Summer Mango BBQ Sauce for Chicken and Pork

My dad and I used to sit in the hammock in the backyard for hours eating mangos like apples. He has been grilling with this Mango BBQ sauce on chicken and pork for years. The fresh fruit adds a sweet Caribbean feel to an American classic. We vary the types of peppers we use for spice based on mood and what's available in the garden. You can also add a small amount of diced pineapple to make the sauce sweeter.

Dice two medium onions, two small red peppers, six small plum tomatoes or three regular tomatoes, and five cloves garlic. Heat about four tablespoons vegetable, canola or olive oil in a large pan. Add all diced ingredients and sauté until tender. Finely chop two or three large mangos and set aside. Add ½ tablespoon of salt to pan, or more to taste. Grind black peppercorns into pan to taste. Add one teaspoon Allspice, 2/3 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup molasses, and ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce. Squeeze the juice of two limes directly into the mixture and continue cooking over medium heat.

Stir in the chopped mango. Add jalapenos or habaneras for a spicy Mango BBQ sauce. Or add poblano chilies or chipotle pepper for a Southwestern flavor. I prefer my sauce chunky, but you may place the sauce in a blender to smooth everything out for the desired texture.

Place four chicken breasts, pork chops or ribs in a bowl. Reserve some sauce for use during cooking. Cover with remaining Mango BBQ sauce and refrigerate overnight. If needed, the marinating time can be shortened to an hour, but leave it for as long as possible for the best flavor.

Remove the meat from the marinade and grill or bake. Grilling is the obvious choice for the best BBQ. Brush additional Mango BBQ sauce over chicken or pork as they grill or bake. Save a small amount of sauce to serve as a side or drizzle on top of the meat before serving.

For a fun, fruity dessert with this meal, buy a few extra ripe mangos and a good, fresh pineapple. Chop the fruit into two-inch chunks and make fruit kabobs on wooden skewers. As the BBQ meat grills, place the fruit kabobs on the grill. Baste with a mixture of brown sugar, honey, and leftover pineapple juice. Fresh pineapple works much better than canned, which tends to falls apart on the grill. If necessary, wrap the kabobs in aluminum foil to keep the fruit from falling off. You won't get the grill marks, but the flavor will still be good.