Crimson Red Sports

Got a question for you guys. We are going to grill some chicken tomorrow, which means the twice yearly battle over bbq sauce at our pacle. The woman and the kid love Sweet Baby Rays, but it is a little too sweet for my taste. What bottle sauces do you guys prefer, or do you make your own?

I grilled baby back ribs yesterday and used 'Bullseye' KC style. It has a touch of vinegar to blend with the sweetness. You can't go wrong with that.

My favorite is Big Bob Gibson's. It is a local BBQ joint that markets their sauce in stores. It is hard to find outside of Alabama. My favorite national brand is Sweet Baby Rays but you have already ruled that out. KC Masterpiece is pretty good.

I have never had any luck making my own sauce. It is never as good as I can buy for a third the cost.

There is usually a big selection in stores so you should be able to find a good one. Heck, I even Kraft.

I also go with Big Bob Gibson's. Walmart did carry a Budweiser sauce that was good but I haven't seen it recently.

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I agree that Sweet BR is way too sweet.

For chicken, we (i.e. my wife) make our own white BBQ sauce, similar to Bob Gibson's white sauce you can sometimes find at stores (WalMart, Sams, etc.) but better/fresher.  

I also agree with SC, Jack Daniels makes pretty decent red BBQ sauce.  I like my BBQ spicy, not sweet, and usually buy some generic sauce, Heinz or Krogers, and add tobasco or Louisiana hot sauce.

Try Stubb's Signature Texas BBQ Sauce. It is a great open pit sauce for my money.

Hey CP, you may have to send me that recipe for your white bbq sauce. I love it, but can't find it here in Maryland.

Here is an easy one from Smoke and Spice cookbook called "Alabama Great White"

1 cup real mayo
2 TBL spoons vinegar, preferably cider
1 TBL water
1 TBL coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
pinch or two of onion powder
pinch or two of cayenne

whisk together mayo and 1 TB vinegar until smooth.  add remaining ingredients and whisk again.

you can use 2 TBs white vinegar and 1 TBs apple juice (for the water) instead.  fresh lemon juice also improves the recipe



Bob Gibson's recipe calls for 2 cups mayo, 1 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup apple juice, 2 teaspoons horseradish, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (from Big Bob Gibson cookbook). 

This is one of many variations on the "official recipe"  Honestly, I prefer the Smoke and Spice recipe.  I think this Big Bob recipe has too much vinegar, and with the lemon juice is way too acidic.  You might have to tweak it to taste.

We don't follow a recipe anymore, and it is different every time we make it. 

Thanks, CP.

 #+ and e-cred.

Back atcha!   :clap:

These recipes can never have too much black pepper in my opinion. 

 :worship: :worship:

We just had burgers on the grill.  LF barely waved the pepper mill over them in the kitchen, so as I stood by in charge of the grill I gave them a good dose (when she wasn't watching) .

 :unsure: :unsure:

You fellows need some of my Rooster Fire to spice it up. ;)

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Last time Jamos fed his sauce to a rooster.

I've also made that recipe in Chris Lilly's BBG BBQ book, and I agree on it being too overpowered with vinegar.  I do like the addition of a little horseradish.  I generally use less vinegar and really like using half vinegar and half lemon juice (or thereabouts).  I've tried using apple cider and white wine vinegars, but surprisingly enough my favorite is just plain ol' white distilled.  

I also like mine with extra black pepper!

Do you know the purpose of mixing the 1T mayo with 1T of vinegar in the Smoke and Spice recipe?

While we're talking Q, I've noticed lately that it seems to be becoming more popular to leave the silverskin on the back of your ribs while cooking, and then removing it after they're cooked.  The theory is that it helps the meat hold in more moisture.

I think that is actually a good point. Plus, sometimes it's a pain in the posterior to get them off.

I think it meant to whisk the 1 cut mayo with 1TB vinegar.  Don't know the reason other than to get things started.

I have no idea why I read that as 1T each.

I had a laid back weekend and watched a lot of Food Network.  I love those shows like Chopped where they come up with these things to cook on the fly with short time limits.

I see we have a lot of expert cooks in here.  I pride myself on being an expert eater.

That's always been my problem.  :-[

Ditto.  And I sleep well...

Me too. I fit better in my bed these days.  :lol2:

Chris Lilly is my neighbor. His wife is the granddaughter of Big Bob Gibson. It is not unusual to see the Big Bob Gibson competition cooking grill, which is on a trailer behind his truck, parked in front of their house ready to head out early the next morning. 

Cool.  Even cooler if you get samples.   :worship:

I was a bachelor for a long time, didn't get married until I turned 40.  So of necessity I had to learn to cook.

(It didn't hurt that my first job was at a steak house, and I was cooking steaks "professionally" by the time I was 16.)

Good.  You're in charge of the grill during our next gathering.

 :worship: :worship: :worship: :worship:

I hear Jamos has a lock on that.   8)

But I might could bring some gumbo.   :)

Gumbo is always welcome!  :P

I always remove the membrane from the backside of the ribs. I have always heard the ribs will be tough if you don't.

I go heavy on the "rub" when cooking ribs. I remove the membrane and rub in the "rub" several hours before I cook. I put the BBQ sauce on just before I take the ribs off the grill.

Best gumbo I've had was made by my uncle.  He is an old salty dog, served in the Navy, grew up on the coast.  He has a house on a canal in Orange Beach.  We'd take his aluminum boat out into Perdido Bay, pulling a net for shrimp.  Combined with fresh caught crab and fish, I can't really match his seafood gumbo in N. Alabama.  But I've experimented with more rural forms of gumbo, smoked chicken or turkey with sausage, and I made a killer smoked duck and oyster gumbo (despite recipes to the contrary, sausage does not belong here).

I think you are correct for grilling ribs.  When slow cooking in a smoker, most cooks still recommend removing the membrane, though others suggest it helps retain fat/moisture and gives the ribs a hot-dog-casing "snap."  I've done it both ways; you get more smoke and rub penetration without the membrane.