3 Brown Sugar BBQ Sauces you Must Try this Summer!

Written by RD, Elis Halenko, and nutrition student, Sydney Grier

Blog Sponsored by The Canadian Sugar Institute

As a Torontonian born and raised, I have been immersed in the diverse melting pot of cultures and cuisines.

From a young age some of my best memories were around the people I love and the food we ate. One of the most influential persons in my life was my paternal grandma. She was German and prepared Borscht using the ingredients from her garden. My four sisters and I would help my grandma select the ingredients; smelling the fresh dill and tomatoes simmering in the soup pot provided the backdrop to us girls as we played.

As I got older I realized the lasting impact of food and the people who encourage us to gather. I carved my career in food and nutrition, hoping to inspire others to eat well and enjoy the process of cooking for wellness, fun and for friends and family.

Today, I wanted to share a few summer marinade recipes in partnership with The Canadian Sugar Institute to celebrate Canadian food culture, featuring brown sugar and maple syrup. These recipes are designed to be served family style, and foster togetherness with loved ones.

Have you ever noticed how transformational a good marinade is for a plain piece of meat or fish?

Marinades act as a vessel to create a desired flavour profile. You may have never thought to add sugar to a savoury dish, but did you know that sugar can help you to achieve that perfect browned crust and mouth-watering softness we all desire? Sugar plays a huge role in the browning and caramelization of the meat or fish, and assists in developing an even more complex flavour experience. It also acts as a natural tenderizer, and softens meat or fish much quicker than a marinade without sugar – meaning less of a risk of overcooking.

To bring lightness to the rich marinades, I often paired fresh herbs and fruit to the sauce in order to complete the summer experience. Feel free to use these marinades interchangeably with your favorite meat and fish varieties, they have been designed to be versistle staples in your kitchen to elevate any dish.

Slow Roasted Brown Sugar and Maple Syrup Ribs

A hearty rack of ribs on Canada day is a total classic! A bold, smokey spice blend, also known as mesquite seasoning accompanies the ribs through their long slow roast. A simple brown sugar marinade gives them the perfect finishing glaze to dig your teeth into and create a beautiful mess.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 3 hours

Total time: 3 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4lbs pork ribs

Dry Spice Rub

1 Tbsp Brown sugar
1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Rosemary Powder
1/2 Tsp Majoram
1/4 Tsp Dried Sage
1/4 Tsp ground mustard seed
1/4 Tsp chipotle powder

BBQ Sauce

2 Tbsp Maple syrup
2 Tbsp Canola oil
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Brown sugar
1 Tsp White wine vinegar

METHOD→
1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Season both sides of the ribs with spice rub marinade. Place the ribs (meat side up) on to a rimmed baking sheet. Jump to BBQ grilling instructions here if using a BBQ.

2. Cover the baking sheet tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 3 hours, checking every hour.

3. While ribs are baking, heat maple syrup, canola oil, tomato paste, brown sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce for about 10 minutes, this will help to thicken the sauce and develop the sugar.

4. Once ribs are done baking, brush with reduced marinade and place on BBQ to caramelize the BBQ sauce sugars! Or pop the uncovered ribs in your oven and broil on high for 2-3 minutes.

BBQ Cooking Instructions:

Preheat BBQ to medium low heat. Move the coals/flames to one side of the grill.
Add the vinegar and stock to the tray and wrap the entire tray with aluminum foil. Cook on the side of the grill with no flames (indirect heat) until the internal temperature of the ribs is 180°F, or about 2 hours.
Increase the temperature of the grill to medium high. Oil the grates of the grill well, and transfer the ribs directly. Brush the ribs on either side with the glaze. Continue brushing the ribs and turning them over for 5-10 minutes, until the glaze becomes sticky and charred.
Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and brush with any remaining glaze. Serve immediately.

Pomegranate and Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken

A skillet classic, with little mess and lots of flavour. This pomegranate balsamic chicken features a reduced glaze. When sugar and balsamic vinegar is heated, water evaporates leaving a thick and delicious concentrated sugar reduction. A bright pomegranate and mint garnish compliments the rich reduction.

Recipe notes: Ensure you have an oven-safe pan or skillet. In order to reduce mess and capture the most flavour, chicken is first crisped on the stove before being transferred directly to the oven to continue the cooking process. This dish would pair well atop rice or any whole grain of choice.

Yield: 6 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
A pinch of salt and pepper per thigh
1 Tbsp of Canola oil or a few drops if using a nonstick skillet

BBQ Sauce

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ Cup Pomegranate juice
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp Brown sugar

Garnish

Fresh pomegranate seeds
Fresh mint leaves

METHOD→

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat chicken with a paper towel and season on each side with salt and pepper. Jump to BBQ grilling instructions here if using a BBQ.
Heat an oven-safe pan with canola oil. Once the oil is warm, transfer the chicken thighs to the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the marinade by combining extra virgin olive oil, pomegranate juice, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously, until the oil has emulsified.

4. Pour the marinade all over the chicken and place in the oven. At 5-minute intervals, remove the pan and bast the chicken with the sauce. Cook for a total of 20 minutes in the oven and check for doneness.

5. Once done cooking, pour any extra sauce from the large pan into a smaller saucepan. On high heat, reduce the remainder of the sauce for 5 minutes, making it thicker – this helps the sugar to develop more.

6. Plate the chicken and pour the reduced sauce over it. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and mint.

BBQ Cooking Instructions:

Preheat the BBQ the medium -high heat.
Heat a cast iron pan with canola oil. Once the oil is warm, transfer the chicken thighs to the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the marinade by combining the oil, pomegranate juice, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously, until the oil has emulsified.
Pour the marinade all over the chicken and close the lid of the BBQ. At 5-minute intervals, bast the chicken with the sauce. Cook for a total of 20 minutes.
Once done cooking, pour any extra sauce from the large pan into a smaller saucepan. On high heat, reduce the remainder of the sauce for 5 minutes, making it thicker – this helps the sugar to develop more.
Plate the chicken and pour the reduced sauce over it. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and mint.

Brown Sugar & Miso Glazed Salmon en Papliotte with Mango Salsa

“En Papliotte” translated from French means to cook in a parchment paper pouch – sealing in all the flavours and preventing any extra marinade from evaporating away. A simple sweet and tangy mango salsa pairs perfectly with this richly decadent salmon dish.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

4, 3” wide salmon fillets

BBQ Sauce

1/4 Cup Soy sauce
2 Tbsp Brown sugar
1 Tbsp Miso paste
¼ Cup Sesame oil
2 Tbsp Sesame seeds

Mango Salsa

1 Small mango
1/2 Cup diced red onion
1/2 Cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp Lime juice

METHOD→

Preheat oven to 400°F if using, skip if barbecuing. Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, miso paste and sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce for about 10 minutes, this will help to thicken the sauce and develop the sugar. Jump to BBQ grilling instructions here if using a BBQ.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and assemble the salmon fillets lengthwise in a line, towards one side of the pan. Brush each fillet generously with the marinade. Sprinkle each with sesame seeds.

3. Fold over the opposite side of parchment paper to envelope the fish. Fold over the corners to create a sealed parcel.

4. Bake the fish for 20-25 minutes. While the fish is cooking, prepare the mango salad by dicing fresh mango, red onion and finely chopping cilantro. Combine in a small bowl and season with lime juice and salt to taste.

BBQ Cooking Instructions:

On a sheet of aluminum foil, place the salmon and drizzle with the marinade. Seal the salmon in the foil and allow it to sit in the marinade for at least 1 hour before cooking.
Preheat the BBQ to medium-high heat. Use a fork to poke holes in the aluminum foil to allow steam to be released.
Place the foil pack directly on the grill, close the lid and cook for 10-12 minutes. Unwrap the foil and allow the salmon to sit for 10 minutes before serving.