BBQ Sauce Reviews

Who are we?

Brian Henderson and Jay Prince are your guides to better backyard BBQ.   Brian, a KCBS certified judge, has reviewed over 150 BBQ Sauces and Jay started strong in September 2011.  Brian Henderson has been focused on the site’s moniker (BBQ Sauce Reviews) since 2007 and Jay Prince joined the team in 2011 – focused on BBQ Tools and Tech.

Both Brian and Jay have a passion for the BBQ experience (food, grills, fire, beer, cookouts) and have tried a lot of sauces, food, and cooking styles.  We love trying new stuff, so please let us know by filling out our forms or getting in touch with us by email or on Twitter.

Brian Henderson

• Email: brian@bbqsaucereviews.com
• Twitter: @bbqsaucereviews

Jay Prince

• Email: PrinceOfQ@BBQSauceReviews.com
• Twitter: @Prince_Of_Q

What do I look for in a great bottled BBQ sauce?

I look for high quality ingredients, natural flavors, ability to see the spices flow out the mouth of the bottle, strong flavors, and unique flavors. Thick or thin is OK, depending on the goal of the sauce and it’s type (NC, SC, Mustard, Tomato, Vinegar, Fruity, etc).  I’ve tried a lot of sauces so the ole taste buds are good enough to know when someone tries to add some Worcestershire Sauce and onion powder to a bucket of ketchup and call it gourmet. I test flavor before AND after cooking – something which is fairly unique in the field of BBQ Sauce Reviewing.

Where are you located?

I live right outside Boston. Home to some great sports teams, but not really home to “World’s Best BBQ.”  I try to grill throughout our cold and sometimes snowy winters… so there.

How We Review

Each review is conducted as scientifically as possible using similar meat types and grilling approach.  Presently the test I conduct consists of applying the sauce to chicken and pork ribs as recommended by the BBQ sauce vendor. When no directions are provided, we rely on traditional methods of applying the sauce towards the end of the cooking cycle so that the flavor of the sauce is activated, yet remains intact. I have been asked about our style and our cooking fuel, and it’s actually grilling, and – dare I say it – propane (covering 90% of American households that are too impatient to do the low slow style BBQ).

The Seven Basic Principles of a BBQSauceReviews.com Review:

1. Smell/Aroma (Does it smell good, like fresh ingredients, or like chemicals and something unnatural)
2. Before Cooking Flavor (Not as important as after cooking flavor but done to get a sense of comparison before torching the meat with sauce applied)
3. Consistency (How does it look, move, and respond? How does it interact with the meat? Does it look natural? Does it flip around like water? Does it cling to the meat or require the whole jar?)
4. After Cooking Flavor (Does it retain flavor through the heat of a grill. A weak sauce will sometimes succumb to the flame and end up tasting like tomato and sugar. A great sauce transforms into something different, the heat “activating” the flavors together until you taste something you can’t get enough of )
5. Ingredients (Negative point(s) for bad stuff. Extra points for really good choices)
6. Nutrition (Anything extra in there for goodness? Is there way too much sodium in comparison to other sauces on the market?  I have yet to see an enhanced healthy flavor (like a Vitamin Water of BBQ) so I’m looking forward to watching the sauce market change over time)
7. Marketing and Packaging (As an experienced marketer, I pick apart the packaging and placement of the product a bit. I try to offer helpful tidbits for the vendor, so they can be more successful with the next sauce)

Brian

Jay