I'm in new territory and need help...

[varekai]

To start with, and considering the fact that I've been a member here for a couple years, this is scary to admit. I don't do BBQ sauces.  That was hard...  Anyway, It stems from childhood when my dad would bbq ribs and I got a steak, I didn't like the mess of the sauce.  Not until someone here posted about Maulls possibly going out of business and hearing everybody wailing about the loss did I finally buy some bbq sauce. Recently I received a couple bottles from a member here for a thank you gift. My dilemma is how much sauce, when do you start the saucing?  I like the Maulls, can't remember what I put it on and tonight I used some Russ & Franks sassy bbq sauce. It was good, I really liked it as did my girlfriend, but said it could use more...  so HELP me guys, how do you apply your sauces?

Untitled by Darin McMaster, on Flickr

[pbe gummi bear]

generally in the last 10 min of a cook, layered kind of thick, and indirect. Too soon and it will dry up and burn, and too late and it won't set and you might as well just dip the meat when you're eating it. direct heat will burn a sugary sauce. Again, this varies with the type of sauce you're using but it's a good starting point. Get a long silicone brush to apply it if you don't have one already.

[varekai]

@pbe gummi bear , silicone in this case makes sense, I usually don't care for them because nothing sticks to them.. Tonight I used a paint brush. but will take your advise tomorrow night. I'm doing the same cook over again.

[Travis]

Ditto for me too. I apply the sauce at the end of the cook basically just to get it to "set". I'm not a heavy sauce person either. Don't like the mess and not a fan of when the protein is drowning in it.


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[addicted-to-smoke]

Bought a long silicone BBQ brush from Walmart the other day on clearance, $1 (Regularly $2.50) Using a paintbrush you eventually get you bristles in your food, yeah?

I think I was the guy who posted that about Maull's and yes that's what I grew up with. But for my own grilling I've only come to approach BBQ sauces sideways. Sometimes I use it but usually I skip it entirely. When I took up this hobby a few years ago, rubs and other seasoning aspects were too exotic to ignore.

Skipping the sauce for chicken and pork has made me think more about doneness, juiciness and so on. A cover up is a cover up, and not to say that's always what happens with sauce, but it lends itself to becoming both a doneness/juiciness crutch as well as a flavor crutch. How many BBQ restaurants make simply nasty food, mostly because they slathered on the sauce?

But I'm no purist, I'll try anything that works. And ironically enough, "mastering" BBQ application is probably something I now need to pay more attention to.

[Mike in Roseville]

I think there may be something to your concern @varekai.

First, most "California" type bbq (as it relates to traditional flavor profiles...if that is really still even a thing?) doesn't really use sauce directly on the meat. It's often used on the side to dip. There are exceptions to this as I think back to the mom and pop BBQ place I worked at in college (where meat, even whole tri tips were dunked in sauce). I digress.

I think your question is perfectly legitimate though. I'm not sure about you, but I remember those commercials years ago for Kraft, Bullseye, or KC Masterpiece where guys pour sauce from the bottle directly on the meat and it's brushed on. It looks cool for "Mr. Backyard Griller," but usually makes a mess. Something about that image of pouring sauce from a bottle on to the meat has burned its way into the grilling psyche.

It works. But usually doesn't produce a great result. A fair amount of bottled sauce either needs to be doctored or thinned out a little. Plus it also helps to heat the sauce and apply it in coats. A thinner, heated sauce won't leave brush lines. The advice above is good too. Last 10-15 minutes only for it to set. Extra on the side at the table.


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[Shoestringshop]

Same last 10 to 15 min depending on the temp

[HoosierKettle]

Last ten or 15 I fire up the gas grill while saucing on the charcoal grill. Then I transfer to the gas for a couple minutes a side. Carmelizes sauce and adds a hint of char. It's really good.


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[HoosierKettle]

That's on low and slow like ribs. If I'm cooking 2 zone on charcoal, i don't need the gas.


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[Fire Starter]

I may be wrong here but I like to warm my sauce in a little pot before I apply it seems to make it better (well for me it works) 🏻


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[varekai]

THANKS everyone.  I DID do it the last few minutes of the cook, because of what I have learned and read on this site. Sugar burns. I also has a light bulb moment that night. Before, when I would sauce the meat for my girlfriend or her mom, she always brought me the sauce straight from the fridge.. it would slide right off.  As I was saucing this cook, I realized it was sticking better because I had just opened the bottle and so it was warm, otherwise its kind of like putting ice cream (cold sauce)  on warm pie (grilled meat) it melts.  Again, Thank you everybody for your input, is this place great or what!!!

[pbe gummi bear]

THANKS everyone.  I DID do it the last few minutes of the cook, because of what I have learned and read on this site. Sugar burns. I also has a light bulb moment that night. Before, when I would sauce the meat for my girlfriend or her mom, she always brought me the sauce straight from the fridge.. it would slide right off.  As I was saucing this cook, I realized it was sticking better because I had just opened the bottle and so it was warm, otherwise its kind of like putting ice cream (cold sauce)  on warm pie (grilled meat) it melts.  Again, Thank you everybody for your input, is this place great or what!!!

If you store your sauce in the fridge, you can pour the sauce into a secondary bowl as you are starting the fire. Leave it sitting at room temp and it will be warmer by the time you put it on. The bowl is easier to brush from as well. 

[SMOKE FREAK]

I normally thin my sauce with beer or even vinegar depending on what I'm saucing...Then add several layers of the thin sauce allowing it to char slightly before the next layer...

Personally I dont mind if my sauce chars a bit...Dont want it burnt black but a bit of char is a lot of flavor...

[au4stree]

At home, I don't use sauces, most of the time....
However, when I do use them, I start 20-30 mins before the cook is done. It generally depends on temp of cooker, higher the temp the shorter time I want sauce in there. I love my ribs Memphis dry, my shoulders I serve plain with a Carolina vinegar sauce. Chicken, I serve with white sauce. (I'm from North AL, home of Big Bob's).


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[Gas Sucks]

Smoke Freak took the words out of my mouth. Thin layers and let them set and apply another. In between is beer time.