Me: “Eight shots of espresso, please.”
Barista: “In ... ?”
Me: “No, just in a cup.”
Barista: “Have you lost your mind?”
Getting an essential component for espresso barbecue sauce for beef ribs apparently comes with a side of judgment at your local Starbucks.
So, some of the best barbecue joints in the state of Texas (Killen's in Pearland, Franklin's in Austin, etc.) have an in-house sauce that's espresso or coffee based. They skew towards the savory side, usually with mild heat from black pepper. I put together a sauce that I thought would have better depth and even a bit of umami, after looking at recipes from Meathead Goldwyn, Aaron Franklin, and others that is not only going to become one of my "go to" beef sauces but makes a better steak sauce than what you find bottled in big box stores.
The version I made is super low carb, made with Heinz No Sugar Added Ketchup (less than 1g per serving) and Splenda Brown Sugar.
JOE'S ESPRESSO-ANCHO BBQ SAUCE
- 3 Cups Ketchup (sub Heinz No Sugar Added Ketchup for low carb)
- 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 3/4 Cup Espresso (six shots, freshly drawn)
- 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
- 1/2 Brown Sugar (sub Splenda Brown Sugar for low carb)
- 1/2 Cup Ancho Chile Powder
- 1/4 Cup Black Pepper, Coarse Grind
- 1/4 Cup Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Cup Onion Powder
- 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Molasses
- 2 Tbsp Tabasco Chipotle
- 1 Tbsp Beef Base (Better Than Bouillon)
- 2 Tsp Cumin
- Combine ingredients (except espresso) in sauce pan, bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes.
- Add espresso and stir, then let sauce cool.
- Store in refrigerator overnight to allow flavors to marry.
It went AMAZINGLY well with some beef chuck ribs that I smoked. I plan on making this as a steak sauce and think it'll be lights out with brisket as well.
