An Overview of BBQ Sauces
If you spend any time at all cooking on a BBQ grill, eventually you're going to be dealing with various BBQ sauces. Obviously, these sauces are used to accompany and add flavor to barbecued foods, such as steak and chicken and anything else you can think of.
There are, however, various other uses for this versatile condiment. It can be added to almost any meal, and is sometimes used as a dipping sauce as well. Below, we will take a closer look at BBQ sauces to find out a little bit more about them.
BBQ sauces come in a wide variety of tastes and consistencies, from watery to very thick. Different regions of the country boast their own styles of BBQ sauces. Some are spicy, and some lean toward the sweet side, depending on where you are. There are also a good number of people who enjoy their BBQ sauce with a smoky flavor. This is a great addition to the smoky flavor that often accompanies food that is grilled on a charcoal grill.
Styles
Again, many regions of the world are quite proud of their own style of BBQ sauces. There are dozens of styles in the United States alone. Most of these variations are still based on a few basic ingredients, including tomato paste, mustard, and vinegar. From there, it can be seasoned to create one of the many different styles that exist today.
Most of the time, BBQ sauces are brushed onto foods like chicken, steak, pork, and ribs. Some people believe that BBQ sauce takes away from the BBQ taste of foods themselves, but others believe no BBQ would be complete without the taste of BBQ sauces.
Another great way to use BBQ sauces is to use it in place of pizza sauce. BBQ pizzas are becoming more popular all the time. Another use is to add it to your favorite sandwich. Many restaurants offer BBQ hamburgers with additional items on them, such as bacon. Since unique BBQ sauces are so easily created, many of these establishments also offer their own in house BBQ sauce.
Many people also use BBQ sauces in places where most people would use ketchup. As a matter of fact, ketchup is often a base ingredient for many BBQ sauces. There are almost as many uses for BBQ sauce as there are people who use it. The great thing is that there are no rules, so you can be as creative as you want to be.