Southwest Barbecue Sauce

This all-purpose sauce can replace all your store-bought sauces. Brush it on food during grilling or serve on the side for dipping. Use 1 cup (250 mL) sauce for every 4 servings (1 lb/500 g bone-less or 1-1/2 lb/750 g bone-in meat or poultry, or 1 lb/500 g fish).

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 shallot or small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) stewed tomatoes
• 1 can (5-1/2 oz/156 mL) tomato paste
• 2/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 sweet green pepper, chopped
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup fancy molasses

Preparation

In saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook shallot, garlic, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, green pepper, sugar and mustard; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour or until thickened and reduced by about one-third. Let cool. Pour into blender; puree until smooth. Add molasses; blend well. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 1 month.)

Variations
Hot and Spicy Chipotle Barbecue Sauce: Omit sweet green pepper. Add 2 canned chipotle peppers to mixture in blender.
Firecracker Barbecue Sauce: Omit sweet green pepper. Add 1/4 cup (50 mL) orange marmalade, 2 tsp (10 mL) horseradish and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) hot pepper sauce to mixture in blender.