Nothing says barbecue like a good beef or chicken sandwich. So if you’re looking for a quick barbecue sauce with a secret ingredient — or a fast trick to spruce up your everyday sandwich — these cocktails (and instructions) will do the trick.
Not to be confused with barbecue sauce used in the traditional hot sauce industry, Carolina barbecue sauce originated in the Old South. According to Daily Kos, Margaret Thomson began experimenting with using fresh, vinegary molasses as a rub to preserve her Savannah-bred hog on the Isle of Palms during the great drought of the 1940s. Y’all, none of that sugar talk is working on us. Instead, stop and consider this: according to our planet’s outermost volcanic center, this is the way to cure a coon dog. (She inspired a famous dish by cooking him in ketchup, of course.)
Antique Sam’s Dry Rub from The Vintage Roast Beef
Ingredients
:
- 1/4 cup Wilted Spinach
- 1 1/2 cups Prefermented Southern Poppies
- 1 Tbsp. Chef’s Mixed Berries
- 1/2 Tbsp. Dried Juniper berries (or cranberries)
- 1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. Spicy Pepper Sauce (preferably homemade)
Method:
Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until the mixture is a coarse, thick sauce. We suggest storing the sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Grilled Hot Dogs With Carolina Barbecue Sauce
This recipe is printed in America’s Test Kitchen. Not just another burger binder — it’s a transformative hot dog roll. Try it with a smoked salmon sandwich and an apple sandwich, and for a guilt-free fast food option have your pick of the day’s burger toppings, like bacon or guacamole.
If you’re shopping for a recipe, check out our “Recipe Finder” below.
America’s Test Kitchen
Directions:
- Fill a small frying pan with clean, boiling water, and then set the pan over medium heat. Let it boil for 5 to 6 minutes, until it reaches an appropriate temperature for the ingredients.
- Chop tomato, cucumber, onion, mustard seeds, celery salt, and allspice, and add to a bowl. Gently mash in all but the celery salt. Stir in molasses and heavy cream (we used canned whole milk). Continue to mix. Pour the mixture into a 15- by 10-by-2-inch baking dish and cover. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Then, preheat your grill to high, and prepare your coals for smoking.
- Pour barbecue sauce over the hot dog, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven, turn the heat down to medium-low, and allow the hot dog to cook another 15 minutes, until the cheese is melting and the hot dog is golden on the outside and still moist in the middle. Transfer the hot dog to a platter and let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a potato chip or onion ring for dipping.
- You can read more from Rebecca Fleenor on America’s Test Kitchen’s website, as well as other recipes at americastestkitchen.com.