When I lived in Memphis, it was before the Memphis in May barbecue competition. Barbecue was more traditional and the closest we got to a competition was some guys getting together in Audubon Park for a friendly challenge and a slow day of smoke, beer, and meat cooked low and slow. All that changed after the Memphis in May competition became a big thing. The 'cue got a lot fancier, and there are things called "Memphis-style" that those of us who lived there never encountered. Memphis-style sauces don't get as much attention as North Carolina or Kansas City sauces. Memphis-style isn't as sweet as some, and has a little bite of mustard with the vinegar. This is a sauce for barbecue (pork shoulder, where I come from). My sauce for ribs and chicken is a little thicker and sweeter.
Originally, this sauce would have whatever ketchup one normally used, and an American yellow prepared mustard like French's (mostly vinegar and tumeric, often used on hotdogs). If you use a yellow pub mustard, or make some mustard from Coleman's powder, you'll end up with something vastly different. It also might have used a combination of white sugar and brown sugar vs turbinado, and regular Tabasco vs chipotle. I now use ketchup that is free of corn syrup, and I think the sauce is better for it.
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 24-oz. bottle ketchup
2 cups water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chipotle Tabasco
Combine chili powder, sugar, pepper, garlic salt and celery salt in a small mixing bowl.
Combine ketchup, water, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire and chipotle Tabasco in a 3-quart soup pot. Mix well. Add spice mixture. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cool sauce and transfer to 2 24-ounce ketchup bottles. Store in the refrigerator.
Note that you need 2 bottles, but only make one available while making the sauce. You need to plan ahead and have another one available or use another container, instead.
[USA] Tom's Memphis-Style Sauce for Pulled Pork
[USA] Tom's Memphis-Style Sauce for Pulled Pork
Last edited by vagreys on Mon Jul 09, 2012 07:44, edited 1 time in total.
- tom
Don't tell me the odds.
Don't tell me the odds.
