A Writer's Special BBQ Sauce

As I have said before, no writer can be without a special barbecue sauce. See, while barbecuing, a writer has time to contemplate projects, new ideas, and future writing goals. So, here is a great sauce that will get you barbecuing and on the way to being a more productive writer:

Chipotle-Cherry Barbecue Sauce

sweet and spicy, this sauce is best on pork ribs, but equally at home with chicken or fish.

Prep. time: 25 minutes; Cook time: 30 minutes

3 cups pitted fresh cherries

1/2 cup lime juice

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 to 1/3 cup brown sugar (depending on sweetness of cherries)

1 to 2 canned chipotle peppers

1 tbsp. adobo sauce

Salt to taste

Stir all ingredients together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove cover and increase heat slightly; cook for 20 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Let cool, then puree in a blender or food processor. Makes about 2 cups.

Pete's Patented Primo Blackberry Sauce

Every writer needs a BBQ recipe! Here is mine:

Ingredients:

- About 5 lbs. baby-back pork ribs
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
- 1 ¾ cup fresh blackberries, rinsed.
- Fresh ginger.
- 1 teaspoon pepper.
- ½ teaspoon salt.
- Fresh mint sprigs.
- 1 ½ teaspoons hot sauce.
- Blackberry sauce (recipe follows):

In a food processor, combine 1 ¼ cups blackberries, ¼ cup each of ketchup, honey, brown sugar, and minced ginger; 1 teaspoon pepper; and ½ teaspoon salt. Puree. Add 1 ½ teaspoons of hot sauce.

Pour into 1 quart glass container. Cover loosely with microwave-safe wrap. Microwave on high power for about eight minutes, or until mixture reduces to about 1 1/3 cups, stirring intermittently.


Instructions:

1. Rinse/pat dry ribs. Trim excess fat.
2. Prepare ribs until well browned (indirect grill heat best)
3. Baste 1 side of ribs with half the sauce. Turn ribs sauce side down and cook until sauce browns and forms a thick glaze (about 10 mins.) Baste top with remaining sauce and turn ribs over, cooking until sauce browns and forms a thick glaze (about 10 mins.)
4. Transfer ribs to platter and garnish with remaining blackberries and mint.

Enjoy with ice-cold beer and coleslaw.