Smoked Vinegar Mop and Sauce with Onion and Garlic

Description

Baste this vinegar-based Mop on chicken as you grill… adds flavor and moisture. A wonderful layer of lingering smokey pungency.

Ingredients

• ½ large onion, 1/2″ slices, skin on
• 4 very large fresh garlic cloves, cut almost in half, skin on
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon marash pepper, or your favorite ground chili peppers
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ketchup, organic (no high fructose corn syrup!)
• ¼ teaspoon chipolte in adobo, or more for spicier
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar, organic

Method

Place 1  1/2 T. of your desired smoking chips on the bottom of a Camerons Stove Top Smoker*. In ten minutes, it will be smoking and ready.
Smoke the onion and garlic on the rack for 10 – 15 minutes until softened and a nice golden color. Cool. Remove peels, coarsely chop.

In a 2 quart non-reactive pan, add the oil, the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté over low heat for a minute then add the seasonings:
Pepper, marash pepper, salt, ketchup, chipotle and maple syrup. Cook for 1 minute to blend the flavors.

Add the vinegar, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered to reduce slightly by a fourth, about 10 minutes.
Cool slightly and puree in a blender – leave a little chunky with some texture – just 10 seconds.
Place in a clean glass container and refrigerate. Will last a few weeks.

How to use the Mop:
Baste a spatchcocked (flattened) chicken with the mop as it cooks. Use as a side sauce as well.
I cook skin side down until lightly charred, over high heat, then turn grill down to low and cook slowly until done – basting with the Mop.

Marinate chicken breasts in the Mop for up to 6 hours. Oil your grill, and cook until strong grill marks appear on the first side, turn over with tongs – turn heat down to low. Cook on the second side about 10 minutes, depending on the size, until just cooked inside – basting with the mop! Slice the chicken and top with some fresh chopped thyme, and sliced garlic chives, if available.

Serve some Smoked Vinegar Mop on the side for dipping.

* I highly recommend this smoker and use it often. Alternatively, sauté onion and garlic in the first step until slightly caramelized, add a pinch of smoked paprika.

This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of it’s author, Karen Sheer.

See the BLOG article for more details.

Notes

Yields: 1 1/4 cup (can be doubled)