In last weekend’s column, I talked about how to indirect grill
ribs with the
”
low and slow
”
method. Ribs cooked in this method produce very tender and
succulent meat that easily falls off the bone.
In last weekend’s column, I talked about how to indirect grill ribs with the “low and slow” method. Ribs cooked in this method produce very tender and succulent meat that easily falls off the bone. I also mentioned that I have compiled a test of some bottled barbecue sauces. This week, I bring you the results.
I conducted a single blind taste test, which means I knew the sauces and the tasters didn’t. When cooking the ribs, I used the dry rub from last week’s recipe. The ribs cooked for a total of six hours. The barbecue sauce was added in the last hour.
I selected sauces that were “award-winning,” created by a family or individual, and did not seem like they were created in an experimental corporate kitchen. The sauce also had to taste good before it was cooked into the ribs.
I also used “original flavors.” These did not advertise flavors such as hickory, honey or spicy on the front label. With this criteria, the test subjects are: Cattlemen’s, KC Masterpiece, Mansmith’s and Sweet Baby Ray’s.
Cattlemen’s Original
Barbecue Sauce
This sauce is a multi-award-winning barbecue sauce distributed by French’s Foods, the company that is also known for its bright yellow mustard. The first five ingredients are high fructose corn syrup, tomato paste, distilled vinegar, molasses and water. The flavor was not overpowering and allowed the natural flavor of the ribs to shine through. Cattlemen’s was one of my favorites, but the rest of the panel was split pretty evenly.
KC Masterpiece
KC Masterpiece seems like it is the “most corporate” off all the sauces tested. It is made for the HV Food Products Company, which is a subsidiary of the Clorox Company. The company that makes this sauce isn’t only known for bleach, but also Kingsford Charcoal Briquettes. The first five ingredients are tomato puree, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, vinegar and less than 2 percent of spices.
I like how the molasses added a little bit of sweetness but also some earthiness. One taster was a little surprised that this was her favorite since she does not use bottled sauces. This one was not a favorite of mine or a clear favorite of the panel, but it was a runner-up for some.
Mansmith’s
Mansmith’s is also a multi-award-winning sauce. It is a family-owned company and is our only local test subject. The first five ingredients are red ripe tomatoes, vinegar, corn sweetener, salt and pepper.
This sauce is unique for two reasons. The first is that it is a barbecue paste and it needs to be mixed with a liquid in the proportion of one to one. Second, since it needs to be mixed with a liquid, it lends itself to your own creativity.
To keep the experiment on a level playing field, I used water so that the flavor of the sauce alone came through. The tasting panel though it was a little too salty and that the cooked-in sauce was a little too dry.
The addition of other flavors instead of water and a little less dry rub will help to balance the saltiness. I also cooked the sauce in for an hour, and this one would do better with a half-hour. It was my other favorite because it was the only sauce that tasted like it was homemade.
Sweet Baby Ray’s
Sweet Baby Ray’s is a multi-award-winning sauce. This sauce is family owned, and was bottled and sold after two brothers won numerous contests with their perfected family recipe.
The first five ingredients are high fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar, tomato paste, modified food starch and less than 2 percent of seasonings.
I added this sauce to the list when I mentioned the experiment to my cousin. It is her favorite and she swears by it. In my experiment, a few people choose it as their absolute favorite. I thought it was just a little too sweet and overshadowed the ribs, but it was still good.
This experiment was only the tip of the iceberg when we talk about barbecue sauces. There are many more regional barbecue sauces that are vinegar-based, mustard-based and even a few that are mayonnaise-based (I am not too sure about that last one, though). I will mention these more in the months ahead.
Although I was expecting a clear winner, there wasn’t. Since I cannot give you that, I can only assist in guiding you toward finding your favorite. More importantly, this experiment was a good reminder for me about some of the things in life that make us different.
Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend.
