Anglo-Tex Mex Tamarind and Treacle Barbecue Sauce

From: Mirj

On Jul 17, 2003

A visitor from London brought me some treacle, and I just knew I could find a use for it in one of Miller's recipes! Tamarind paste isn't available locally, but we do have a tamarind product that is more liquidy, so I just boiled it down and reduced it to get a "paste". Ancho chili powder was a no-show, so I substituted some super mouth searing Moroccan chilies, dried and ground finely in my spice mill. Anyway, once I had the whole sauce prepared, the fun really began. I had made a double batch, used half as a marinade for two whole chickens cut into serving pieces. I let those marinade in the fridge overnight. Then I put them over the coals, and mopped them constantly with the 2nd half of the batch. This sauce gave the chicken almost "God-like" proportions. A friend who was recovering from minor surgery leapt out of her bed and danced for joy. Depressed guests broke into line-dancing on my lawn. Brits used to boiled meat and soggy potatoes raised their eyebrows and then licked their lips. Most impressive event of the evening pertaining to this chicken — Dornette #1 asked for seconds! Miller, we should take this on the road, your sauce, my chicken, we could set up a tent and rake in several billion dollars. Or maybe not. Still, it's gooooooood stuff. One Scottish friend declared it perfect with some Glen-something-or-other. I didn't get the name, his mounth was too full of chicken and he had had enough Glenwhatever to make his Scottish brogue even broguy-er. To make a short story long, make this sauce, you'll thank me first, then you can thank Miller.