Is old barbeque sauce safe to eat?

Question

Last summer I made a batch of BBQ sauce. The recipe contains bourbon, lemon juice, Worcestershire, vinegar and dark molasses. It was simmered before being bottled. It's been sitting in a capped jar in the fridge since then. I know the flavor might not be optimal now, but is it safe? It's at least six months old.

Asked by Carey Gregory

Answer

Rule #1 is always: When in doubt, throw it out. Nobody here can guarantee that it is safe. If you didn't pasteurize (or sterilize depending on acidity) then there is always a chance of dangerous contamination.

That being said, Worcestershire and and molasses are both shelf-stable while bourbon (alcohol), lemon juice (acid), and vinegar (acid) are all types of preservatives. So if that is the complete list of ingredients (no garlic or other perishable food) then the chances of this mixture developing any harmful bacteria, especially if it's been sealed and refrigerated all this time, are slim to nil.

I'd still throw it out. Your health is worth more than the $2 and 10 minutes it costs to make a new batch. Even if it won't harm you, it can't be very good in terms of quality anymore.

Answered by Aaronut

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How to keep sauce spices in suspension

Question

I make a very simple BBQ sauce for chicken that's composed of butter, vinegar, and an assortment of dried spices (lots of paprika, some cayenne, salt, etc). My problem is that the spices won't remain in suspension; they drop to the bottom very quickly. I have to stir a lot before each application, and even if I do the last bit in the pan is much more concentrated than the first.

I'd like to be able to make larger batches and refrigerate it for future use, but that's out of the question since it would harden with all the spices at the bottom.

How can I get the spices to remain in suspension without affecting the taste?

Answer

The easiest solution would be to add a thickening agent to your sauce. Which agent will depend on how much you are willing to have the texture of the sauce change in order to achieve a good suspension. One of the easiest methods, if you are also willing to alter the flavor profile in the direction of South Carolina or Germany, would be to add mustard. Natural emulsifiers in the mustard will help keep the butter from separating and also provide a bit of thickness to keep the spices in suspension. If you don't want to change the flavor profile, many recipes intended for the home kitchen suggest thickening the sauce with cornstarch. Most commercial sauces will use a combination of modified food starch (which isn't readily available to the home cook) and xanthan gum (which is becoming increasingly available at most mega-marts), the usage of which has been discussed on this site previously [here and here].

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Chicken Stock alternatives?

Question

I want to make a barbecue sauce which has chicken stock in its recipe.
This is the first time I needed chicken stock for cooking; somehow, I didn't come by it up until now.

Anyway, neither me or any of my roommates ever buy chickens with bones; we always buy clean chickens or clean wings (nothing to create stock with).

I understand I could buy a chicken with bones for the sake of making chicken stock, but I was wondering whether there is an easier, alternative solution that could substitute for chicken stock in my sauce. Think of "chicken stock for students."

Answer

Considering the sheer number of rather strong ingredients in that recipe - if it were me and I didn't have stock and didn't want to make or buy any...I'd substitute broth as a first option and salted water as a second option.

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