Stinger's so happy--he figured out he can have red meat in a healthy way by ordering buffalo meat off the internet! I came home from RWA to a freezer full of ribeyes, filets, and of course, our favorite: ribs.

Before I'd even unpacked, I was in the kitchen whipping up my family's favorite bbq sauce. This recipe is adapted from the one in Helen Corbitt's famous, now out-of-print, compendium of Texas cookery. Corbitt, herself, was not a native Texan; she was born in New York! A fact which shocked me as a child, weaned as I was on tales of Texas and how it was like a whole country unto itself. My mother grew up in Dallas and met and married my father in Austin, where I was born, so the Lonestar State had a special place in our family's mythology even after we moved to Virginia.

And to this day, Helen Corbitt's barbecue sauce is the standard by which I judge all others. It's not a Carolina sauce, not sweet and not very spicy--the main flavors are smoke and vinegar and SALT. I love it. And it paired beautifully with the grilled buffalo ribs!

Edwards Family BBQ Sauce (adapted from Helen Corbitt's Cookbook)

2 Tbs salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
6 Tbs dark brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
6 Tbs brown mustard
4 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Liquid Smoke (Very important! Check the condiment aisle of your supermarket.)
2 cups water
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups melted butter or cooking oil
Chili sauce to taste

Mix in order given and boil until thickened and reduced by half. Spoon off the layer of fat that rises to the top and discard. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

This sauce is best with beef and pork; it's a little robust for chicken. We always ate it on beef spare ribs, charred on the grill and gnawed with abandon by our whole family. One of my favorite meals, growing up, and a vivid summer memory for me.

Posted by Louisa Edwards at 10:03 AM  

Labels: barbecue, food, Helen Corbitt, recipe