Few culinary terms are as open to interpretation as “chili sauce,” and when a recipe calls for chili sauce, there is sometimes a huge lot of confusion about what should be added. Chili sauces can be used as a condiment or an ingredient. They can be hot or mild relative to how much chili pepper goes into the sauce. Chili sauce can be categorized as a hot sauce or a tomato-based condiment similar to ketchup or cocktail sauce. Do you see the confusion? The best way to describe Big Mama’s Chili Sauce is as a cross between a tomato-based condiment and a sweet chow-chow. This chunky sauce has a good mix of sweet and spicy, with the heat determined by the type of pepper used. This particular sauce has always been used as a condiment or topping, but I have found it works well as a finishing sauce for ribs, too. Try it in the morning on scrambled eggs or in a breakfast burrito. Use it instead of relish on hot dogs. Add a dose to beans or peas to heighten their flavor.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 2 quarts

　　2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained

　　4 cups diced onions

　　3 cups sugar

　　1 24-ounce jar applesauce

　　2 cups distilled white vinegar

　　1 cup diced green bell pepper

　　1 japaleño pepper, seeded and chopped (hotter pepper can be substitued)

　　2 tablespoons pickling spice, tied in a cheesecloth pouch

　　1 1/2 tablespoons salt

　　

Step 1

Place the tomatoes in a large nonreactive saucepan and use your fingers to mash and separate them into small bits. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Bring the sauce to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer lightly for 45 minutes, or until thickened. Cool the sauce, then chill in an airtight container. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

　　

Cooking Method

Step 2

Stove

　　Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book by Chris Lilly. Copyright © 2009 by Chris Lilly. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Vice president, executive chef, and partner of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Chris Lilly oversees the two company-owned restaurants as well as their new chain of franchises.