Ingredients
3 tbsps olive oil
1 finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 1/4 pepper (scotch bonnet, seeded and minced 12 gives mild heat)
3 lbs fresh tomatoes (ripe peeled seeded chopped)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (homemade or store bought)
2 tbsps hot sauce (caribbean)
1/4 cup cider vinegar (needed)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar (firmly packed more as needed)
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup water (needed)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (1/2 teaspoon dried)
salt
black pepper
Preparation
1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chile and sauté until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. 2 Stir in the tomato paste, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, 1/4 cup each vinegar and sugar, the rum, 1/4 cup water, the oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until thick and richly flavored, 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3 Remove from the heat and taste for seasoning, adding salt, vinegar, or sugar as necessary; the sauce should be highly seasoned. Add water if the sauce seems too thick. 4 Any unused sauce may be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks. 5 Makes 3 to 4 cups.
