What is the best bbq sauce?

[HouseHomey]

Nice!!

[Bumby]

Other than on a few things, I generally skip traditional sauce. My issue with it is that it changes the flavors that I've spent hours building via brining and rubbing. And I frequently find that the sauce at worst clashes with or at best disagrees with my rub.

Instead, where I want that sweetness and a little glaze (particularly with ribs or wibs), I'll add a coating of honey at the end.

[ribeyeguy]

We don't usually use sauce but when we did it's Blues Hog original. Their Tennessee Red is pretty good too if you like something a bit different.

[Huskee]

I agree, and like many others I even like the 2 mixed. I think their original tastes awesome on a spoon but is too sweet on the meat, for me.

[Attjack]

I'm going say homemade.

[Lazy Layne]

After trying many delicious sauces, I started making my own. It's fun and you can play with it until it's the way you like. And it saves money

[Huskee]

Bingo! Same with many rubs. A good BBQ rub costs about $1's worth of spices & sugar to make, yet many shelf ones cost $15+

[Mr. Bones]

Amen to both...

Someday, if I ever grow up , I have high hopes of makin great homemade rubs, an sauces, both!

[Potkettleblack]

I ended up saying that it is what you like best.

This is the only correct answer. I don't really love a sweet BBQ sauce on anything but a burger. I'm not wrong, but that doesn't mean you can't like a sweet BBQ sauce on everything.

[MBMorgan]

There is no "best". There are only favorites.

[ssandy_561]

My two favorite sauces that are easily available to everyone at most supermarkets are Sweet Baby Rays Original and Heinz Tangy Vinegar.

[andy.wpg]

Just discovered the Heinz one when I made middle-of-the-winter-and-I’m-not-going-near-the-smoker-because-it’s-forty-below pulled pork in the pressure cooker. I will be using it again!

[jfmorris]

For pulled pork (Boston butts), my favorite is now Blues Hog Tennessee Red (served on the side or at the table). For pork ribs, it is Blues Hog Champions Blend (brushed on as a glaze at the end of cooking). I don't put sauce on beef. For chicken, I like a white sauce and being in N. Alabama typically buy bottles of Big Bob Gibson's white BBQ sauce at the store, and just serve it on the side for those who want it. I never sauce anything other than ribs while on the grill.

If I am cooking a meal and sending it off to someone, and it involves BBQ, I usually buy and send a small bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's with the meal. The other store bought sauce that I actually like is Sonny's. I tend to keep a big bottle of Sonny's or Sweet Baby Rays that I buy at Sam's Club in the pantry in case I run out of Blue's Hog.

[Steve R.]

I tend to favor no sauce at all. But I have taken to brushing on a 50/50 mix of Blues Hog Original and Head Country as a glaze for ribs.

[ssandy_561]

For chicken this is my favorite.

[mrteddyprincess]

Everyone pretty much agrees that good BBQ is about the meat. But since you asked, I'm including one of my favorite local sauces made here in Indianapolis and is sold in some grocery stores. Pa and Ma BBQ sauce has been around a long time and it's one of my favorite go to sauces.

[ColonialDawg]

Pulled pork: vinegar + spices (Eastern NC style), sometimes add a little ketchup (Wester NC style)
Ribs: Blues Hog Original and Tennessee Red (1:1)
Brisket: Nada

[jfmorris]

If you like to mix the Blues Hog Original and Tennessee Red, get a jug of the Champions Blend, as it is exactly that - a mix of those two sauces. That's what I am using on ribs now. The Original is too sweet, the Tennessee Red is too thin and spicy (for ribs), the Champions Blend (or a 50/50) is just right...

[ColonialDawg]

I did not know that - thanks for the tip.

[Mbloto]

I agree, the best sauce is the one you like best, store bought, homemade or a hybrid of both.
I finally came up with my own after tweaking an old recipe I found. I love sauce but use it sparingly as not to overpower the protein.

[Rob Johnston]

A lot of people I know use Sweet Baby Rays, but if I use anything at all it is in small amounts. Too many people spend all that time trying to get the proper amount of smoke and then slather it with too much sauce. The sauce is the only thing you taste. Why try to perfect the cook process if all you are going to do is drown it in store bought sauce?