Peachy BBQ sauce layers Ela Family Farms jam with gingery heat and a bit of tang
Barbecue sauce layers tangy, spicy, salty and sweet elements, creating complex flavor that is designed to heighten, not cover up, the flavor of grilled and smoked food. Here, I make a peachy barbecue sauce with Ela Family Farms' organic Peach Jam, which is made from tree-ripened fruit and very little sugar. It's the essence of peach and a perfect way to add fruity depth of flavor.
It’s easy to just pick up a jar of barbecue sauce at the store, but if you take the time to make your own, you’ll be rewarded with flavor that really can’t be matched by a lot of the pre-made stuff that’s out there. This sauce is very simple to make — the only skill required is chopping — and trust me when I say that it is delicious on grilled chicken.
And speaking of chicken … for this recipe, I brined the chicken for a couple of hours before tossing it on the grill. Pork and chicken almost invariably benefit from time in a simple brine to ensure juicy, tender results and it’s a snap to do. Just add water to a container large enough to hold the chicken and stir in a few tablespoons of salt until dissolved — how much depends on the volume of water, but you want the water to be as salty as the sea, so taste and adjust accordingly. You can also stir in sugar if you’d like along with pepper and even herbs and spices. Try adding a couple sprigs of rosemary or even some star anise and whole cloves, which would be a fantastic complement to the flavor of this peachy, tangy barbecue sauce. Submerge the chicken (or pork) in the brine and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours. Rinse the meat before grilling.
One other thing about barbecue sauce. It’s not a marinade. It has a high sugar content and will burn if left over direct flames, so to get the best results, heat your grill for a good 15 minutes and oil the grates. Pat your chicken or pork dry and place on the grill, allowing to sit over the fire for 10 to 15 minutes, without moving, until the meat naturally releases from the grill grates — this indicates that the meat is ready to be flipped. Flip the meat and after it’s cooked for another five or 10 minutes, base with the barbecue sauce. Allow to cook for a bit longer and then flip, basting the other side with the sauce. The sauce will caramelize, rather than burn, over the flames in the final few minutes the meat is cooking.
Be sure to check out our visit to Ela Family Farms’ gorgeous four-generation organic farm in Colorado — we covered them as part of our Jack Rabbit Hill episode in our first season. And then, shop their jams and butters in our Marketplace so you can enjoy their wonderful products in your own kitchen!
Peachy BBQ Sauce with Ela Family Farms Peach Jam
olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 serrano pepper, minced (seeds and membranes removed if desired)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 peaches, small dice
2 to 4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp date sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4 cup sorghum
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
| Preparation | In a large skillet or sauce pot, add a slick of olive oil and then sauté onion over medium heat until beginning to caramelize. Add in the garlic and stir until fragrant. Add ginger and serrano pepper, then add tomato paste. Stir the tomato paste until it begins to caramelize to heighten the concentrated flavor of the tomato. Add in the peaches and then deglaze with apple cider vinegar and then add a cup or so of water, allowing the mixture to simmer and reduce a bit.
Now the sweet stuff is added. Stir in the date sugar (or brown sugar) and then sorghum (or molasses if you can’t find sorghum). Finally, the star of the recipe — add a good cup of the Ela Family Farms Peach Jam and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper if you’d like. Because of the peaches and the pepper, the sauce is a bit chunky, so if you want it to be smooth, just use an immersion blender.
The sauce is ready to use right away, or can be stored in a glass jar for up to a couple of weeks.