Barbecue Marinade

Somebody pinch me. September is ending, October is imminent and it's 80 degrees outside in New England. What is happening? I suppose I should relish these warm autumn days before things turn cold but really Nature? Really. I'm over shorts and sweating when I move. I've embraced the fall boots and bought new leggings for those bitter weather days. I'm ready for sweaters and pumpkin and cider. Move along, summer, you're done.

But if it's going to be unseasonably warm for one last weekend, let's take advantage and grill something. I saw lots of people this weekend outside enjoying the sunshine and embracing the opportunity to have another yard party. While I didn't actually throw this meat on the grill, this barbecue sauce is clearly versatile and can weather the seasons and ovens of the world.

 

My go-to marinade is the teriyaki version of Soy-Vay. Mostly I think Soy-Vay is a clever name and teriyaki chicken is one of my favorites. I keep a bottle in my fridge just like I keep chicken in my freezer for those crazy weeks when I don't have time to go grocery shopping but still need to eat. This barbecue marinade was similar but it won't keep quite as long as something store-bought.

This is a one pot + immersion blender situation. Super simple and you can use it on different cuts of meat. The onions and garlic are sweated together until fragrant before adding the barbecue goodness of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, broth and spices. Allow all of the ingredients to simmer together before using an immersion blender to blend it all out smooth.

 

You can chill the marinade prior to use or like me, just dump it on some chicken and pop it in the oven. Technically, this was created as a sauce but I prefer marinading for extra flavor. I got all hipster and stored this in a mason jar and used the rest of the sauce on steak the following week. This sauce has more bite than sweetness to it, I think that makes it Kansas style--or maybe it's Memphis. There's a difference, for realzies.

 

I hope you enjoyed the sun this weekend and think about having one last hurrah before the leaves fall all over your yard. Or concrete slab of a yard like mine.

 

Recipe
Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Canola oil
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
•  1/2 cup of ketchup
• 3/4 cup of beef broth
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of pepper

1. Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan before adding the chopped onion and garlic. Allow the onion and garlic to cook until translucent. 
2. Add the ketchup, broth, Worcestershire sauce and spices to the pan. Allow the mixture to simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from heat and use an immersion blender to make a smooth mixture. You can also use a regular blender or food processor. 
4. Use the marinade on chicken or steak and cook as desired. You can store the marinade in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.