Episode 211: Chino-Latino
Guava Barbecue Sauce
Long before there was modern fusion cuisine, people cooked Chino-Latino. It originated with Chinese laborers who immigrated to Cuba and Trinidad and elsewhere in the Caribbean to work the plantations. They developed a unique mashup of Asian and West Indian cooking.
This sweet, Caribbean-inspired barbecue sauce recipe makes much more than you need for this Baby Back Ribs, but you’ll be glad you have the excess in your refrigerator.
Other Recipes from Episode 211: Chino-Latino
Guava Barbecue Sauce
Recipe Notes
- Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients
- 8 ounces guava paste, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- ½ cup rice or cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup dark rum
- ¼ cup ketchup or tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced scallion white
- ½ teaspoon ground or grated cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground or grated allspice
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, or to taste
- Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
Recipe Steps
1: Place the guava paste, vinegar, rum, ketchup or tomato paste, lime juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, scallion whites, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt and pepper in a heavy saucepan.
2: Add 1/4 cup water. Gently simmer the sauce over medium heat until thick and richly flavored, 10 minutes, whisking to break up the pieces of guava paste. The sauce should be thick but pourable—add water as needed. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Tips
Our thanks to the sponsors of Project Fire Season 2:
Steven Raichlen’s Project Fire is a production of Maryland Public Television, Barbacoa, Inc., and Resolution Pictures. © 2019 Barbacoa, Inc. Photos by Chris Bierlein.
