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Active Time
1 1/2
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Total Time
3 1/2
Based on depth rather than tanginess or sweetness, Lee's signature black barbecue sauce is a cultural interaction that includes the thin, Worcestershire sauce—like "dip" for mutton ribs found in and around Owensboro, Kentucky; red-eye gravy; an earthymole; and brothy, robustkalbi, the braised short ribs of Korea. The melting pot, as they say, simmers on.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings
For black barbecue sauce:
For pork chops and carrots:
Make barbecue sauce:
Step 1
Heat butter and olive oil in a 4-to 5-quart pot over medium-low heat until foam subsides. Cook onion, chopped garlic, jalapeño, and raisins, covered, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to brown, 7 to 9 minutes.
Step 2
Add bourbon (use caution; alcohol may ignite) and boil, scraping up any brown bits, until most of liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in coffee, then boil until most of liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat with cola.
Step 3
Add ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, black bean paste, and chocolate and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
Step 4
Add spices and 1 teaspoon pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 10 minutes.
Step 5
Remove from heat and cool 15 minutes. Purée sauce in a blender with remaining 2 garlic cloves, lime juice, and sesame oil until smooth and thick.
Cook pork chops:
Step 6
Rub 6 tablespoons sauce all over pork chops and marinate, chilled, in a large shallow baking dish at least 1 hour.
Step 7
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Step 8
Rub off excess marinade from chops with a paper towel. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown chops in 2 batches, turning once, about 2 minutes total.
Step 9
Transfer to a 4-sided sheet pan (reserve skillet) and roast chops in oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 148 to 150ºF for juicy pink meat, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest while cooking carrots.
Make carrots while pork rests:
Step 10
Melt butter in reserved skillet over medium heat, then cook carrots, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add vermouth and lemon juice and cook, covered, 2 minutes. Uncover and simmer until most of liquid has evaporated and carrots are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Halve carrots lengthwise, then return to pan and keep warm.
Step 11
Serve pork chops with carrots and remaining sauce on the side.
•Pork chops can be marinated up to 5 hours.
•Barbecue sauce keeps chilled, 1 month.
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Reviews (5)
Back to Topthe sauce is awesome!! I was making it today for the pork I'm serving tomorrow and decided to put a little of it on the salmon I just grilled for dinner. Wow -- who'd have guessed? It was terrific on the salmon (use just a little though...)
cathy1098
NJ
5/27/2012
The pork was very tender and the complexity of the sauce was surprising. Authentic Mole sauce takes a lot of time and builds flavor through multiple steps. This was a good substitute. We were very impressed. My only change was that I only used half of the jalapeno seeds. It had a nice heat.
tedhalloran
Cincinnati, OH
1/19/2010
The black barbecue sauce was excellent. It was even better the next day slathered over the pork which I pulled apart into smaller pieces. I'm not sure I used the right cut of pork chop, but it worked well.
Anonymous
Yellow Springs, Ohio
1/2/2010
I did not like this recipe at all. The meat was tasteless even though I left the sauce on for longer than recommended. The sauce served on the side was so hot I couldn't eat it. Bad choice for a fairly expensive cut.
aud1
Camas, WA
10/15/2009
I did not use bourbon or raisins. Next time I would cut the cooking time dramatically. Watch with thermometer. excellent sauce!!!!!
thanseen
10/5/2009