Ahrun’s Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce – This is billed as a barbecue sauce. It’s slightly thin for the purpose, but the taste of the sauce makes up for it.  The ingredients this sauce sports include corn syrup, vinegar, sugar, mustard,  worcestershire sauce, onions, garlic, tamarind, cloves, and chili pepper extract.

Ahrun’s Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce is a very sweet sauce with a slight bite of fire. It works extremely well on ham and other pork, it’s great on chicken, and it even makes a great addition to seafood. Despite the thin personality of the sauce, if you keep painting it on your food while you’re grilling, it maintains its flavor and finally manages to thicken up a bit.
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Big Bob Gibson Mustard BBQ Sauce – Big Bob Gibson makes some unique award-winning sauces, including Big Bob Gibson Championship Red Sauce and Big Bob Gibson Original White Bar-B-Q Sauce. This one is a mustard-based bar-b-cue sauce and it rocks. Mustard, as an ingredient in sauces, is something I really enjoy when the blending is done well. Big Bob Gibson Mustard BBQ Sauce is an exquisite blending of mustard and other ingredients that creates a sweet, smoky, very rich presentation.
Ingredients here are extensive. Mustard, soy sauce, steak sauce, salt, onions, garlic, orange, orange peel, turmeric, apple concentrate, rye concentrate, tomato paste, molasses, raisin concentrate, tamarind, brown sugar, and a whole bunch of other spices and flavorings that Big Bob uses like paints on a palette to create a masterpiece of bar-be-cue flavor. Continue Reading

Pappy’s Not Made in China barbecue and dipping sauce is made in the USA without lead paint. That’s what the label tells us. Cool. Lead paint isn’t good for you. The good news is, Pappy’s Not Made in China BBQ Sauce is good for you. Pappy’s Moonshine Madness is one of my favorite sauces, and so is Pappy’s Sauce for Sissies. Okay, so I don’t use the sauce for sissies (well, I don’t admit it) as often as I use the Moonshine Madness, but in any case, it’s a fine sauce.

Not Made in China BBQ Sauce is billed as a barbecue and dipping sauce. Soy sauce, sugar, molasses, fresh garlic, fresh onion, salt, smoke flavor, hot sauce, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, anchovies, and all those other ingredients typical of Pappy’s sauce are in this mix. Continue Reading

Jolokia BBQ Sauce – This BBQ sauce has been a long time coming. This is a barbecue sauce and, as such, great in barbecue applications, but it’s also a great replacement for whatever sauce you use on your hot wings. I got excited when I saw the bottle. BBQ sauce made with Naga Jolokia. I’ve never seen it before. The thought of getting this sauce on chicken wings was like waking up Christmas morning to presents spread around the tree and piled high beneath it too. I went to the freezer to find I had no chicken wings left. That meant a quick trip to the store, a chicken wing purchase, and rushing back home to fire up a grill specifically for wings, specifically with Jolokia BBQ Sauce.

Everybody knew this was going to be a hot sauce. Most people asked to be left out of it. Continue Reading

Black Swan BBQ Sauce – Black Swan makes Black Swan Sweet Cognac Sauce and Marinade and Black Swan Wing Commander, both of which are excellent sauces in their own right. Black Swan sauces are made with natural, fresh ingredients and it shows in the exquisite flavor infused in these well-crafted sauces.

Black Swan original BBQ sauce, which is the topic of this little review, is a traditional BBQ sauce with no special effects. That doesn’t take away from the excellent taste factor and this sauce’s ability to turn any barbecue into an event. Continue Reading

Duke’s Roadhouse BBQ Sauce – New York might not be the place you think of when you think of barbecue. Guess what? If Duke’s New York Style Roadhouse BBQ Sauce is any indication of what barbecue sauce is like in New York, bring it on. That’s all I can say.

There’s pineapple juice, pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cane juice, vinegar onions, corn sweetener, anchovies, orange juice, liquid smoke, garlic, black pepper, and some assorted spices. This is top of the line stuff that looks and tastes good on ribs, steaks, pork, fish, and shrimp. I found it particularly friendly to the shrimp, grilled up on a barbecue pit on a fine summer’s day. I skewered the shrimp on a kabob with some roasted red peppers, sweet onion, and beef chunks. Everybody in the family thought it was one of the best eating experiences they’d ever had. Continue Reading

Jim Beam Barbecue Sauce – I was looking for the proof information on this bottle, when I saw the following in small type on the back label: “This is a non-alcoholic product (contains less than 0.02% alcohol by volume.” I couldn’t believe it, because when I tasted this sauce I went “Oooh weee!” And if you know me (which you don’t), that’s what I say when I throw back a good belt of bourbon. Jim Beam Barbecue Sauce may not have a lot of Jim Beam bourbon in it, but it does manage to retain a lot of Jim Beam flavor.

Taken overall, aside from the bourbon the ingredients are in line with most commercial barbecue sauces. What’s different is that tomato paste isn’t the lead ingredient; in fact, it’s the fifth. Ahead of that comes water, vinegar, sugar, and molasses. Continue Reading

Quaker Steak & Lube Louisiana Lickers Sauce – You don’t know me, but I’m a big guy and I like big flavors. When I first saw Quaker Steak & Lube Louisiana Lickers Sauce, I liked it for two reasons: it has a big name and it comes in a big bottle. Then I saw on the label that the sauce won some Best Wings USA competition. I was intrigued, but wings aren’t big enough for me, so I decided I would make some buffalo drumsticks.

Now, for classic buffalo wings, you want to mix your cayenne hot sauce with butter. Louisiana Lickers takes care of that for you. Actually, it’s margarine, but it’s still surprising to find that as a hot sauce ingredient. Continue Reading

Maker’s Mark Gourmet BBQ Sauce – In the interest of full disclosure, I have to point out that I am a big-time fan of Maker’s Mark bourbon. It’s my first-choice drink in a bar or restaurant, and I buy it frequently. For whatever reason, though, I hadn’t tried Maker’s Mark Gourmet Sauce before. Well, now that I have, I’m more in love with the Maker’s Mark brand than ever before.

If you appreciate Maker’s Mark, you’ll definitely appreciate the Maker’s Mark Gourmet BBQ Sauce bottle. It’s the same distinctive shape as the bourbon, and is sealed with the trademark red wax that makes even opening the bottle a happy ritual. But the real fun – with both the bourbon and the Gourmet Sauce – happens once the bottle is opened.
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Pappy’s XXX White Lightnin’ BBQ Sauce – I’ve tried Pappy’s Moonshine Madness (one of my hands-down all-time favorite barbecue sauces ever, and that’s the truth) and even Pappy’s Sauce for Sissies (though I’d rather not spread that around), and both of those sauces are exquisite in their construction. Even the sissy sauce serves its purpose. When I saw Pappy’s XXX White Lightnin, I knew I was going to have to give it a try. As expected, it doesn’t have the butt-kicking glory of Moonshine Madness, but it’s a notch or two above Sauce for Sissies.

As with all Pappy’s sauces, this one is loaded to the gills with ingredients. There’s chiles, tomato, garlic, onion Worcestershire sauce, a little booze, and a whole bunch of other goodies in here I won’t bother detailing. Continue Reading

Habanero BBQ Sauce from Hell -  I am a big fan of barbecue sauce, but only if the barbecue sauce in questions brings something to the table. Habanero BBQ Sauce from Helll does just that. The label says beyond hot, and while that isn’t exactly the case, this sauce does pack a healthy dose of heat that will please any sauce lover who needs to feel the burn.

I started with hamburgers on the grill. I wanted to keep it simple and work on getting the feel for this sauce. The ingredients include tomato paste, sugar, molasses, vinegar, onion, soy sauce, green chiles, salt, habaneros, garlic, and liquid hickory smoke. Continue Reading

Obama’s Health Care BBQ Sauce – My family and I are barbecue junkies. It’s a fact of life. We have a two-level deck and four barbecue pits. When we barbecue, we feed the family, friends, and friends of friends. We typically employ several barbecue sauces at one time, sometimes together, and in the case of sauce  that stand on their own, single sauces. This is why Summer in Georgia is so fine.

Obama’s Health Care BBQ Sauce contains some surprising, and very well-used, ingredients. There’s ketchup, honey, mustard, molasses, chipotle peppers, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, onions, brown sugar, liquid smoke, hot sauce, garlic, and some assorted spices. Continue Reading

Corky’s Barbecue Sauce – There’s nothing about this sauce that lifts it off the map and sets it in a world of its own, but there’s nothing about the sauce that makes it a bland I-can-do-without sauce either. There is some value to Corky’s barbecue sauce. To start with, it’s got awesome flavor. It’s a traditional down-home Memphis-style barbecue sauce that does wonders for ribs and steaks and anything else you cook on the grill. The balance of the sauce makes it a winner on its own, but it leaves room for your own creative touches. If there are ingredients you like to add to your sauces, Corky’s Barbecue Sauce makes a great base sauce to work with.

Cayenne peppers, molasses, Worcestershire, onions and garlic, natural smoke flavor, tamarind, tomato paste, and corn syrup provide the flavor foundation here. Throw in a few spices and that’s the extent of the sauce’s ingredients. Continue Reading

Fighting Cock Barbecue Sauce – This one is made with a bourbon base. Bourbon is an alcohol that seems to have been made for barbecue sauce. It adds a smoothness to the mix that delivers on flavor. Fighting Cock Kentucky Bourbon Barbecue Sauce is bourbon-based barbecue sauce at the top of the heap.

Tomato sauce, hot sauce, garlic, onions, chili peppers, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, black pepper, anchovies, lemon powder, lemon oil, lemon juice, smoke flavoring, and habenero peppers all work with the smooth bourbon to create a barbecue sauce that will smack you upside the head.

Hot (the pepper additions see to that) and smoky, with a pleasing aftermath that will have you coming back for more. Continue Reading

Cowtown Barbecue Sauce – What isn’t good about Kansas City’s Cowtown BBQ sauce? My father-in-law is from Texas. He knows about barbecue and he has very specific tastes. He will not eat barbecue that doesn’t live up to a reputation as big as the state of Texas itself.

Everybody (or at least those who know barbecue) knows that Kansas City is a big barbecue city – big enough to compete with Texas. This barbecue sauce has what it takes to handle the competition, even when a Texan is doing the judging.

The ingredients here read like a who’s who of Kansas City barbecue flavors. There’s Ketchup, white vinegar, brown sugar Worcestershire Sauce, ground mustard, black pepper, garlic, onions, and some cayenne to give it a little life. Continue Reading

Makers Mark Gourmet Sauce – This is a hand crafted sauce with Maker’s Mark Bourbon as its foundation. The ingredient list in this sauce is extensive, with everything finding its place. Pineapple, applesauce, raisins, anchovies, tomato paste, molasses, chili peppers, garlic, onion, salt, cloves, tamarind, paprika, and shallots are just some of the ingredients.

Makers Mark Gourmet Sauce label calls this a gourmet sauce and that’s right on the money. It’s extremely thick, rich, and full of flavor. The bourbon stands out, but it doesn’t overpower the rest of the flavors, giving this sauce a well-balanced personality.

While you could certainly use this as a barbecue sauce, Maker’s Mark isn’t billed as a barbecue sauce, and its uses are more far reaching. Continue Reading

Ole Ray’s Apple Cinnamon Barbecue Sauce – This combination is a no brainer, but I’ve never had it until now. It would seem apple and cinnamon in a barbecue sauce would be more prevalent. It really should be. Ole Ray has touched upon a masterpiece here. The key might be the combination of the apple jelly, cinnamon, and cayenne, but the entire list of ingredients is a surprising combo.

In addition to the three I’ve mentioned, there’s also tomato, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, corn syrup, molasses, yellow mustard, brown sugar, liquid smoke, caramel, onion and garlic powders, black pepper, and an assortment of spices. Needless to say, this is an extremely sweet concoction.

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Swamp Honky Chipotle Barbecue Sauce – Ketchup, honey, mustard, molasses, chipotle peppers, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, onions, brown sugar, liquid smoke, hot sauce, garlic, and a blend of spices combine in Swamp Honky Chipotle Barbecue Sauce to deliver a savory, smoky barbecue sauce that’s perfect for steaks, hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken. I don’t even bother to throw the meat on the grill. If I fry up a hamburger or cook a hot dog, this stuff goes  right on the bun. If I broil a steak, I pour this stuff right on top. In fact, as a steak sauce, it’s pretty darn good.

I’m a fan of the chipotle. For those keeping score, a chipotle is a smoke-dried jalepeno, and believe me, they are good. Continue Reading

Mad Dog BBQ Sauce is a meaty tasting sauce heavy on the smoke and with just a touch of warmth. Mad Dog has made some fine hot sauces, so I wasn’t surprised to find a barbecue sauce this rich and flavorful. This is the kind of sauce you want to slather on a side of ribs, some lamb, veal, and any other kind of meat you’re in the mood for. This is a barbecue and meat lovers sauce of choice.

Mad Dog BBQ Sauce has a medium thick pour, a rich brown color, and grainy texture that leaves a big taste in your mouth. After cooking a couple of steaks on the grill with this sauce painted all over them, I added more on the plate, just to dip my meat in. I even barbecued some burgers for the kids and had one myself, just because I wanted more of the Mad Dog. Continue Reading

Bear Claw Chipotle Barbecue Sauce – This will burn the hair off your pooper. That’s what the label on the bottle says. Truth be told, it isn’t that hot, but there is a nice little warmth that rolls through your tummy after you take a taste. The chipotle flavor comes through — a nice smoked pepper flavor that begs for a grilled steak, ribs, or even a simple barbecued hamburger.

Bear Claw Chipotle Barbecue Sauce pours easy. It’s got a sweet underlying flavor with that plays nice with the smoked pepper. All the usual suspects are in the ingredients, including garlic, bell peppers, sugar, salt, pepper, onion, Worcestershire sauce, and a bunch of other things that give this barbecue sauce a sweet, slightly tangy flavor. The surprise addition here is the crushed pineapple, which is where the sweet overtones come in. Continue Reading

Night of the Living BBQ Sauce (killer name) is cut from the same cloth as Kansas City’s Cowtown Barbecue Sauce. The difference here is in the balance of flavors. While this one maintains a touch of the Kansas City barbecue style flavor, the focus is on something a little more outside the box. The ingredients include ketchup, light brown sugar, chipotle puree, white vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, mustard flower, smoke flavor, and spices.

The smoke flavoring and the chipotle puree really give Night of the Living BBQ Sauce a heavy smoky character. The chipotle delivers a very mild heat that adds to the savory aspect of the flavor. Continue Reading

Irish Scream BBQ Sauce – I love the barbecue wars. I really do. Every time you turn around, there’s a new sauce that claims to be the winner of several awards. Sometimes the claims are accurate and the titles are well deserved. Sometimes they aren’t. At any rate, these barbecue wars result in some extremely delicious sauces.

Irish Scream BBQ Sauce is one of those sauces. Okay, so I’m Irish. I was probably going to love this sauce from the word go. I say probably, because if it had been one of those boring sauces that claim to be something special, I would have tossed it out on its butt. Continue Reading

Gringo Jack’s Smokin’ Whiskey BBQ Sauce is truly a masterful combination of ingredients. There’s tomato puree, cider vinegar, brown sugar, onions, tomato paste, chilies, and lime juice all set to a splash of bourbon whiskey that makes this a sauce for the barbecue connoisseur.

A thick rib eye steak was the first thing I used this sauce on. I broiled it in the oven and put Gringo Jack’s Smokin’ Whiskey BBQ Sauce on right at the last couple of minutes. I ended up with a medium rare rib eye that had one of the most phenomenal tastes I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
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Roadhouse Texas Tango BBQ sauce is a chunky sauce with lots of big Texas flavor. The ingredients include a tomato puree, vinegar, sugar, tomatoes, raisins, pineapple, jalapeno, onion, lime juice, salt, garlic, natural smoke flavor, and some green chilies for good measure. These ingredients come together in a surprisingly well-balanced blend that gives Roadhouse Texas Tango BBQ sauce a unique personality, combining both the classic taste of Texas barbecue with a sweet note.

I mentioned this is a chunky sauce. By chunky, I mean you could almost eat it as a meal. The ingredients are diced up and infused throughout the bottle of sauce so you get a mouthful of goodness in every bite. Continue Reading

These Fork ’N Halo sauces never fail to please. The Fork ’N Halo Heavenly Hickory, as the name implies, features the great taste of hickory smoke. Couple that with the traditionally sweet notes of all Fork ’N Halo sauces and you get something that works.

Ribs are one of my favorite foods. I slathered some of Fork ’N Halo Heavenly Hickory BBQ Sauce over a sample of beef and pork ribs just about five minutes before they were finished cooking. The sauce cooked to a beautiful consistency and the meat absorbed the smoky-sweet goodness, delivering a barbecue rib experience that reminded me of a little BBQ shack I ran across in Louisiana. Continue Reading