The Trellis Restaurant Meat Sauce

The Trellis Restaurant Meat Sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups onion -- finely diced
3/4 cup green bell pepper -- finely diced
1/2 cup carrot -- finely diced
1 1/4 cups tomato -- chopped
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Heat the vegetable oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, green bell pepper, and carrot. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the tomato juice, cider vinegar, catsup, molasses, hot
sauce, and salt. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat and allow the mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, then puree the mixture using a hand-held immersion blender or a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Strain the puree through medium-gauge strainer into a 3-quart stainless-steel bowl.

Cool the barbecue sauce in an ice water bath to a temperature of 40 to 45 degrees F. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours before using. (The flavor of the sauce will be enhanced during this time.) The sauce may be stored in a covered, non-corrosive container in the refrigerator for several days.

Conceived by Chef Chet Flanagan and has been served at the Trellis Restaurant since 1989.