Fruity Barbecue Sauce

Why pick up store-bought barbecue sauces when you can just as easily make your own at home? Here is one that you can brush onto food while grilling or use as a dip for grilled meats and vegetables. Use 1 cup (250 mL) sauce for 4 servings (1 lb/500 g boneless or 2 lb/1 kg bone-in) meat.

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Source: Canadian Living Magazine: June 2003

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 oz/398 mL) tomato sauce
• 1 can (5-1/2 oz/156 mL) tomato paste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped pitted dates
• 1/3 cup chopped raisins
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp fancy molasses
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp grated orange rind
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Preparation

In saucepan, combine tomato sauce, tomato paste, onion, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper, dates, raisins, mustard, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, orange rind and cloves.
Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by one-third, about 1 hour. Let cool. Pour into blender; pur?until smooth. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 1 month.)