It is time to bring out the grill! I’ll be in Utah this week teaching classes in Brigham City and Salt Lake City. Waaawhooo! I’m so excited to see everyone and give out some big hugs to all of  you! Check your Local Store Website for class schedules and times.   
In other news, it will also be my mom’s birthday. {Insert giddy Chef-Tess giggle…and a wink!} I’ll get to be there for the festivity of that special day. Anyone who knows my folks, Mega Mom and the Pansy Man, know that there is always a grill going at their house!  As far back as I can remember, we have always made our own amazing grill sauces in our crazy family.  Everyone has a favorite.   Homemade grill sauces taste remarkable and will save you a good amount of money over the store-bought pre-made ones. Once you see how simple they are to make, you may never want to buy them already made again! Honeyville products are great for sauces! Here are my top 5 simple grilling sauce recipes from food storage. If it is too hot to stand over an open barbecue  may I also suggest a fabulous red Lodge grill pan? They don’t heat up the house and they’re perfect for fast grilling! I guess you can pick your favorite color, but mine will always be red!

 Sauce 1. Kansas City BBQ Sauce is usually tomato based with the addition of molasses or brown sugar. Using tomato powder give you the ability to control the thickness of the sauce without having to simmer it for hours. 


Kansas City Apricot BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup Honeyville Tomato Powder
1/4 cup Honeyville Freeze Dried Apricots
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2T Honeyville Freeze Dried Onion
2 tsp Chef Tess All Purpose Seasoning
1 1/2  cup Water (more or less depending on how thick you like your sauce)

Directions: Combine all ingredients and mix well in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then turn off heat. Allow fruit to hydrate, about 10 minutes.  Yield 1 1/2 cups sauce. Enough for about 2 lbs of meat. 

Sauce 2. South Carolina Mustard Sauce is based on mustard and sweetener if choice. I personally can’t live without the tangy-sweet combination of mustard and molasses! I use the Chef Tess All Purpose seasoning to give it just the right balance of flavors. 


South Carolina Mustard Sauce
1/4 cup Molasses
1/4 cup Whole Grain Mustard
1 clove Fresh Pressed Garlic
1 tsp Chef Tess All Purpose Seasoning
Directions: Combine all ingredients.  Yield about 1/2 cup of sauce. Use as a baste for about a pound of grilled chicken, pork, or salmon. 

Sauce 3. Grape-Rosemary Sauce using freeze dried grapes in this classic sauce mimics the slow roasting with minimal effort and the infusion of rosemary and French herbs from the seasoning blend gives this a gourmet quality. I use chicken stock, but traditionally it is made with Burgundy wine. 


Grape-Rosemary Sauce

1 ½ cup Honeyville Freeze Dried Grapes
¼ cup Sweet Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup Grape Juice or wine of your choice
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
1 1/2 tsp Chef Tess French Provencal Essential Seasoning
1T fresh minced Rosemary

Directions:  Add grapes, vinegar, stock and rosemary to a pint-sized sauce pan and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and allow to sit until grapes are hydrated, about 10 minutes. Drizzle over cooked grilled chicken, grilled turkey-burgers or salmon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Yield 1 cup sauce. Enough for 2 pounds of meat. 

Sauce 4. Thai Spicy Peanut Sauce using lemonade powder and peanut butter powder in a sauce for the grill may sound insane…but wait until you taste this! It will knock your socks off! I love it made with Siracha chili sauce…a lot of it. 


Thai Spicy Peanut Sauce
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. Honeyville Lemonade Powder
1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1/4 cup Honeyville Powdered Peanut Butter
1-2 tsp. Hot Red pepper flakes or Siracha chili sauce (adjust to family preference)
1T sesame oil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Cilantro

2 tsp Chef Tess Amazing Wok-Star Seasoning
1/4 cup Water
Directions: Combine all ingredients and stir until lemonade is dissolved and peanut butter is smooth. Baste over chicken, beef, or fish before grilling. Yield, about 1/2 cup of sauce.  Enough for 1-2 lbs of meat. 

Sauce 5. Blackberry Maple Sauce using the freeze dried blackberries gives this sauce a concentrated flavor and great texture. Hydrating them in the maple syrup and balsamic combination…amazing!


Blackberry-Maple Sauce
1/4 cup Honeyville Freeze Dried Onion
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/4 cup high grade Balsamic Vinegar
3/4 cup Honeyville Freeze Dried Blackberries
1/4 cup pure Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar
2T Dijon Mustard
2 tsp Chef Tess All Purpose Seasoning
1/4 cup Water

Directions: In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients until smooth. Simmer 5-10 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to sit 5 minutes more. Use as a baste for grilled chicken, turkey or pork. 

There you go darlings! Some wonderful ideas for the grill! I’ll be seeing you soon in Utah and California! Remember to look for the classes at your Local Store Website. Onward and upward we go!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess