I was looking through my social media stream the other day and saw that Danielle Bennett (AKA Diva Q) had posted a nice little article on the Char-Broil “Live” website regarding DIY BBQ Sauce. As I posted on a BBQ Sauce making class just the other day, I thought I’d chime in on this post as well. You can find the original article here.
Diva Q’s DIY BBQ Sauce Guide From Char-Broil
In this post, Danielle does a great job of summarizing the most common regional sauce varieties:
- Kansas City Sweet – sweet ketchup and sugar based sauce
- Alabama White – a lesser known tangy mayonnaise based sauce
- Carolina Style – which ranges from vinegar based to mustard based
She also advises that “Tennessee is abundant with many tomato and ketchup-based sauces, but there are pockets where thin vinegar sauces can be found. Whiskey is a popular additive to many sauces in this state.” And that “In Texas, beef is king and sauce is used sparingly. Mops are sometimes used for meats cooked in large open pits and can be comprised of Worcestershire, steak sauce and beefy stocks.”
But the BEST part of this post is that Danielle offers up recipes for several of these sauce styles – including a great Canadian Maple Bourbon one – that you can use to get a feel for each of these sauces right in your own kitchen.
So definitely head over to the article to grab hold of these BBQ Sauce recipes. (I believe Charbroil has since shortened the post, so all of the sauces might not be there. The Sweet BBQ Sauce one is, and it’s great!)
Diva Q’s Barbecue: 195 Recipes for Cooking with Family, Friends & Fire
Luckily – Danielle has a new book out called Diva Q’s Barbecue: 195 Recipes for Cooking with Family, Friends & Fire that’s getting great reviews! This backyard barbecue book is packed with simple recipes for casual, down-to-earth family food.
She’s prepped and set the table for you to get the most value out of this book possible:
- Get started with the six recipes you need to know most
- Move to chapters on appetizers as easy as they are delicious
- Enjoy her delicious and succulent take pork, bacon (Diva Q’s claim to fame) beef, fowl, and seafood
- And finally, enjoy sides, salads, slaws, breads and desserts, that take you from the basics to the best the barbecue world has to offer.
With more than just recipes, Diva Q takes all the guesswork out of grilling for you, with guidance on everything from getting great char marks, to picking the right meat–and even points you to her YouTube videos online for extra help. If it’s got anything to do with barbecue, Diva Q has got you covered!
Diva Q’s Barbecue is an indispensable book for every backyard barbecuer, and the perfect companion when cooking for a crowd. So fire up the grill and invite your friends over–because life’s too short for bad barbecue!
Other DIY BBQ Sauce Resources
Texas Style BBQ Sauce – Aaron Franklin of Franklin BBQ
Like most Texans, Aaron believes sauce should be used to cover up less than stellar BBQ. But, as he says… “If you’re one of *those* who like sauce, learn this basic Texas recipe to serve alongside your meat.” This video is an excerpt from BBQ with Franklin: The Payoff – which is a great video tutorial on cooking authentic Texas Style Brisket.
8 Must Try Regional BBQ Sauces
If you’ve read even just a few books on BBQ, you’ve likely come across and found useful Steven Raichlen’s book The Barbecue! Bible. As we see in Danielle’s article, Steven covers various regional BBQ sauce styles.
From the book:
A few years ago, I was discussing barbecue with uber chef Thomas Keller of French Laundry and Per Se fame. “Where I come from,” he said, “the sauce is the barbecue.” Sorry, Chef, but in this barbecue community a lot of folks would beg to differ. For most smoke fanatics, barbecue is the long, slow, smoky cooking of meat in a pit and the sauce is a supporting player.
But supporting actors play a major roll, too. (Just watch the Oscars.) As you travel America’s barbecue trail, you’ll find some pretty formidable sauces. This lip-licking road trip across 7 states highlights 8 must-try regional barbecue sauces. And you can find more from across the U.S. in my book, Barbecue! Bible Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades. — Steven Raichlen
You can find the article here, with lots of links to other articles by Steven and some outside website resources as well.
Paul Kirk’s Championship Barbecue Sauces
Easily one of the most recognizable books in BBQ, Paul Kirk’s book on BBQ Sauces is a great resource for anyone looking get started with DIY BBQ Sauce making.
What I love most about this book is that it puts the art of sauce making into the hands of the backyard grilling and BBQ enthusiast. Paul Kirk puts together 175 excellent recipes that offer up a wide range of flavor profiles: from bold to zesty… giving flavor to every cut of meat.
You’ll love his recipes for some of the most traditional and long-standing American sauces—with tomatoes, mustard, sugar, or vinegar at their base. He then “kicks things up a notch” offering fresh creations flavored with such things as raspberries, pineapple, ginger, chili peppers, and more.
Down to earth and easy to follow, the BBQ sauce recipes in this book will for sure turn you into the “King of the Cul de Sac!” at your next backyard BBQ.
And who knows? After trying your hand at some of these sauces, you may even wind up crafting a new BBQ sauce of your very own design!
Do You Already Make a DIY BBQ Sauce? I Want to Know!
What is your favorite BBQ sauce to make at home? Chances are you’re reading this post and thinking the sauce you make up at home or for BBQ competitions is pretty good! I’d love to know what it is and what kind of flavor profile it has.
What do your friends and family say about your “go to DIY BBQ Sauce?”
Share your answer in the comments section below!
And as always… if you found this post interesting, please share this post using the social media share buttons you see here. I’ll surely appreciate it!
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