Mastering Barbeque: The United States of Sauces
There’s a great book out called Mastering Barbecue by Michael H. Stines. In this very informative book, he discusses how different parts of the United States have signature barbecue sauces. Funny, he ignores the middle Atlantic states, the west coast and New England completely, but he does include Florida and Oriental. Very interesting, and here goes:
- Alabama: Thin, vinegar-based with sugar, salt, pepper and mayonnaise
- Georgia: Thin mustard-based, tomato and vinegar
- Kansas City: Thick tomato and sugar base, sweet, smoky and spicy
- Kentucky: Black sauce with Worcestershire sauce, molasses and vinegar
- Florida: Tomato-based with lemon, lime, vinegar and butter
- Hawaiian: Sweet and sour with fruits and fruit juices
- Oriental: Soy sauce, peanuts and some heat. (Oriental? Isn’t that phrase obsolete nowadays and considered offensive by many? Also, with peanuts, I’d peg it more as Thai or Vietnamese rather than Oriental. But hey, I didn’t write the book)
- North Carolina (Eastern): Thin, vinegar-based with crushed red peppers, salt and pepper
- North Carolina (Western): Thin, similar to Eastern North Carolina, but with tomato and sugar added
- South Carolina: Thin mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper
- Tennessee: Depends on the region. Thin, vinegar-tomato sauce or sweet, somewhat spicy tomato-based with peppers and molasses (Memphis)
- Texas: Very thick, tomato-based, spicy with molasses and Worcestershire sauce, also a thin, hot-pepper-based sauce.
Photo of the various barbeque regions of the United States courtesy of Kraft Food Service.
