I decided to half the recipe and make two different versions. The first version I used the original recipe and the second I tweaked it.
The original recipe has a nice dark color, it has just the right amount of heat and a bit of twang. You can really taste the Espresso (I used Starbucks for this recipe) and my first few samples I thought maybe to much Espresso. I have placed the sauce in the refrigerator and test again tomorrow to see if it mellows.
The second test batch of sauce (recipe follows) I made the following changes.
Removed the white vinegar from the recipe
Added 1/4 cup of water
Used 1 T Moores marinade instead of Worcestershire
Added 1 T brown sugar
The color was about the same, the heat was right, it had a hint of sweetness, but once again the Espresso seemed a bit much. I have also added this to the refrigerator and will test again tomorrow.
Since I have 1.5 T of Espresso left over, if I have time I will try a new batch (this will be half the Espresso used in the recipes) to see if I like the flavor better.
The other test I plan to do is to actually put the sauce on some meat and see if my thoughts about the flavors change. On the weekend I will have some friends over and we will do a blind test.
Modified Frankin’s Espresso BBQ Sauce
Makes about 3.5 cups.
2 cups ketchup
3/4 cup water
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons brewed espresso
1 T Moores Marinade
1 tablespoons chili powder
1 ½ t. kosher salt
1 ½ t. coarsely ground pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. Let cool, cover and store for up to 3 weeks.
Greg