What’s everyone’s favorite bbq sauce and why?

[Shel_B]

Off the shelf, I'd say Everett and Jones of East Bay fame has the best sauce in the Bay Area. You can buy it at Safeway. It comes in hot and mild. I prefer mild.

Indeed! There's always a jar in my fridge. Comes in hot, mild, and medium. I always get the medium and, should I want more heat, there are many, many options for that.

Another one that I like and buy frequently is Trader Joe's Organic Sriracha & Roasted Garlic BBQ Sauce.

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[Snagglefoot]

Sweet Baby Rays.

 

[4WD]

Sweet Baby Rays.

+1

 

[Duffyjr]

I don't care much for BBQ sauce, most are to sweet. I prefer the mustard/vinegar sauces and my fav is

 

[y_p_w]

There is a small restaurant chain in Northern California called Buckhorn Grill. Their specialty is tri-tip. They're more or less an offshoot of a restaurant called Buckhorn Steakhouse - not to be confused with Buckhorn Exchange in Denver.

They've got a house barbecue sauce that's really good. I'll use it as a dip for their battered onions.

 

[atikovi]

The local Mission BBQ has a half dozen different sauces that are all good. Squeeze on a little of each one after every bite.

 

[AutoMechanic]

The local Mission BBQ has a half dozen different sauces that are all good. Squeeze on a little of each one after every bite.

That is great sauces. My favorite is the Smoky Mountain.

 

[Leo99]

The base is important, to each its own. In North Carolina they have a “religious” debate about it. It has gone all the way up to the State Senate. Them Tar Heels take the base seriously, kind of like us with motor oil.

NC BBQ

I drove from NJ to Florida about 24 years ago. Stopped in NC at a bbq place off the highway. I love bbq and we don't have a lot of places in NJ. I was so disappointed. It was loaded with vinegar. And i don't like vinegar.

If i make my own bbq sauce it's ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, hot sauce, chili powder, etc. Maybe a tiny bit of vinegar to add some acidity.

 

[4WD]

Used this marinade and lots of smoak today … no bbq sauce was needed

 

[nthach]

Absolutely no contest for me. But everyone has their own taste.

Scott

View attachment 50112

Hey, that stuff was created in Oakland!

 

[vavavroom]

There is a small restaurant chain in Northern California called Buckhorn Grill. Their specialty is tri-tip. They're more or less an offshoot of a restaurant called Buckhorn Steakhouse - not to be confused with Buckhorn Exchange in Denver.

They've got a house barbecue sauce that's really good. I'll use it as a dip for their battered onions.

I've been to the one that's located in the food court in the Westfield Shopping Center in SF. It was alright and inexpensive

 

[himemsys]

We're partial to Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory and Brown Sugar. We also found that a lot of Heinz BBQ Sauce flavors are surprisingly good. They don't have a picture of a guy who looks like he'd be REALLY good at making BBQ, just a simple, ketchup-looking label, but they taste pretty good!

 

[gman2304]

I drove from NJ to Florida about 24 years ago. Stopped in NC at a bbq place off the highway. I love bbq and we don't have a lot of places in NJ. I was so disappointed. It was loaded with vinegar. And i don't like vinegar.

If i make my own bbq sauce it's ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, hot sauce, chili powder, etc. Maybe a tiny bit of vinegar to add some acidity.

Leo99, you unwittingly got caught on one side of the N.C. 100 plus years war of bbq. I-95 runs right through the middle of the Eastern style vinegar based bbq region but about 2 hours West of I-95 is I-85 that runs through the Lexington N.C. style, (which you and I prefer) ketchup based bbq region. When I’m driving through “the vinegar based region” in the summer on my way to the beach, I do stop and sample the local fare if only to remind myself how the vinegar based bbq sauce fans got it all wrong! Like you, I make my own ketchup based sauce.

 

[atikovi]

When I’m driving through “the vinegar based region” in the summer on my way to the beach, I do stop and sample the local fare if only to remind myself how the vinegar based bbq sauce fans got it all wrong! Like you, I make my own ketchup based sauce.

Ketchup is for french fries and burgers, not bbq.

 

[Leo99]

Leo99, you unwittingly got caught on one side of the N.C. 100 plus years war of bbq. I-95 runs right through the middle of the Eastern style vinegar based bbq region but about 2 hours West of I-95 is I-85 that runs through the Lexington N.C. style, (which you and I prefer) ketchup based bbq region. When I’m driving through “the vinegar based region” in the summer on my way to the beach, I do stop and sample the local fare if only to remind myself how the vinegar based bbq sauce fans got it all wrong! Like you, I make my own ketchup based sauce.

That might explain all the nasty looks and general demeanor of the staff and fellow diners when I complained about the vinegar. I assumed it was because I'm a Yankee but appears I'm a Yankee who doesn't like eastern NC BBQ.

 

[y_p_w]

I've been to the one that's located in the food court in the Westfield Shopping Center in SF. It was alright and inexpensive

The original location was at the Metreon. The origin seemed to be from a mobile food site that went from one farmers market to another. I probably visited their location in Emeryville more than any other, although that closed when Bay Street closed down their restaurant row. Not sure if it's ever coming back.

 

[vavavroom]

I used to go to Public Market in Emeryville a lot when I was frequently going to and fro Sacramento. When traffic was bad as I was approaching the Bay Bridge, I'd stop at Public Market for a meal.

 

[y_p_w]

I used to go to Public Market in Emeryville a lot when I was frequently going to and fro Sacramento. When traffic was bad as I was approaching the Bay Bridge, I'd stop at Public Market for a meal.

I remember when it opened. I was a poor college student with a car living at home, so I spent a lot of time there - especially at the arcade. Also saw a lot of movies over the years at the United Artists multiplex. There was a place that had a beans and rice plate or burrito for $2.50. It got incredibly crowded when the Oakland Army Base seemingly let out everyone all at once.

It's kind of sad now. I went there once and almost everything I remember there was gone. That was about the time Guitar Center moved in to what used to be Borders.

 

[1000MPH]

It’s been over 20 years since I lived in SF.
My favorite BBQ was Brother-in-Law’s on Divisadero. Closed.
For tri-tip, Bobby Lee’s smokehouse in Hayward. Closed.
I’m basically a no sauce guy too, but I like Famous Dave’s original on my French fries.

 

[OilReport99]

That might explain all the nasty looks and general demeanor of the staff and fellow diners when I complained about the vinegar. I assumed it was because I'm a Yankee but appears I'm a Yankee who doesn't like eastern NC BBQ.

Probably both