All About That Baste: An Introductory Guide to Sauces, Brines, Seasonings, and Marinades PART 1 - SAUCE

So you're just wanting to throw something together, but you don't really know what goes well with what meat or really what you're doing outside of the TV room? This guide will try to explain the basics of brines, marinades, sauces, and seasonings.

So Easy A Caveman Can Do It: Barbecue Sauce Done Right

One Sauce to Rule Them All...

In the barbecue world there's some controversy over BBQ sauce. Some say it's cheaters masking poorly made food, others say it's what makes a barbecued meal great. Some say it's only good if you make it yourself, others say that they like the taste of Bullseye (hint, they're wrong).

Barbecue sauce is great for a number of simple things. Burgers can be good with it, but remember to grill up some mushrooms and onions to go with it. It's practically a requirement for ribs. It actually goes really well on hot dogs too. You can't make pulled pork without it, and it can compliment any number of meats if you've got the right sauce for the job.

I'll be frank, I'm biased in my opinions of barbecue sauce. I've been trying sauces from various places most of my life, I've dabbled in making it myself, and after years of searching, I finally came across the holy grail of all barbecue sauces in the summer of 2014.

OMG Barbecue is a company based out of Portland, OR. It was started by two local residents and produces, what I believe to be, the best tasting barbecue sauce man can make. I've tasted literally over a hundred different barbecue sauces, and OMG Habanero Honey Pineapple is by leaps and bounds the number one sauce on my list. Hell, it's so good that out of those hundred, it probably takes the top twenty spots. I absolutely hate the flavor of mustard. Can't stand it. Their sauces are so good that I actually like the flavor of their mustard line. It tastes so good I use it as a dipping sauce... for bread... but I rant a little much. Let's get into what makes it so amazing.

They don't water it down.
Ever notice how the cheap sauces you buy at the grocery store will just start spilling out of the bottle the moment you turn it upside down? It's because they're watered down to improve profits. Making you think you're buying more when really it's half water seems a bit like a scam to me. Good sauces will be thick. 

You can get it spicy, and it doesn't just taste like liquid smoke added to tomato sauce
As I said earlier, I'm pretty picky about my BBQ Sauce. If it doesn't have a flavor that goes beyond just some fake smoke flavoring and tomato sauce, my mouth is bored before I'm done swallowing. Barbecue sauce is usually meant to be used on food that is helped by having a lot of added flavor, you need your sauce to have some kick.

Lastly, It's different.
Say you have a bunch of friends over for burgers and you've got Bullseye or some junk like that out. It's boring. Nobody is going to be asking where you got it, most people will probably ignore that it's even there and just use ketchup since that's all it really is. If you want to impress people, get something they don't see every day. You won't regret it and they'll thank you for it.

Convinced to try it. Check out their website here.

#HardwoodsOnly

Where To Use Which Sauces

• Burgers: for burgers you can really use any of them. Spicy sauces for those who like spicy, mild for those who don't like spice, or mustard if you prefer that. 
• Ribs: In general I'd recommend a sweet sauce for ribs. Honey pineapple would be at the top of the list, powerful pepper following it. However, I've made delicious ribs with the habanero line as well. It all really boils down to preference. I love spicy, but most people prefer sweet when it comes to ribs. 
• Chicken: Chicken can be made about a million different ways, so with this there really is no standard. Hot, sweet, even mustard sauces are all excellent for chicken. If you're doing a whole chicken though, I advise seasoning, not bbq sauce. 
• Pork: This is one of the few meats in which the mustard sauce is arguably the best option. Habanero honey mustard or regular. It brings out a lot of flavor and compliments pork better than it does other meats. 
• Red Meat: Apart from burgers, I'd say don't waste your barbecue sauce on red meat. NEVER put it on a high quality cut like a steak. Red meat usually needs to be prepared a certain way for the best flavor, and BBQ sauce isn't often it. 

#HardwoodsOnly