Grilling over a charcoal fire is beyond the scope of this cookbook. However, I cannot resist passing on a few simple sauces. Moreover, some barbecue sauces (but not all) work admirably as a glaze for meats such as chicken and pork.

Recipes for barbecue sauces or glazes are confusing. A host of ingredients appear, different for each recipe, yet the sauces taste generally similar. A recipe typically designates a specific meat. If a glaze is listed for duck, can it also be used for pork or chicken? We are left to guess.

It helps to recognize that most barbecue sauces fall into two categories: tomato-based or soy-based.
These are very different. The tomato group starts with catsup or tomato paste. A thick sauce is made. The soy group forms a thin coating, and the meat must be basted a number of times.

To either base is added a plain oil and a sweetener, honey or sugar. These three components - base, oil, and sweetener - form the foundation for the sauce or glaze. 

To the basic triumvirate various flavorings are added. Vinegar is pervasive. Often a pungent seasoning, such as garlic or cayenne pepper, is added. Sometimes a dried herb is used, perhaps rosemary or thyme.

The following three recipes conform to this model.

SOY-BASED BARBECUE SAUCES

This is a simple glaze. Soy, oil, and sugar form the base, lightly flavored with Sherry and paprika.
The Chinese use it for chicken, pork, lamb, and duck. It was designed for barbecue on the grill, but it may also be used as a glaze in the oven, as for roast chicken.
The glaze is very light, refreshingly so if you are tired of thick barbecue sauces. For more robust, conventional sauces, see recipes following this one.
Adapted from Wonona Chang, An Encyclopedia of Chinese Food and Cooking.

Makes scant 1/4 cup, enough for 1 chicken, split for barbecue, or  roasted whole in the oven

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Variation
For a somewhat darker glaze, substitute balsamic vinegar for Sherry, and olive oil for plain oil.

This is a sauce that Julia Child developed for spare ribs (The Way to Cook). It makes sense as a general purpose sauce for chicken and pork. I tried it as a glaze on chicken thighs, and it works well.

The recipe is roughly similar to the recipe preceding. The base remains soy sauce, but much reduced in quantity. Honey replaces sugar.

Vinegar is added. Pungency is provided by cayenne pepper. Flavorings are paprika and thyme.

Serves 3, 1/3 cup

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

TOMATO-BASED BARBECUE SAUCES

This is an simple, old-fashioned American sauce, as described in Irma Rombauer's original Joy of Cooking. It's usefulness is limited, and it is offered mainly for comparative purposes. This can serve as a barbecue sauce for the grill, where some people have said that the sauce is symbolic anyway. It doesn't work as a glaze for roasting. 

 Compared to the above, catsup is used instead of soy and oil. Vinegar is increased. Salt and pepper suffice for seasonings. I am not sure that this sauce needs simmering.

Serves 3 1/3 cup

Mix all ingredients in a pan. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently

Variation
Before simmer, add some dried rosemary and finely minced garlic.

This is another Rombauer recipe, when she was in a more serious mood. If you think that there have been significant advances in barbecue sauces since Irma Rombauer’s time, check out the ingredients in current bottled sauces. You will find that the following is the mother of many current supermarket products.

Makes 1/2 cup

Heat oil in sauté pan. Cook onions until tender and transparent, about 5 minutes.
Add catsup and other liquid ingredients. Stir in dry ingredients.
Simmer about 10 minutes to blend ingredients, melt sugar, and thicken slightly.