In BBQ, sauces are used to flavor, marinade, glaze, and as a condiment or topping for grilled and smoked meats, especially ribs and chicken.
History places the origin of BBQ sauce to the first American colonies of the 17th century and can be found in recipes and cookbooks (both English and French) over the following two centuries.
Much like chili in Texas, these sauces were less about gourmet ambitions and more about masking the often off-putting odors and flavors of “aged” meat in a pre-refrigeration society.
The origins of these sauces isn’t particularly complicated, take the traditional tastes and flavors of the predominant immigrant population, add in the most similar ingredients that could be found locally, and mix with some good old American ingenuity, and you have the roots of a tradition that has only grown stronger and more popular over the last two centuries.
South Carolina mustard sauce, for example, can be traced to that region’s German settlers of the early 18th century.
Ingredients vary widely even within states and counties of the American South, but most include a base of vinegar, tomato paste, or mayonnaise (or a combination).
Liquid smoke, and spices like paprika, mustard, and black pepper, and sweeteners
such as sugar and molasses typically round of the recipes.
Here are four of my personal favorites…
Eastern North Carolina BBQ Sauce (my favorite)
(Thin and Tangy)
- 1 Gal. cider vinegar
- 1 Cup crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp. ground black pepper
- ¼ Cup fine sea salt
Combine ingredients, heat to a low simmer, and cook 20-30 minutes, stirring often.
Chill for at least 24 hours (72 is better) before using it.
North Carolina Barbecue Sauce
In the Carolinas, the barbeque meat is pork, and the barbeque sauces are matters of hot debate even from one town to the next. Some sauces are thin and vinegary, while some regions add ketchup or even mustard. This is the recipe I grew up with.
- 1 qt cider vinegar
- 12 oz ketchup
- 2/3 C packed brown sugar
- 2 Tbs salt
- ¼ C lemon juice
- 1 Tbs red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbs smoked paprika
- 1 Tbs onion powder
- 1 tsp each: black pepper, dry mustard
Bring all ingredients to the boil, and then simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring frequently.
Allow to cool, and serve or bottle.
Memphis-Style Barbecue Sauce
Slightly on the sweeter side, Memphis barbecue sauce has its own distinctive flavor, as well.
Though the specific ingredients will vary from cook to cook, Memphis sauce is usually made with tomatoes, vinegar, and any countless combination of spices.
Memphis sauce is poured over pulled pork or served alongside dry ribs.
- 1 Tbs butter
- ¼ C finely chopped onion
- 1 ½ C ketchup
- ¼ C chili sauce
- 4 Tbs brown sugar
- 4 Tbs molasses
- 2 Tbs yellow mustard
- 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbs liquid hickory smoke
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- dash cayenne pepper
Bring all ingredients to the boil, and then simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring frequently.
Allow to cool, and serve or bottle.
Texas Brisket Sauce
Texas is famous for tender slow-smoked brisket. Sauces are usually thin, spicy, and mixed with intensely flavorful pan drippings.
- ½ C brisket drippings (defatted)
- ½ C vinegar
- 1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
- ½ C ketchup
- ½ tsp hot pepper sauce (Franks)
- 1 lg onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
- 1 Tbs salt
- ½ tsp chili powder
- Juice of one lemon
Combine all ingredients.
Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Allow to cool and refrigerate 24-48 hours before using.
South Carolina Gold Sauce
- ½ Gal. yellow mustard
- ½ Gal. cider vinegar
- 1 Cup light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. sea salt
- ¼ Cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp. black pepper
- ¼ Cup Louisiana hot sauce (to taste)
For each of these recipes, combine ingredients, heat to a low simmer, and cook 20-30 minutes, stirring often.
Chill for at least 24 hours (72 is better) before using.
4 Fantastic BBQ Rubs
Dry seasoning blends, known as “rubs”, are often used on grilled or barbecued meats.
Dry rubbed ribs are a well-known, and popular dish, but steaks, burgers or pork chops are also given flavor through a spice rub.
Most typical BBQ spice rubs include chili and cayenne pepper, garlic and onion powder, salt and black pepper, paprika and dry mustard. Although the quantities of hot ingredients can be adjusted, rubs are often extremely spicy mixes that add a powerful kick to meat.
Chef Perry’s Pork Rub
This is my top-secret pork shoulder rub. Apply it generously to the inside of a butterflied shoulder, roll it, tie it, and apply more rub to the outside. You MUST allow the rubbed shoulder to rest in the fridge at least overnight so that the rub will help form that wonderful "bark" while roasting.
Finally, after it’s done cooking and you've pulled, chopped, or shredded the meat, give it one last sprinkle for an intense, spicy flavor.
- ¼ C coarse sea salt
- ¼ C light brown sugar
- 2 Tbs garlic powder
- 2 Tbs onion powder
- 2 Tbs Italian seasonings)
- 4 Tbs smoked paprika
- 2 Tbs coarse black pepper
- 1 Tbs hickory salt
- 1 tsp cayenne powder
Mix well.
Good for 6-8lbs of pork.
Amazing Brisket Rub
For 4 full briskets (7-8lbs each):
- 1 C fine sea salt
- 1 C coarse pepper
- 1 C granulated garlic
- 1/4 C smoked paprika
Rub briskets and refrigerate 12-24 hours.
Allow briskets to come to room temp before smoking.
Smoke brisket(s) with a combination of oak and pecan wood chips or pellets, at a temp between 200-225.
Smokey Beef Rib Rub
- 2 Tbs brown sugar
- 2 Tbs black pepper
- 2 Tbs smoked paprika
- 2 Tbs chili powder
- 2 tsp onion salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp celery salt
- 2 tsp seasoning salt
Mix well and rub both sides of ribs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Bring ribs to room temperature before cooking.
Hellfire Cajun Rub
Dry rubs can be applied to meat, fish, or poultry or added to pasta, jambalaya, or any dish that you want to spice up. This rub makes a great seasoning for fried, baked, or grilled chicken, as well.
- 8 Tbs smoked paprika
- 4 Tbs cayenne powder
- 4 Tbs dried parsley
- 4 Tbs black pepper
- 2 Tbs garlic powder
- 6 Tbs fine sea salt
- 2 Tbs ground cumin
- 4 Tbs dried oregano
- 1 tsp ghost chili powder (to taste)
Combine all the ingredients, mix well and store 24-48 hours, in an airtight container, before using.
Wear gloves, and use extreme caution, when handling ghost chili powder, even breathing the tiniest amount will be painful. This chili has been measured at over 1 million Scoville units (by comparison, Jalapeno peppers are about 4500 Scoville units.)
This is the hottest chili powder available anywhere. Start with just a teaspoon...trust me.
Barbeque Mops
Barbecue "Mops" or basting sauces are typically thin, vinegar-based liquids that are applied to meats during the slow cooking process of traditional barbecue, to keep the meat moist and add flavor. Tomato juice, vinegar, apple cider, beer, citrus juices, or a combination of the above, are typical ingredients.
Mops have been used for almost as long as meat has been cooked over fire. In the old, open-air pits, moisture would steam off during the long hours of slow cooking over red-hot coals.
Mopping helped the meat retain its moistures and stay tender, instead of becoming giant slabs of jerky.
History
Legend has it that President Johnson liked his barbecue, and often called upon his favorite Pitmaster to cook for hundreds of guests.
The meal would be cooked on a forty square-foot open-air fire pit.
The cook would cover every inch of this in ribs, briskets, halved pigs, and just about any other meat he could think of.
To keep all that meat moist, he mopped it with a thinned sauce...using a real mop. Hence the barbecue term, "mop."
Today you can buy a miniature tool that looks like a kitchen mop to mop your meat. the cotton fibers hold the thin mop sauce and make it easy to dash large amounts on at once. It’s preferable to a basting brush, as it’s less likely to wipe off seasonings that are already on the meat.
Basic Vinegar Mop
- 2 C cider vinegar
- ½ C vegetable oil
- 5 tsp salt 4 tsp red
- pepper flakes
Combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer, allow to cool overnight to help the flavors marry.
Keep warm and apply to meat before you close La Caja China, when you flip the meat, and again when the meat is done cooking.
Allow the meat to rest at least 30 minutes to soak up the mop.
Carolina Basting Mop
Mopping (basting) the meat while cooking helps keep it moist and adds additional flavors. Never use a basting brush on any meat that has a dry rub applied, as it will brush off seasonings.
Mop the meat every 30 minutes for the first half of the cooking time.
- 2 qts water
- 2 qts apple cider vinegar
- 2 qts vegetable oil
- 1 C liquid smoke
- ½ C salt
- ¼ C cayenne pepper
- ¼ C black pepper
Combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer. Allow to cool overnight, and warm before using.
Use as a rib/chicken baste, or sprinkle on pulled or chopped barbecued pork before serving.
Beef Rib Mop
- 3/4 C brown sugar
- 1/2 C bottled barbecue sauce
- 1/2 C ketchup
- 1/2 C cider vinegar
- 1/2 C Worcestershire sauce
- 1 C water
- 1 Tbs salt
- 1 Tbs chili powder -- optional
- 1 Tbs paprika
Combine all ingredients in a quart jar. Shake to blend thoroughly.
Best if made ahead of time; will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator.
This mop is great for brisket, as well. Keep warm and apply to ribs before you close your grill or smoker, when you flip the ribs, and again when the ribs are done cooking.
Makes 1 quart
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As a third-generation chef, Perry P. Perkins focuses his love of cooking on barbeque, traditional southern fare, and fresh Northwest cuisine.
His cookbooks include BBQ: A Gome Chef's Guide, Grilling: A Home Chef's Guide, La Caja China Cooking, La Caja China World, La Caja China Party, and the NEW “La Caja China Grill.”
You can follow the rest of Chef Perry’s cooking adventures at ChefPerryPerkins.com, and perryperkinsbooks.com
His cookbooks include BBQ: A Gome Chef's Guide, Grilling: A Home Chef's Guide, La Caja China Cooking, La Caja China World, La Caja China Party, and the NEW “La Caja China Grill.”
You can follow the rest of Chef Perry’s cooking adventures at ChefPerryPerkins.com, and perryperkinsbooks.com
