Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

 A really delicious barbecue sauce for chicken or ribs.

The recipe was created by the team at LAB, an artisanal company with products sold in shops in Canada, the US, Australia and Italy. LAB also accepts international orders through their on-line shop. Their Tropical Barbecue Syrup pays tribute to the New World and the Spanish explorers who came to Central America and the Caribbean. It distills all the flavors of an age-old culinary tradition into a syrup with pleasant smoky and spicy notes, along with a fruity sweetness. 

If you can't find this product, Alexandre suggests adding some pineapple juice, a few drops of liquid hickory smoke and a little honey to add depth to the sauce. 

1.  In a small saucepan, sweat the onions in the butter for 1-2 minutes without browning.
2. Add the garlic, chili powder and bay leaves and toast lightly.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for a good 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Remove the bay leaves and process the sauce with an immersion blender to purée the onion.

Using
Brush the sauce generously on chicken or ribs 15-20 minutes before the end of the cooking time and return to the oven. Be careful the sauce doesn't burn.