainly the Year of Trying New Things. The most significant (and scariest at the outset) was starting this blog. When it became clear to me that I wanted to launch this, I was so physically agitated at the thought of it I could barely sit still — the excitement, nervousness, and doubts swirled inside of me, along with the looming question: “Can I really do this and will anybody but my mother bother to read it?” I decided to jump in, and, much to my surprise and joy, the response was great. Eight months later, I now have a small but devoted band of followers, post 2-3 times a week, and am still loving it. I get a little thrill every time I hit the “Publish” button.
I am certain this excited energy is behind all the other ‘firsts’ I decided to take on this year. There were new recipes, of course, but also new fitness pursuits, like committing to regular yoga classes and running my first 5K, as well as attempts at new crafts. I finally got up the courage to learn how to use a glue gun (thank you, Dee!) My son really wanted to make Lindt truffle trees as gifts for Christmas, and something just made me say, “Sure, let’s try it.” It was so easy and they look so purty, don’t they?
That minor accomplishment under my belt, I convinced myself that canning homemade BBQ sauce to give as gifts couldn’t be that complicated (snort). Sure, there is the chance that I’d do great harm to family members if I botched it (Get it? Botched? Like botulism? Haha!) but something told me I should just try it. After all, if the canning process didn’t work out (i.e. if the jars didn’t seal properly), the sauce should still be good under refrigeration for several weeks, possibly months.
The BBQ sauce itself is killer — in a good way. My aunt gave us a batch a couple of Christmases ago and shared her secret recipe, which is actually straight from the Barefoot Contessa. It is truly the most delicious BBQ sauce I’ve ever had. Sweet and rich with a little kick of heat, we’ve used it on our favorite pork tenderloin recipe as well as meatloaf.
Below is both the recipe (for your taste buds) and my canning experience (for your entertainment). If you’ve gotten this far in this longer-than-necessary post, you deserve a medal. Thank you!
The Barefoot Contessa’s BBQ Sauce
from The Food Network
Yield: 1 1/2 quarts
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup tomato paste (10 ounces)
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup honey
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
In a large saucepan on low heat, saute the onions and garlic with the vegetable oil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not browned.
Add the tomato paste, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30 minutes. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator.
[JWJ note: 1) 8 oz. of honey is not the same thing as 1 cup of honey! I learned this the hard way. By at least 12 oz. or you will run out. Same for hoisin sauce. Why, of why, aren’t they sold in fluid ounces??]
Canning 101: Lessons Learned
I read up on home canning on the Internet, at the Ball and Pick Your Own sites. I had jars and seals and sauce, as well as the pluck necessary to try this on my own. After watching my mom and mother-in-law can jellies and pickles successfully many times over, I figured good canning karma was on my side.
The main principles of canning (according to the University of Georgia‘s National Center for Home Food Preservation) include using high quality fresh foods that have been washed, adding some kind of acid (like vinegar or lemon juice), hot-packing the food in acceptable jars with good seals, and then processing the jars in boiling water or a home canner for the appropriate amount of time. These practices remove oxygen, decrease enzymes, create a strong vacuum, and prevent growth of bacteria, yeast, and mold. Yes, all good principles.
Lessons learned #1: Clean Up After Yourself
After pouring the sauce into the jars, wipe up the spills along the mouth of the jar right away, while the sauce is still warm. Waiting hours for it to cool and harden necessitates several minutes of strenuous scrubbing on each jar prior to applying the seals. What fun.
Lessons learned #2: Use Canning-Specific Equipment
While adrenaline junkies might find it thrilling to plunge their hand into a vat of boiling water, I was quite dismayed at the prospect. When I realized I didn’t have tongs large enough to hold the jars to lower them into the water, I had to adapt. So, I fashioned a somewhat protective hand-covering by putting on a rubber glove and then an oven mitt. Yeah, that water was HOT. It worked alright but if any of those jars had tipped over in the 10 inch deep water, I was sunk. Canning tongs would have been really helpful.
Lessons learned #3: If It Works, Celebrate!
I was pretty darn excited that this whole process seemed to work out. So, I dressed them up, and packaged up with the Lindt truffle trees and Chex mix for a nice little homemade gift for my sisters-in-law. Fun!
Did you actually stay with me this entire post? I considered cutting out the extraneous info and just get right to the recipe, but that’s no fun. I have a few extra jars of BBQ sauce to share. Leave a comment, and I’ll save you one (no joke!)
I’m new to canning and have the “bug”. Is it okay to add chicken stock to a recipe increase the yield. I’ve heard that any product obtaining salt can create problems. I’ve notice that the BBQ sauce recipe uses products that contain salt. Any thoughts?
I’m as new to canning as you are , Ken! The Ball website is very good (fresh preserving.com) for tips and such. Good luck!
Hi Katrina – thanks very much for this great question. I read up on canning quite a bit before attempting this. Looking back, I do not remember seeing anything about oil being a problem. Now, however, in searching on that topic specifically, I did find a blog post about the potential problem of oil in a canning recipe – essentially it could affect the seal if there is any oil left on the rims. They recommend wiping down the jar with a cloth dipped in white vinegar. You can read the whole post here: http://foodinjars.com/2011/11/canning-101-is-it-safe-to-can-products-that-contain-some-oil/
The recipe is top-notch. The canning was just something I did so I could give as gifts a couple of years ago. I know that all of it has been consumed (without harm!) but after reading more on canning, I think I’m going to stick to freezing from now on, unless I purchase a pressure canner! Much safer in general (oil, or not) since boiling water does not kill the botulinim bacteria.
Wondering if you tested the longevity of your canning by eating it several months later. Thinking of trying this recipe using my own tomatoes for the paste, want to make sure it will last on my shelf for a long time, months to a year.
Thanks, Kathleen.
Thanks for your question – we did hold one jar for about 7 months, then used it over the summer. It was perfectly fresh and we are still standing! I did some studying up on canning first – especially helpful was the USDA site at National Center for Home Food Preservation. Good luck!
I’ve been canning for a while and have made many things we’ve enjoyed – until I made Dilly Carrots and Dilly Green Beans – I don’t get it! The green beans were very vinegary and the carrots very salty! I compared recipes which were all similar and I am now wondering if I just don’t like them! The only food in this world I don’t like is creamed corn and cherry pie so I’m not fussy – what’s you’re food making/canning opinion? Thanks so much – want to make the bbq sauce soon, Jennifer
Hi Jennifer – thx so much for your comment! I love both of those veggies and also am not too fussy – what a disappointment after what I’m sure was a significant effort! My only suggestion is to taste someone else’s ‘successful’ recipe to se if it’s worth another try – or not. I will vouch for this delish BBQ sauce which of course you don’t have to can to enjoy 🙂
I loved reading your blog! It was just what I needed in my day. I bit off more than I could chew today and decided that I could do Ketchup, Pickled Beets, and BBQ sauce all in one day…. alone…. and still do laundry, and make dinner….. UGH what was I thinking…. thanks for the recipe and making me smile! Yvette
Thank you for making MY day!! I feel for you – I have been there too many times 🙂 I love the comments – keep ’em coming!
As I was reading your recipe, I thought maybe you would be reducing your home grown tomatoes down to a paste…. maybe next summer, it’s not the right time of the year. Homemade is the way to go!
I’ll never say never, but it is highly unlikely I will get to that point. You know me and my hands — not a green thumb in the bunch.
Sound yummy Julie! I think I actually may try making the sauce though there is no way I am ready for canning! Maybe that will be 2013! We will always sample and be testers… Keep us in mind! AND never omit the extra info… It’s entertaining! Happy new year!
I enjoy reading all your posts, the recipes are great…but the experiences you share are so very entertaining. Truly have found several recipes to borrow from you and lots of laughs as well. Thanks!!
Thank you, Heidi!! So nice 🙂
Am I too late for a jar? Or to tell you “if you cut out the extraneous stuff, it’s just not YOU or a blog, it’s a recipe site!”?
You rock – this looks amazing. I’m with Brett – she’s a bit arrogant, but DAYUM the BF can cook.
Keep up the great work!!
I can not refuse you a jar, my #1 fan 🙂 I will just have to make more! Thanks for the shout out on FB as well, you are the best!!
Jul, I have to tell you that I literally laughed out loud at the botulism pun, must be prego hormones or something 🙂
Great, my specialty is making preggos laugh. My work is done here 🙂
Julia I really like your blog. Always up for a laugh.. BBQ sauce sounds good have to give it a try…. keep up the good work & laughs.
Thank you so much for making time to comment and for following me — appreciate it!
Please tell me you saved me a jar?!?!! “Will comment for free food” is my motto. Well, one of my mottos. I’ll risk botulism for one of your delicious experiments!
😉
RadioRobarts 24/7. Keep it coming!!!
Don’t worry, making more!! I didn’t realize that a simple plea for comments would end up being an onslaught of BBQ sauce requests! I will happily oblige.
This is so awesome Julie!!! Ina is for sure my favorite food network celeb so I am not surprised it was a barefoot recipe!
I will have to watch her, curious now after a couple of you have commented on her. Can I get Food Network on Netflix??
Hey Julie, stupid question about 8oz of honey not being 1 cup. why??
also I love your extraneous info in your posts, they make it entertaining, keep them coming
lastly do you think this sauce would be good on a burger. I love BBQ bacon cheeseburgers.
thanks
Laura
Hi Laura– thanks for the encouragement, I will keep the extraneous stuff coming 🙂
Honey is apparently not packaged in fluid oz, but in oz of weight. Tough to find this out in the middle of cooking!! I should have realized when the jar was so small, it was barely a 1/2 cup. I think this sauce would be great on burgers — thanks for the idea!
Nice post; love the lesson with the recipe! I am also shamelessly applying for a can of this killer sauce
You’re in, Bryan – will bring it to work on Friday!
You are hilarious! Love reading these!!
Thank you, Ms. Kym!!
Nice job Jules, I like the recipe, I’ll have to try it. For what it’s worth, I usually watch the Barefoot Contessa muted, only because her pinch of arrogance in every recipe annoys me to no end. But, she is a hell of a cook.
Haha, Brett, nice comment. Oddly, I have no experience watching her, being without cable and all, poor me 🙂 But all of the recipes I’ve tried from Food Network have worked out great. I do have a similar reaction to Rachael Ray — her talk show is torture to watch, but for the great meals she throws together.