PANTRYFLEX

simmer · bbq sauce

NATIONAL AWARD WINNERPrep 5 minCook 15 min

Guava BBQ

Independent adaptation of a publicly published Illyanna Maisonet recipe. Not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Illyanna Maisonet.

Sticky guava barbecue from Puerto Rican home cooking.

Ratio

Ratio by volume: Ketchup 480 ml, Water 60 ml, Brown Sugar 60 ml, Cider Vinegar 30 ml, Lemon Juice 30 ml, Soy Sauce 15 ml, Fish Sauce 15 ml, Sriracha 15 ml, Chili Garlic 15 ml, Guava Paste 240 ml
Ketchup 480 mlWater 60 mlBrown Sugar 60 mlCider Vinegar 30 mlLemon Juice 30 mlSoy Sauce 15 ml

Ingredients

  • Ketchup — 2 cups (480 ml)
  • Water — 1/4 cup (60 ml)
  • Brown Sugar — 1/4 cup light (60 ml)
  • Cider Vinegar — 2 tbsp (30 ml)
  • Lemon Juice — 2 tbsp fresh (30 ml)
  • Soy Sauce — 1 tbsp (15 ml)
  • Fish Sauce — 1 tbsp (15 ml)
  • Sriracha — 1 tbsp (15 ml)
  • Chili Garlic — 1 tbsp (15 ml)
  • Onion Powder — 1 tbsp (7 g)
  • Garlic — 5 cloves, finely minced
  • Guava Paste — 1 cup, cut from block (240 ml)

Method

  1. Pour to the lines in order (bottom → top): Ketchup, Water, Brown Sugar, Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Sriracha, Chili Garlic, Guava Paste.
  2. Add: Onion Powder, Garlic.
  3. Cap the jar and shake until combined.
  4. Pour into a cold pan and bring to a gentle simmer. The jar stays off the stove — cool leftovers to warm-to-touch before they go back in the glass.

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You found this recipe once. On a PantryFlex jar it’s printed in glass — pour your pantry to the line, shake cold, tip it into your pan. The jar measures; the stove finishes.

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Provenance

Puerto Rican food writer and author of the cookbook Diasporican; recognized with a 2023 James Beard award for her food writing.

Originally published as Guava BBQ Sauce.

Adapted from a Illyanna Maisonet recipe (Illyanna Maisonet / Food52).

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FAQ

Can this go in a shake jar?

Yes — with one pan. Its liquids pour to the printed fill-lines and shake cold; the mix then goes into a pan to simmer. The jar itself never touches heat.

What do the quantities mean?

Amounts follow the published recipe in household units (with metric in parentheses). On a jar, every sauce scales to the same fill height.

Where did this recipe come from?

Adapted from Illyanna Maisonet / Food52 (published as “Guava BBQ Sauce”). Full citation lives in Provenance.

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