Competition BBQ Sauce


 
Ryan P.K.

Ryan P.K.

TVWBB Pro
Question for the competitors out there. Do you use your own BBQ sauce or store brand? If your own, would you share your recipe with me? Or, which brand do you use for your comps? I am looking to get into some comps next year, and I am wondering if I should start looking for sauce recipe or store brand.
 
Judges taste preferences are very regional. i suggest finding someone that competes in that area and ask them. We use branded sauce. Too many good ones to mess with making our our own, but many teams do. Blues Hog, Eat, Head Country, Butchers are all good. Mix and match or use straight.
 
I usually just use Sweet Baby Ray's thinned with apple juice. I have had good success with that on chicken and ribs. I tried using John Hardy's sauce once for fun that didn't do so well. Here in Minnesota Ryan you will probably want to lean a bit more towards a sweeter sauce so you know.
 
Thx Shawn! I was going to make a shout out to you about his subject. As for most competitors, what you like is not always what the judges want. I am not a sweet fan, but if it works...why not?!

What do you use for your pork butt?
 
I've had no luck with homemade sauces. But I've had some success with Sweet(er) Baby Rays that I doctored up a little bit. For chicken.
 
I don't usually do KCBS Ryan but with pork butt I would either use no sauce at all or go very light on it. I think sauce and quickly over power the flavor of pork butt when it comes so what you turn in at comp. Also if you don't use sauce it helps keep the bark tastier.
 
Ryan,

How do you plan on presenting the Pork Butt ?
Sauce is almost an integral part of BBQ. Not only can it provide an additional layer of flavor, it can be the saving grace when used on meats that dry out quickly once sliced (for instance).


Bob
 
Ryan,

In both cases, sauce is your friend. During the judging for appearance phase, if the meat's surface has some shine from a liquid, the natural implication is that the meat is moist. As mentioned earlier, sauces can contain additional flavor components. While there are regional tastes, a sauce that does not offend anyone is more successful than one that does. Explore flavors. Don't overpower the star... the meat.
 
I see you are from the twin cities. You should go to Quetopia, in Minnetonka, and check out the sauces they have there. I use Eat but they have most of the top comp sauces there.
 
Jeff, I know exactly where Quetopia is at. Matter of fact, I need to go there and pick up some apple wood. While I am there, I will check out there sauces as well.
 
Try making your own at home. Use the basics:

Tomatoes/Ketchup
Vinegar
Brown sugar/molasses
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Salt
Worcestershire
Fish sauce or Soy
Whatever you like

Ginger
Fruit Juice
Jalapeno/Cayenne

Try a side by side with a popular BBQ sauce and try to make it fresher. I like to add lots of citrus right before brushing to serve.
 
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