Carolina Barbecue Sauce

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 head garlic, broken into unpeeled cloves
• 2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
• 3 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorn
• 8 small dried chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 (16 ounce) cans whole canned tomatoes, with juice
• 1 quart distilled vinegar
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup salt

Recipe

• 1 combine the honey, molasses, garlic, cumin, coriander, peppercorns, chiles, and bay leaves in a large stockpot.
• 2 over medium-low heat, cook for 30 min., stirring occasionally.
• 3 the garlic will darken, and the mixture will be very thick and fragrant.
• 4 add the tomato paste and tomatoes and cook for 15 min., sitrring frequently to break up tomatoes.
• 5 stir in the vinegar, water, and salt.
• 6 the sauce should be thin. simmer the sauce, uncovvered, for at least 2 hours and as long as 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
• 7 set aside half the sauce (or more, if neccesary) for marinating the lamb.
• 8 let the remaining sauce cool; fish out any large pieces of garlic peel.
• 9 puree the sauce in a blender or food processor; some spices will still remain whole.
• 10 the sauce should be rather watery and look similar to a brothy tomato soup.