(the Good Cook’s Notebook)
The best sauces for a summer barbecue
McCalls June 1992
Certain aromas inevitably evoke the feeling of summer: cocoa butter, fresh-cut grass and, of course, burgers and steaks roasting on an outdoor grill. And when the meat is slathered with barbecue sauce, it’s practically more than the senses can bear. We set out to find the best sauces around--and here’s what we found. The full-bodied honey-Dijon flavor of Hunt’s All Natural Thick & Rich Country Style is decidedly habit-forming. Brush it on any grilled food (though it’s especially great on pork or beef ribs). For chicken, try Kraft Hickory Smoke. It’s just how you want smoky to taste: rich and smooth, but not overpowering. Flavored with molasses, Parched Corn Holler is perfect on pork tenderloins. It’s got a rich, back-of-your-throat heat and spicy hickory undertones. In search of the ultimate five-alarm sauce? Try Mad Dog in Ultra Hot. We loved the complex, spicy taste, the way the sauce clings to the meat, the silly bottle. Chipotle peppers give a rich, smoky taste to Western Grill Smokey & Spicy. It makes a nice glaze for beef fajitas or lamb kabobs. With an explosion of robust flavors, like lemon, chile pepper and tomato, Crazy Jerry’s Alotta Bull is a macho sauce (makes us think of drinking beer out of the can, and guys with big belt buckles). Both flavors, mild and hot, give spicy heat to hot dogs. And finally, our favorite is Gates & Son’s Original Classic with its strong cumin flavor and mellow, earthy taste. To find out how to order these sauces, see p. 151.
Good Cook’s Notebook
P. 134: Barbecue sauce: Hunt’s and Kraft, at supermarkets. Parched Corn Holler Premium, 800-999-4949. Mad Dog, 800-462-3220. Western Grill Smokey and Spicy, Crazy Jerry’s Alotta Bull, and Gates and Son’s: 617-227-9649.