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| You need smell-o-vision. |
For a closet foodie like me, there is one dish that has
always eluded me--barbecue. There’s a lot of debate about the best kind of
barbecue sauce. Some like it hot. Some like it smoky. Some like it dark and
sticky.
For certain regions in the U.S., barbecue is a serious
business. In Texas, beef reigns supreme while in the Carolinas the pig is king.
Memphis and Kansas City round out the Southern and Western flavors of
smokiness, sweetness, and tang. Some regions prefer wood smoking; others dry
rubs. Either way, it makes your kitchen smell incredible!
I’ve tried them all and the one barbecue sauce I just happen
to love is Carolina barbecue sauce. It’s lighter in color—almost red,
actually—and vinegary. It’s not smoky, but it doesn’t need to be. The tang from
the vinegar gives it just the right bite.
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| Ah...Virgil's... |
(Incidentally, one of my favorite restaurants is Virgil’s
Real Barbecue in New York City not far from Times Square. They make a Carolina
pulled pork sandwich that you would sell your own children just to have on your
plate!)
I often go with pulled pork slow roasted after marinating it
for a few hours. But this time, I went with chicken thighs—mainly because I
happened to have them on hand. Frankly, this is how I make most of my culinary
decisions.
For my Carolina sauce, I took a few recipes, found the
ingredients I liked the best, and combined them. The key is to have a good
balance of vinegar to brown sugar. But make it ahead of time and then let it
sit. Let the flavors get to know each other a little better.
In a bowl, combine:
1 ½ cups of cider vinegar
¾ cup of ketchup
2 T of brown sugar
2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp of dried crushed red pepper
Cracked black pepper to taste
I browned the thighs in a little olive oil first with salt
and pepper and then set them aside. Pouring in the sauce, I let it simmer down.
The consistency should get a thicker viscosity—a little like motor oil. Placing
the thighs back in the mixture, I let them get cozy for another 20 minutes or
so.
What you serve your barbecue with is up to you. I happened
to make this meal with polenta and sautéed broccoli in garlic and oil. Next
time, I might choose to pair it with an easy veg slaw and soft dinner rolls.
But when all you want to do is dig in, who really cares what the sides are?
