homemade bbq sauce vs. store bought

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TheCook

Senior Cook
Joined
Apr 30, 2006
Messages
452
Location
Longview, TX
Most of you gurus probably make your own bbq sauce. Is there really enough of a difference in homemade sauce vs. store bought sauce to make your own? Or is making your own sauce just part of the bbqing experience that we all like?

I've never had homemade bbq sauce.

Thanks.
 
Love2<º>< said:
Most of you gurus probably make your own bbq sauce. Is there really enough of a difference in homemade sauce vs. store bought sauce to make your own? Or is making your own sauce just part of the bbqing experience that we all like?

I've never had homemade bbq sauce.

Thanks.

It all depends on what you like. I don't make my own. I normally tweak a store bought version or something I buy off the net.
 
Love2<º>< said:
... Is there really enough of a difference in homemade sauce vs. store bought sauce to make your own?
There is in my house ~ Can't seem to get it right! #-o
 
I have purchased very expensive sauce because the label look really cool. To be honest I think I like Kraft original because it just taste good. I do not really care for overly sweet sauce but many people do. If I were going to make my own I think I would pour the cheap stuff in a bowl and mix in some of Larry's rub and tell everyone I invented it myself.
 
I've tryed to make my own sauce #-o
Like Larry said tweaking the store bought stuff works.
I know alot of guys that use Open Pit as a base for their homemade sauce's :!:
 
I can make 7 gallons for what 2 gallons of storebought cost and it's better! If you need volume, it pays to make your own! Then, for personal use, I blend 1 part Texas Pepper Jelly Pineapple Habanero to one part sauce. Add a shot of GOOD tequila and ZOWIE!!!!!!
 
I very hardly ever use sauce on my meats. But when I do use sauce i make my own. I like my stuff alot better than that store bought stuff. It took me a few tries to get it down. I make it in large batches and just freeze it. I make it large batches because I hate making it. Too much to clean up. I like my sauce better becasue when you are eating it has a nice tangy flavor but when you are done you can fell the burn. I also found when makeing sauce it is better to let it sit for a few days.

Chris
 
Woodman said:
I can make 7 gallons for what 2 gallons of storebought cost and it's better! If you need volume, it pays to make your own! Then, for personal use, I blend 1 part Texas Pepper Jelly Pineapple Habanero to one part sauce. Add a shot of GOOD tequila and ZOWIE!!!!!!

And the Woody recipe is............... 8-[
 
chris1237 said:
I very hardly ever use sauce on my meats. But when I do use sauce i make my own. I like my stuff alot better than that store bought stuff. It took me a few tries to get it down. I make it in large batches and just freeze it. I make it large batches because I hate making it. Too much to clean up. I like my sauce better becasue when you are eating it has a nice tangy flavor but when you are done you can fell the burn. I also found when makeing sauce it is better to let it sit for a few days.

Chris
And Chris's recipe is............... 8-[
 
I think it depends on what you're doing. I make myown sauce for pulled pork, but use storebought for ribs. Chicken, I use Rev marvins, sometimes kicked up with honey. I know in Texas, they like the heavier sauces...if you like the store bought, good. You might want to experiment with tweaking one of those...that's how I got started.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

Another thing that I dont think is common to TX is "pulled pork". I've seen the pictures and Im assuming you just eat it like chopped beef? Flop some sauce on it, and stick it between some bread? Damn Im getting hungry!

Is the process of pulled pork like the name implies? Do you just pull it apart into small pieces?
 
I've made quite a few batches of home made stuff and for me at least home made took some getting used to.

The cornstarch-sugar-water-ketchup-liquid smoke BBQ sauce like Kraft or others is all I had ever known since in my family we never made our own.

One other thing, it can be kinda hard to judge home made by how it tastes right after you make it (see previous point :grin: ). Go the full mile and get it on that meat on the grill in the bun or whatever.

Try some recipes that look appealing to you, do a smallish batch to start with (not a gallon).

When you find one you like you can tweak it and possibly best of all, you can get away from liquid smoke!!!

Throw it in a shallow pan in the smoker for a while and give it authentic smoke flavor.
 
Love2,

You want to do a boston-but. I think it is great for pulled pork. Use two forks or what ever and pull it apart. It will fall apart. Smoke it to 195. Let it rest about and hour wrapped in foil and pull away. Chop it and put it on a bun if you like. I eat it pulled and an a plate or make a sandwich. On the sandwich I use bun, pork, dill pickles and sauce. People here North Carolina don't put a dill pickle but use a vinegar slaw or mayo slaw. I don't care for any type of mayo slaw but I do like the vinegar slaw. I'm doing a butt tomorrow on my new WSM. Won't eat it until Monday. I was thinking about leaving the WSM unattended Monday but after the advice from the guys here I didn't to smoke it an put it in the refrigerator until Monday. Here are some pictures of two butts I've recently done.

http://usera.imagecave.com/cleglue/Boston-Butt/

http://usera.imagecave.com/cleglue/Boston-Butt22006/

Smoke them pretty much like you did your brisket.
 
Mine is basically 2 parts Ketchup to 1 part Vinegar. Add some molassas, honey, and jelly or preserves (I like blackberry especially) add brown sugar, Dr Pepper, garlic, black pepper, onion powder, chile powder, celery salt, and smoked sea salt (it gives you the flavor of smoke naturally! Thats it! You figure out the proportions of the seasoning! Oh yeah, red pepper flakes to taste! Biggest advice is WATCH THE AMOUNT OF BLACK PEPPER IN BBQ SAUCE! (it is easy to overdue! ) :!:
 
Love2<º>< said:
Most of you gurus probably make your own bbq sauce. Is there really enough of a difference in homemade sauce vs. store bought sauce to make your own? Or is making your own sauce just part of the bbqing experience that we all like?

I've never had homemade bbq sauce.

Thanks.

Well I can make my own sauce but if I have to buy it locally I perfer either Bull`s Eye , or Sweet Baby Rays Honey.
 
I usually make my own sauces and rubs. There are about 4 sauces that I make ranging from a sweet maple sauce that I really don't use much anymore (too expensive to make unless someone gives me maple syrup), a piedmont sauce thats like Tennessee Red and the one I use now that I can add chipotles with adobo to heat up.

My new sauce ( I call it "S") is a knockoff of a sauce I used last season and liked. During football playoffs I listed the ingredients from the bottle and searched the Internet for a sauce recipe that had the same ingredients in the same order then started tweaking it to my liking. I now have a sauce that is cheap to make (about $9 for 4 gallons) that I really like and most people that taste it like it also. It seems to be a good mother sauce that is really thick, I can thin with cider and vinegar for pork and thin with just cider for the first few thin glaze coats for chicken and ribs.

I really don't cook barbecue in the winter and use the time making sauce and sausage.

R
 
cleglue said:
I'm doing a butt tomorrow on my new WSM. Won't eat it until Monday.

You've got more will power than I do, then. I'm cooking two butts this morning, hoping to eat them tonight but I got kind of a late start, so I might be pulling them in the wee hours Sunday morning. But no matter how late it is, I gotta have at least one sandwich! :!:
 
Larry D. said:
cleglue said:
I'm doing a butt tomorrow on my new WSM. Won't eat it until Monday.

You've got more will power than I do, then. I'm cooking two butts this morning, hoping to eat them tonight but I got kind of a late start, so I might be pulling them in the wee hours Sunday morning. But no matter how late it is, I gotta have at least one sandwich! :!:
I usually fill up while pulling... :)
 
I'm not a fan of sweet sauces, and I can't find "retail" sauce that isn't sweet, so I make my own. Try this:
2.5 cups Apple Cider Vin., 0.5 cups H2O, 0.5 cups ketchup, add 1 TBL crushed red pepper, 1-2 TBL kosher salt, 1 tsp each fresh ground black pepper, white pepper, chipotle (pwdr) or cayanne pepper , your favorite hot sauce, and your favorite rub along with 1 - 2 TBL brown sugar.

Mix in a blender and store in the fridge. I've found that it isn't as good if anyother kind of vinegar is used. I subbed habenero peppers for the crushed red pepper once, well...the wife called me of alot of things I can't say in this forum.

I've had strangers ask me off the street for this stuff.
DATsBBQ
 
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