OK, my Grandma taught me how to cook. Never saw a recipe and everything was always excellent. The difference between hers and mine....... Mine is never the same twice.

I like to mix and match from different sauces, and add my own touches. I'll give a rundown from a large batch.

1- Bulls Eye - traditional, large bottle
1- Sweet Baby Rays - traditional, small bottle
1- KC Masterpiece - traditional, small bottle - Probably the thinnest of the bunch and makes a better mixer
you could also use Mauls, whichever taste you prefer, I've used both.
Some Honey. If you can find something other than clover honey, it is much better. It is hard to find around here.
Some Brown Sugar.
A little bit of Paprika
A little bit chili seasoning
A little bit Cyan pepper
Some Mrs. Dash - Table grind
I even add a little dry rub to the mix. - what ever I have on hand and sounds good at the time.

I put this all in a large bowl and mix.

I have never had this come out bad. Some were extremely good, but all were better than store bought alone.

Now depending on how long I plan on cooking makes the difference between putting on the sauce early and cooking with the sauce on, or cooking the meat and glazing. (I've only slow cooked a few times. Tastes great, but takes too much time and effort. I'm not that good at it, and don't have the patients.) If I slow cook over a couple of hours, I will cook in the sauce. This is contrary to what just about everyone does, but it has worked for me. Otherwise it is sear, drop the temp, turn until done, and glaze.

Note:
I have never tried ribs. As much as I love them, I don't know if I could make them as good as I would like.

Depending on the food, I like Sweet Baby Rays, Famous Daves or Walkers Wood. I will also make my own for a vinegar based sauce and make my own dry rubs.

Walkerswood

I like to use a combo of Bullseye and Kraft honey BBQ. I mix it together with some roasted garlic, brown sugar and honey. I normally put this on beer can chicken when it is about 2/3rds done other wise the sugars in the brown sugar, honey, and factory sauces will burn even over low and indirect heat.

I LOVE Johnny Harris. Its my favorite sauce all around. Its out of Savannah, GA.

Stubbs hot.

Sweet Baby Ray's. We just discovered this sauce this year, and it's awesome. I do the sear then glaze thing myself, for most of it. I've done smoked pork loin, and smoked ribs, but unless it's a big get together, it's not worth the time for me. I generally use lump charcoal, with some apple wood for a bit of smoke thrown in. I may not be the best BBQ chef in the world, but I do have my neighbors convinced I am.

Surely, you're not asking a man for his super secret BBQ sauce?

I will contribute though on the mixing and matching when one is in a hurry. Even in a hurry, I never go just stock but I do favor Bullseye and KC Masterpiece as quick base stocks. Though I never use Hunts as a primary, I typically keep a bottle around. Its almost pure tomato really so works pretty well to dilute your mixture a little. You have be careful though, its awfully bland and doesn't glaze for crap, but its already cooked and beats pulling out a can of tomato sauce.

As for the what do I blend, that really depends on the what am I cooking and what goes with it. Where commercial restaurants will use one sauce for basting, coating, beef, pork, and chicken, I don't. Depending on how you are cooking basting and coating are two totally different applications and trying to accomplish too different things.

I think telling you what I don't do is easier than what I do. I don't see BBQ sauce as a once the meat is cooked flavor coating. Though I may have a basting mix and a separate coating mix or not, I do like some of the flavor cooked in. This is often more work and a messier cooker but I think its worth the effort. Although this is very meat selection dependent, I try when I can to not do secondary cooking from the primary. Boiling for example takes flavor from the meat. Now sometimes you want to do that like with wild game or cheap meat, but I do consider it a thing to avoid when possible. I can always tell when someone does the old boil the ribs throw the sauce on last. I'll eat it but seldom if ever does it match the I took the time to evaluate the meat and adjusted my heat to achieve the same texture without sacrificing taste.

I always try to achieve that cowboy on a spit over an open fire slow roasted taste. That means even using gas or charcoal, I use wood a lot. Having been raised in Appalachia, I always have Hickory around. Having become a BBQ fanatic in my ten years in Texas, I always have Mesquite around.

Spices, once again, its easier to say what I don't do than what I do. Though I have favorites, I don't have a add this and only this list. I instead flavor to taste and its the taste I'm out to achieve. What taste I'm after differs by what I'm cooking, how, and what taste I'm hoping to achieve. A hot pulled pork is different than say a basted bird or ribs.

As for how often and how long have I BBQed, well lets just say I got over just burn some meat on the grill around 1979 and I grill so often my neighbors when I lived on the Great Lakes all thought I was seriously nuts especially in winter when they'd see my doors open, a hand come out, do some task on the grill, then the door slam back to keep the sub-zero temps from freezing me to death.

As in all things cooking, it all starts with the food selection. Though BBQ sauce like Chili came about to make cheap foods taste good, it does remarkable things to very good meat. That takes some effort but I think its worth it. Life was pretty easy when I lived in Texas. I had this butcher that hand selected his livestock and would cut me just the cuts with the right marbling I wanted. These days, its a constant battle. Today for example, I had to take my MIL to the eye doctor. While she did the doctor, I went to the market and browsed the meat. Though a store full of stuff, I only walked out with two cuts and of the two only one of them was really on sale. The other one just looked so pretty I couldn't walk away from it. Having a chest freezer really helps.

Though I take great pride in my BBQ, without a doubt the best steak in America is my house.

Tj

Sweet Baby Rays or Famous Daves

Who came up with this thread. This would be like posting nude pics of my Gf with her age and address. I think the nude pics of the Gf would happen she might forgive me.

Sweet Baby Rays Spicy for me, the original is also great!

Cups Sorgum molasses
1/4 cup honey
1 cup vinigar b
Blend till smooth
add 3 cans of tomato paste
2 crushed roast garlic clovess
1 nedium onion.
1medium green pepper
Dried hot ground peppers
Lemon extract.
White red pepper.
While blending
Put in sause pan using a small amout of white vinigar to clean blender
Bring slowly to boil. Let simmer for 1 hour
Let cool put in the back of fridge to age 2 day. Taste. Add spices and reheat to slow boil. Bottle and store in fridge. You can make it as spicy as you want. Best thing to do is try a couple of different mixtures. Best used with charcoal or wood.
Forgot the onoin.
Now you have to sign secretcy oaths and yell shut up at anyone who uses this.

This post has been edited by pzkwV424: July 30th 2009 4:39 AM

I also use, meat dependant, either teriyaki, or Lea and Perrins worcestershire sauce to thin the mix if necessary.

This is my grill, and it makes me look good. I got it last year, and would consider buying another one for when this one wears out. I haven't had a bad piece of meat from it yet.
http://www.charbroil.com/Consumer/ProductS...uctSeriesID=431
I don't have the rotisserie, but have considered buying one.

What I like about this is, I can put what ever juice, beer etc, in the pans and let it steam the meat. It keeps if moist after searing. I just have to watch my liquid levels so that it will still glaze the BBQ sauce. You really can't put the sauce on while the liquid is still boiling. I haven't used wood chips in it yet, because I haven't bought them, and I can never remember them when we are out. I could even put a briquette or two of charcoal in one side of the pans to get that extra something the charcoal adds.

Here in the mid-west they eat what is called a pork steak. Nasty little things that you get a taste for after about 18 years. I had never heard of them before moving to IL. Lots of fat, and a little meat, but if done correctly they can be tasty. It usually takes me 10 minutes to cut the meat from the fat if I wait until mine is cooked. About once a year, I will cut them up before cooking. 5 steaks takes me about 25-35 minutes to cut most of the fat off and remove the bone. These tend to be my favorites, but I don't usually have the extra time.

I have never tried ribs. I don't want to spend a pile of money and ruin them. One of these days...

Struttin' Gates from Kansas City, MO... Accept no substitutes.

Good eats right thurr

I like kc masterpiece with some added honey and a bit of cayenne pepper. Put that on some st louis style ribs, thats some good eatin there.

also another one that I occasionally make is this- found it allrecipes.com called bourbon whiskey bbq sauce.

1/2 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup bourbon whiskey
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon salt
2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup tomato paste
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste

1.in a large skillet over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic, and whiskey. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Mix in the ground black pepper, salt, ketchup, tomato paste, vinegar, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and hot pepper sauce.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Run sauce through a strainer if you prefer a smooth sauce.