Absolutely the BEST Homemade Barbeque Sauce

I have a lot of things to thank Jamie Oliver for. And one of those things is this barbeque sauce. It is the tastiest that I have ever had, and so easy to make! I have used it on chicken, beef, lamb, pork and I was even thinking of using it as a base for a pizza or sandwich.  The depth of flavor from the freshly ground spices and herbs, the tang of citrus, and the sweetness of the ketchup.... the sauce has now become a staple in our household!

The BEST Homemade Barbeque Sauce

Makes enough to marinate meat for about 6 people

Slightly adjusted from Jamie Oliver’s Recipe

1 1/2 tsp Whole Cumin Seeds

2 tbsp Fennel Seeds

5 Cloves

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1 bunch Fresh Oregano or Thyme

1 bunch Fresh Rosemary, leaves picked and chopped

The Zest and Juice of 1 Orange

1 Bulb of Garlic, broken into cloves and peeled

1 1/2 tsp Paprika

6 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

2/3 cup Tomato Ketchup

1 tbsp Olive Oil

5 Dried Bay leaves

Place the cumin, fennel, cloves, salt and pepper into a mortar and grind. Chop the thyme and rosemary leaves, orange zest and garlic together finely. Put into a bowl with the ground spices, then add the rest of the marinade ingredients and mix together.

Now for the meat…. Slash your chosen meat and rub all over with the marinade (reserving a little for basting).

Jamie suggests for ease of cooking to roast the meats in a 180 degree oven, covered, for about and hour and then finishing them on the barbeque. I have found that this method work, as does putting the meat directly on a low to medium heat grill and covering for about the same amount of time. It really depends how much time you want to spend over the grill.

Regardless of which method you choose, when the meat is on the grill, be sure to baste with the reserved barbeque sauce. If you roasted first, you can also baste with the roasting pan liquids.

Then, all that’s left is for you to enjoy your perfectly cooked meat with sticky, slightly charred, full of flavor, homemade barbeque sauce!!