Fat Matt's BBQ Sauce Recipe


 
Don't have the recipe but welcome aboard!
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I really hope that someone can figure out what is in that sauce. That is my favorite BBQ in Atlanta, and am always trying to recreate the experience in my own backyard. I can't put my finger on what is in it. It is orange, slight vinegar/mustard flavor, but no overpowering flavors. Just very smooth and tasty!
 
Dave and Dan, I recall seeing a BBQ place on Piedmont at Rock Springs (near Artlite office supply). Is that the one?

If so, it's about 15 minutes from our house (with no traffic), maybe 45-60 minutes in the famous Atlanta rush hour from 11 am to 7 pm. We'll have to check it out.

What do you recommend ordering - ribs, brisket, or pulled pork?

Dan, you mean you are underwhelmed with Williamson's in Canton?

Rita
 
I would have to say Yes. I am indeed underwhelmed by Williamson's in Canton.

Fat Matt's is right next to Subway at Rock Springs and Piedmont--so that is the one you saw. They have a chicken shack next door. Go early and order the ribs. They have live blues music on the weekends. Everytime I want to get there early, something holds me up and I get there late, and there are no seats left. People like to sit and listen and savor. I have taken my ribs to the less than crowded chicken shack and eaten them there. My wife hated bbq with a passion (for no apparent reason). But I made her taste Fat Matt's bbq, and ever since, she's just as hooked as I am. But she keeps comparing everything I make to Fat Matt's. If you go, enjoy, and steal some sauce!
 
Originally posted by Rita Y:
Dan, you mean you are underwhelmed with Williamson's in Canton?
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I'm underwhelmed by Williamson's. It's weird--I first had their sauce and meat at a tasting at Harry's in Marietta (they were pushing the sauce, which they've since carried there). The sauce is okay (could be less 'cooked', imo) but I liked the meat. I had no idea at the time that there was a "Williamson's" to actually go to. So after I found that out I did. I was not impressed. The meat was better at the demo at Harry's--no idea why. Their sides were pedestrian (a frequent complaint of mine for Q joints nationwide--why can't you put a little effort into the sides? They taste like Sysco-out-of-a-bucket!) and the service was crummy. I went again just in case; same deal.

Are you guys talking Piedmont at Rock Springs north of downtown near Cheshire Bridge? Harder for me to get to but I'll give it a shot (on your recommendation, Dave!) and check out the sauce. Might be a while before I can but I'll see what I can do about figuring out the sauce. Rita--let me know if you get there and what you think the sauce situation is. You'll likely nail the sauce yourself but if you like the joint and I then have two recommendations--well, okay, twist my arm--I'll go.
 
It is right near Cheshire Bridge. I hope someone cracks the recipe. I'm sure that it is so simple that it is complicated. Can't wait for a report.
Thanks
 
We tried Fat Matt's (Atlanta) the other day and you're right - it IS way above average for around here. Jack and I split a pulled pork sandwich (fine chop mixed with their sauce) and a half-rack of ribs. Both were very good and it's a place I'd go back to. Sauce was good too. Brisket is not on the menu, but chicken is.

I couldn't help myself. I bought a bottle of their sauce. We all need to try to figure out the formula! Here are the ingredients:

Tomato puree, vinegar, corn syrup, refiners syrup, mustard seed, salt, condensed natural hickory smoke, molasses, spices, garlic powder, caramel flavor, caramel color, aged peppers, water, sugar, natural flavors, onions, white pepper, black pepper, turmeric, anchovies, tamarinds, crushed red peppers, and sodium benzoate as a preservative.

Nutrition: 2 tablespoons = 40 calories, 0g fat, sodium 350mg, carbs 9g, very little of anything else.

An ingredient or two might only be available commercially. I'm not familiar with refiner's syrup. Might it be an uncommon name for corn syrup or something we know under another name?

I think KingArthurFlour.com carries caramel flavor and color, but why not just caramelize some sugar?

I'm assuming that "aged peppers" means dried peppers such as ancho, etc.

The bottled sauce tastes a little heavy on the smoke. They claim it's the same sauce as they serve with their pork, chicken, and ribs. I wish I'd saved some of the sauce we got with our food to compare with the bottled sauce.
 
I guess I was wrong about it being so simple. I had no idea that Fat Matt could use so many ingredients! Thanks for posting the ingredients, you saved me a 40 minute drive. Its a place to start in making my own version.
 
Dan, let us know if you can work it out. I'd think that you'd need a sample to taste against, no? However, it would be worth a 40-minute drive if you had lunch or dinner there.
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- Rita
 
I have the taste memorized in my buds. I will post when I come close. Let me know if you have any luck yourself!
 
Originally posted by Rita Y:
Tomato puree, vinegar, corn syrup, refiners syrup, mustard seed, salt,
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This is ketchup. Maybe with additional mustard; not likely but possible.
condensed natural hickory smoke,
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This is liquid smoke. (Personally, I would just cook some smoked trimmings in the sauce.)
molasses, spices, garlic powder,
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All three are already in the ketchup. Possibly they add a little more molasses and possibly more of the ketchup spices which would be ginger, allspice, clove, coriander--I kind of doubt it though.If you add more, be sparing.
caramel flavor, caramel color, aged peppers, water, sugar, natural flavors, onions, white pepper, black pepper, turmeric, anchovies, tamarinds,
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This is Worcestershire sauce.
crushed red peppers, and sodium benzoate as a preservative.
This is what it says.
I'm not familiar with refiner's syrup.
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Refiner's syrup is cane syrup but very light golden. Think very, very light molasses.
I think KingArthurFlour.com carries caramel flavor and color, but why not just caramelize some sugar?
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It is not likely that this sauce is made with all these ingredients separately--it reads like a contracted-out commercial sauce. Most if not all of the ingredients were already part of already made ingredients (like ketchup and Worcestershire) from the get-go. It is possible additional sweeteners and/or spices were added.
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Awesome breakdown. So essentially it is ketchup, worcestershire sauce, a drop of liquid smoke, small amount of light corn syrup, and mustard. The sauce is orange, so I would expect there to be a decent amount of mustard in it to attain that color. So it is simple, but they want us to think it's complicated. Thanks Kevin!
 
Awesome rundown, Kevin! When I saw the tamarind and anchovies, it rang a bell but I didn't think about it long enough.

Refiner's syrup is cane syrup but very light golden. Think very, very light molasses.
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Kevin, would that be similar to Lyle's Golden Syrup? If so, that's pretty high-falutin' for a BBQ sauce!
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- Rita
 
Yep, that's essentially it. It is likely that the corn syrup (and possibly the refiner's) is part of the ketchup with perhaps a bit more of either/or added. More spices might be included--they could be more of the spices normally found in ketchup (as listed in my above post) and/or others. None would have to be listed by name; they could be included as 'spices'.

I'd start with the ketchup, Worce, and mustard (half of what you think), plus a touch of LS. Mix, simmer, taste; add mustard in small amounts till the color is close. Sweeten with corn syrup or, to approximate refiner's, mix one part molasses with 8-10 parts cane syrup.

Since flour is not listed it is quite possible that prepared mustard is not used but I would consider using it anyway; it'll be easier.

If they add more ketchup spices or additional different spices those will be harder to determine. Not having had it or seen it I'm not sure where to point you here. When the color/sweetness seems to be about right you can play with the spicing plus the occasional touch of Worcestershire. Good luck.
 
Originally posted by Rita Y:
Kevin, would that be similar to Lyle's Golden Syrup?
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Yes. Though different from molasses there is not likely much in there (judging from the ingredient list). A better sub, perhaps, would be to caramelize sugar with a splash of vinegar (kind of like a gastrique) and, when colored, to add some cane syrup. I didn't suggest this because it seems a bit much to go through for something not likely to have a huge flavor effect in this case. But, Dan, another thing--have a little vinegar at the ready when you're in tasting/refining mode. It is possible additional vinegar (more than what is in ketchup) is used in the sauce.
 
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