Today's Case:
Boogaloo Sandwich, Jean's Sauce of The Islands, Brothers BBQ
Re: Boogaloo Sandwich/Sauce of the Islands
From: Kathy
To: Phaedrus
Date: 8/1/2024, 7:18 AM
On 7/31/2024 1:45 PM, Kathy wrote:
*_Jean's Sauce of The Islands_*
Hi Phaedrus,
Brother's Barbecue had a couple stores in Detroit and that is where we first tasted
Jean's Sauce of The Islands on a Boogaloo sandwich, with ground pork and/or beef,
green peppers, and onions on a sub type bun. Some say there was cheese on it, but
we never had nor saw cheese on the sandwich. When the store was open, we always
did business with Yvonne, one of the sweetest women in the world, but never would
she part with the sauce recipe. Although, Yvonne would sell us large jars of it to make
our own boogaloos at home.
Brother's closed and another proprietor, a Chef Greg Beard, runs a carry-out business
in the spot. He makes a boogaloo sandwich with his sauce, but it's not near to Jean's.
His is redder in color and a bit thicker. Jean's was a loose, vinegar-based sauce.
Detroit News Article
I've looked high and low, then thought of you. Any help in locating the original Jean's
Sauce would be fantastic.
Thank you,
Kathy
Hello Kathy,
Jean and Barney Johnson were the owners of Brother’s BBQ in Detroit, which had two locations: Fullerton at Roselawn, and Curtis at Wyoming.
Sometime in the late 1960s, Jean Johnson created "Sauce of the Islands" and then she created the popular "Boogaloo Sandwich" using the sauce. As for the original recipe, she succeeded in keeping it secret, never sharing it with anyone as far as I can determine. Brothers closed in the 1990s, and the sauce recipe appears to have been lost when Jean passed on. If anyone has it, it would be Jean and Barney's descendants, if any exist.
Chef Greg Beard of "Chef Greg's Soul 'n' The Wall" set out the create a copycat for the sauce, and that's what he did. His sauce is not exactly like Jean's but it's the closest he could get. Sauces with multiple ingredients are very difficult to duplicate.
I found the below recipe on a message board. The person posting it said it's very close. Perhaps it can be a starting place for you.
Phaed
Detroit Yes Article
Jean's Sauce Of The Islands
1 gallon can of ketchup.
1 quart lemon juice
2 cups Worcestershire
4 cups sugar or to taste
1/2 cup Jamaican paprika
2 Tbs cumin
Cook over low heat till proper consistency.
Boogaloo Sandwich
For The Boogaloo sandwich:
Obtain quality fresh bakery French bread type sub buns
split sub buns down the middle as you would for a sub.
Boil chopped Spanish or white onions in salted water uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain onions in colander. Do not rinse.
Sauté ground pork at medium high heat in a skillet until browned. Brother's used
course ground pork. You want some of the pork almost crispy.
Ladle some boiled onion into each bun, followed by sliced American cheese on one
side of the bun add pork that has been mixed with the sauce.
Wrap in aluminum foil for about 5 minutes too heat bun and melt cheese.
...
The extra sauce can be kept for weeks in the fridge.
