The Complete Guide to BBQ Sauces

Grilling season is officially upon us, so let’s fire up those grills and get a little saucy!

I’ve taught you how to grill everything (including desserts and salads), so the next lesson is how to add flavor to all those dishes. As chefs, we are always trying to develop layers of flavor and seasoning so every bite is the full expression of what we are trying to create. We do that by seasoning at each step of the cooking process and incorporating marinades, brines, and BBQ sauces as well.

You can choose from three categories of sauces to add those flavors this summer: condiments, marinades, and finishing sauces. One important thing to remember: If you use any of these sauces as a marinade and subsequently want to baste with it, be sure to boil the marinade. Otherwise, dispose of it when you’re done marinating. You don’t want to cross-contaminate with raw proteins.

Condiments

Condiments consist of sauces, vinaigrettes, and syrups. All these can be used to marinate or add to a marinade, or as a seasoning after you cook your proteins or vegetables. When using condiments, be careful of the level of vinegar and/or sugar in most of them. If used as a marinade, they will often burn, or become acrid, when cooking. Condiments are best used after the cooking process.

Royal Riviera® Pear Syrup | Great for brushing on pork ribs right when they come off the grill or on any type of grilled fruit (peaches, pears, etc.).

Sweet Chili | A classic Thai-style dip for grilled pork, chicken, and spring rolls. I especially like it served with char-grilled shrimp skewers.

Smile Farms hot sauces | Farm-to-table hot sauces that are great on tacos and grilled chicken. Try mixing some into mayonnaise with a squeeze of fresh lime juice as a condiment for grilled corn.

Truff | Truffle-scented hot sauces are best used as a finishing touch, especially with grilled ribeye. They also make for a nice final seasoning in potato salad.

Royal Riviera Balsamic Vinaigrette | This classic vinaigrette is great on fresh greens, but try marinating a thick salmon fillet in it for a couple of hours and then grilling it over a hot flame. The dressing will create a beautiful, caramelized texture on the fish. I also like to grill asparagus and then toss it in some of the vinaigrette as soon as it comes off the grill.

Marinating and brushing sauces

Marinating and brushing sauces are great for basting foods as they cook. These sauces are hearty and well balanced, as well as thick, so they apply well when basting. If you marinate with them, thin them out with water, low-acid vinegar, apple juice, or even wine, depending on what you are cooking.

Buffalo Wing | The obvious choice here is on chicken wings, but buffalo sauce is so good on so many proteins. Try grilling chicken thighs and basting them with the buffalo sauce during the last five minutes of cooking. Or marinate a whole head of cauliflower with buffalo sauce and slow cook it over a wood grill.

Oregon Trail | More of a traditional-style steak sauce with tangy, umami notes, this one is best on juicy grilled burgers or a salad of thick-sliced grilled onions, tomatoes, and arugula.

Charred Pineapple | Also great as a finishing sauce, the thick mix of sweet and tangy pairs well with seafood (think fish tacos), chicken legs, and pork chops.

Raspberry Chipotle | Like the aforementioned pineapple one in terms of texture and sweetness, but this sauce delivers a nice kick of heat. It is best paired with a fatty piece of pork (belly or chop). Give whatever you’re cooking a good baste of this sauce right at the end of the cooking process.

Thick finishing sauces

All these are thicker style, meant to be brushed on after meats come off the grill or just for a few minutes of direct heat. They are exceptional on thicker burgers, ribs, steaks, and chicken. Because of the texture and composition, these three sauces will burn over direct heat, so you’ll want to use them at the end of the cooking process or baste and move the product to the low heat side of your grill or keep it warm in an oven.

Bacon Chipotle | A hearty and spicy sauce that is great on any grilled meat, it also makes a nice dressing for potato salad, either mixed with mayo (for traditional) or olive oil and a splash of vinegar (for a lighter version).

Texas Style | This Texas-style barbecue sauce has a little heat and tomato base that work nicely when mixed into a burger blend. It is also good when added to braised chicken or beef stew, giving it a richness and deep flavor as the meat slowly stews.

Kentucky Bourbon | Of all the sauces in this category, this one is the sweetest. It’s best paired with pork chops or ribs. Finish cooking the meat and then slather a nice layer on it as it rests.