If you polled the top BBQ experts from across the country about the best commerical BBQ sauces, Jake's would certainly be mentioned. Jake's all natural sauces are among the most award winning products that The "Q" Review has been fortunate enough to sample.

After reading up on Jake's sauce and being overwhelmed with the accolades their product had received, I was very excited to try some out myself. Jake's was kind enough to send me a 16 oz (also available in 8 oz) jar of their original mild sauce and a bottle of their tri tip rub.

Though I received the sauce nearly two months ago, I just recently had the oppurtunity to use it. To be honest, I had high expectations for the sauce and I wanted to save it for just the right occasion. After finishing off several bottles of samples the previous week, I finally decided it was time to crack the seal on Jake's sauce to use as a dip for a smoked brisket.

Jake's sauce is thick and dark with a smooth, velvet texture. It's a bit sweeter than I had anticipated, but not overpowering. The sauce actually paired nicely with the earthy rub I used on the brisket.

I've since used the remainder of the jar to glaze a whole smoked chicken and drizzle over pulled pork. I have to say that the sauce's best application seemed be as a glaze. The flavor was significantly altered (and improved) after some time in the smoker. The heat worked magic with the sugars in the sauce which really enriched the taste. Though, I've often experienced taste changes with sugary sauces after heating them, I don't think I've ever had a sauce improve so much after being cooked (it wasn't bad to begin with).

After tasting Jake's on the smoked chicken, I would love to test it out on a rack of ribs. The sauce is good right out of the jar, but as a heated glaze, it's exceptional. It would be among my top recommendations to someone looking for a good sauce for ribs or chicken.

To learn more about Jake's, click the title of this review. To see how Jake's sauce compares to other great sauces, check the "Product Reviews" page.