Turn fresh tomatoes into garden-fresh barbecue sauce

It takes a lot of tomatoes to make a pint of barbecue sauce – but just a couple of hot peppers. Fortunately, I had both.

Use meaty, fully ripe tomatoes; they have the most flavor. They can be a mix of sizes and varieties. (I used Juliet plum tomatoes and some big, juicy First Prize slicers.) No advance peeling or seeding is necessary; processing the cooked mixture through a food mill or sieve removes those chewy pits.

As for the peppers, how hot do you like your barbecue sauce? I used two large home-grown jalapeños, removing the seeds before mincing, plus some chipotle chile flakes. (It’s a good starting point – just a little kiss of heat that won’t overwhelm foods. Remember: Sauces with chiles can taste hotter after chilling.)

Carrot is the secret ingredient to barbecue sauce; it balances acidity while adding thickness and texture.

Brown sugar, vinegar and lemon juice give barbecue sauce its classic sweet-tart taste. A mix of spices (and a little bourbon) add personality. Stir often while cooking down the final product so it doesn’t stick or burn.

Consider this a basic barbecue sauce that works well with grilled chicken, pork or beef as well as burgers. Adjust the heat – the peppers and chile flakes – and spices to fit your taste.

Fresh tomato barbecue sauce

Makes 1 pint (2 cups)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1 cup yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup carrots, chopped

2 jalapeño peppers, minced

8 cups tomatoes, cored and chopped

1-1/2 teaspoons celery seed

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon chile flakes

¾ cup brown sugar

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons bourbon or whiskey (optional)

1 teaspoon mace or nutmeg

1 teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

In a large stainless steel pot over medium heat, melt butter or heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in carrots and keep sauteing, about 2 to 3 minutes, then add jalapeños. Cook until peppers begin to soften, about 2 more minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes including any juice to onion-carrot mixture. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt, celery seed and chile flakes over tomatoes, and stir until combined.

Increase heat and bring mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a low boil. Stir occasionally. Cook until tomatoes, carrots and onions are very soft, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove pot from heat and let tomato mixture cool a few minutes uncovered so it will be easier to handle. Process the mixture through a food mill or sieve to remove skins and seeds from juice and pulp. You should have about 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups of juice and pulp.

Wipe out any remaining seeds and skin from the pot and return it to the stove. Put juice and pulp in the pot and stir in brown sugar, vinegar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved.

Add bourbon or whiskey, if desired. Stir in mace or nutmeg, mustard, cinnamon and ginger.

Reduce heat to simmer and let mixture cook, uncovered, stirring often, until desired thickness, about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Transfer sauce to jar or bottle. Store, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 6 months.