[I'm confused. I hear about barbecue sauces, dipping sauces, finishing sauces and barbecue glazes. What's the difference?]

Editor--

The term 'Barbecue Sauce' as used in this FAQ includes: 'Finishing Sauces', 'Dipping Sauces' and 'Table Sauces'. These types of sauces are added to the meat after it is removed from the smoker. A barbecue 'Glaze' is a sauce containing some form of sugar (white, brown, or honey) that is usually put on the meat a few minutes before the meat is removed from the smoker or just after the meat is removed while it is still hot. The sugar components of the glaze melt or caramelize from the heat, giving the meat a shiny appearance. A finishing sauce is usually added immediately after the meat has been removed from the smoker. A dipping sauce is placed in a bowl for the eater to dip his or her barbecue into before it is eaten. A table sauce is one that sits on the table in a bowl or a bottle that the eater can put directly on his barbecue or on his plate.

[Can someone give me a few recipes for a good barbecue glaze?]

Danny Gaulden--

Here is my rib and pork finishing glaze recipe.

Danny's Mustard Glaze

Mix the following ingredients together in a saucepan and heat until it simmers. Let it sit until the ribs or pork butt are ready to baste. You can substitute beer for the vinegar if you wish.

Rick Day--

Take your favorite barbecue sauce and add some honey in the ratio 2 parts honey to 8 parts sauce. Heat it in a saucepan for a few minutes and apply it to your ribs about 15 minutes before you take them off the grill.

Garry Howard--

Here's a great barbecue glaze. Coat your spareribs with hot honey about 15 minutes before they come off the smoker. This will give them an excellent glaze and incredible taste.

Jack Daniel's Rib Glaze

Combine all ingredients: Mix well. Brush ribs with a thin coating of glaze and place on grill. Continue to baste when turning ribs. Makes enough for 2 racks of 7 to 10 ribs each. Also great on chicken wings.

[I looked in the BBQ List recipe archives and there are hundreds of barbecue sauces. I don't know where to start. Can I have a few recipes for some really good barbecue sauces?]

Jeff Lipsitt--

Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Sauce

Combine all in medium saucepan. Simmer 15 minutes to blend flavors. Season with pepper to taste.

(Can be made two days ahead. Cover, chill.)

Source: Bon Appetite - Nov. 1992

Wyndell Ferguson--

Fergy's Barbecue Sauce (Tomato based)

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Store in jar or squirt bottle.

Bill Wight--

Here is one of my favorite barbecue sauces.

Kansas City-Style Barbecue Sauce

*(Garry Howard's chili powder recipe is good here)

In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, chili seasoning, mustard, ginger, allspice, cayenne, mace, and black pepper. Add the vinegar, molasses, water, and liquid smoke. Stir until dry ingredients are dissolved. Add the ketchup and stir to mix.

Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly to avoid spattering. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Use immediately or cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

This sauce (and most barbecue sauces) improves in taste if allowed to sit overnight in the refrigerator before use.

Source: Paul Kirk, in "Willingham's World Championship Barbecue"

Dreamland Barbeque In Tuscaloosa

Here is the "Almost-Dreamland" recipe which was concocted by a writer for "Men's Journal" that is declared to be very close to the real recipe by Ms. Bishop-Hall:

Almost Dreamland Barbecue Sauce

In a large saucepan, whisk together tomato puree and mustard until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve warm. Sauce may be refrigerated for several weeks.

Garry Howard--

Memphis Magic Barbecue Sauce

The center of mid-South barbecue, Memphis offers a range of sauces that take the high middle ground between Eastern and Western styles. Like this version, they are often medium-bodied mixtures, moderate in sweet, heat, and everything else except taste.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the onions begin to turn golden. Stir in the remaining ingredients, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the mixture thickens, approximately 20 minutes. Stir frequently.

Use the sauce warm. It keeps, refrigerated, for a couple of weeks.

Source: "Smoke and Spice" by Cheryl and Bill Jamison

Rock McNelly--

I, like most of you, have a few favorite sauce recipes that I like. But being as lazy as I am, one of my favorites is a doctored-up version of Cattlemen's Smoky barbecue sauce. It's cheap, at about $7.00 a gallon, and readily available at Sam's, and many other wholesale warehouses, and it's good straight out of the jug!

Normally, I'll add butter (margarine) to add a bit of creaminess to it, and then brown sugar to sweeten it up just a bit. This has been one of my all time favorite standbys. Well, this past weekend, I spiced it up a bit by adding roasted garlic pepper, and chipotle sauce to it along with the butter and brown sugar. I, along with my guests were really pleased with the results.

The addition of the chipotle sauce added a deep, earthy taste to it with just enough "after glow" to liven it up. The roasted garlic pepper added a great warmth of garlic to the blend. I suppose the warmth was accomplished by the "pepper" part of it.

Rock's Doctered-Up Cattleman's Barbecue Sauce

Melt butter in saucepan. Add brown sugar and stir until melted. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes. Can be served immediately, but best if allowed to chill over night.

Note: The chipotle sauce is not the adobo kind that has been discussed on the List in the past. This is the Bufalo (their spelling) brand, "Chipotle Mexican Hot Sauce" that's made in Mexico, and distributed by the Herdez Co. out of Carlsbad, CA. It's labeled as "very hot" but don't believe it! It's pretty mild.

Belly's 'Kick-Ass' Barbecue Sauce -- Texas Style

Mix together V8 juice and beef stock. Then add mustard, cider, molasses, black pepper and paprika as you stir the sauce. Put mixture on stove to simmer. After 1/2 hour, add Worcestershire sauce, minced yellow onion, chilies, and garlic. Let the sauce simmer for about 2 hours in your smoker to pick up the good smoke taste. Stir and taste often as it simmers. After about three hours total simmering time, taste and add some salt if needed. If you want it hotter, add some Louisiana Hot Sauce. You can put it in a blender to smooth it out. Let the sauce cool and put it in a gallon jug and let age at least a week in the refrigerator before using.

Serve on the side with brisket, ribs, chicken or over steak.

Here's the winning recipe from June's "Best of the Web Recipe Contest".

Great Barbecue Sauce

In a large sauce pan, mix the vinegar and water. Stir in the onion, lemon, sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, red pepper flakes, and hot pepper sauce.

Stir over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Check and stir occasionally.

Stir in the catsup and chili sauce. Increase the heat and return the sauce to a full boil. Remove the sauce from the heat and let cool about 15 minutes before using.

This makes a great barbecue sauce for brushing on steaks and chicken--use lemon strips and all! Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour before grilling. Baste the meat with additional sauce while grilling. Serve hot off the grill with extra sauce for dipping.

Yields about 1 pint.

Source: Contributed on-line by Cyndi Whitley.

Kurt Lucas--

Here's a spicy sauce I spent a long time trying to perfect. I think it's great and I'm sure you'll agree if you give it a try.

Kurt's Jalapeno Barbecue Sauce

Sauté onions, garlic, and jalapenos until soft. Add all of the dry spices and sauté about 3 minutes, scraping pan bottom. Deglaze pan with the cider vinegar. Add remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours.

NOTES : I only added 1/4 cup of molasses while the sauce was simmering. After the sauce cooled I decided it needed more molasses and added 1/4 cup more. I think I liked the way the molasses tasted being added without cooking. Try doing it this way and I think you will be pleased.

[How about some sauces for pulled pork?]

Tom Solomon--

Here's a barbecue sauce I came up with while fooling around in the kitchen on a rainy Sunday afternoon in the Virginia mountains.

Silver Pig Style Hot Table Sauce

This is an approximation of the hot table sauce served at the Silver Pig North Carolina-style barbecue restaurant in Madison Heights, Virginia. If you don't have nuoc nam (Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce), add one more teaspoon each of malt vinegar and water, and substitute one teaspoon of salt in lieu of the nuoc nam.

Simply combine all ingredients, shake well, and let sit. Give the bottle a good shake before using.