I previously reviewed two great products from Pork Barrel BBQ: BBQ Peanuts and All American BBQ Rub. This week, I also had to the opportunity to use Pork Barrel's Sweet BBQ Sauce. Sweet is one of three sauce flavors available from Pork Barrel (w/ Original and Mustard).

Pork Barrel BBQ Sauces are packaged in 12 oz. glass bottles. The stylish labels are some of the best I've come across. The color scheme looks great contrasted with the rich, brown sauce.

Pork Barrel Sweet has a medium thickness. The sauce is dark brown and speckled with even darker spices.  The sauce is aptly named as it features several natural sweeteners like molasses, brown sugar and honey. To contrast the deep sweetness, the sauce also features a mild vinegar tang a noticeable smokey element. The combination of ingredients creates a sauce reminiscent of the dark, molasses sauces I encountered on my trip to Memphis.

Pork Barrel recommends their sauce for nearly any BBQ application. However, given the texture and flavors, I thought the sauce best suited for chicken and ribs. I used Pork Barrel Sweet for smoked ribs and chicken. The sauce worked very well as a finishing glaze for both meats. The sugars in the sauce caramelized under the heat, enhancing their flavors.

Though I haven't had the chance to try it, I could see Pork Barrel Sweet being very good on smoked pulled pork. Regardless of which meat you pair Pork Barrel Sweet with, I would definitely recommend heating the sauce. Like many sauces, Pork Barrel Sweet takes on an entire different profile once it has been heated.

Pork Barrel Sweet is quite different than the other sweet sauces that I've been using of late. However, it has been a welcome change. You can order your own Pork Barrel products directly from their website. See how they rate on our "Product Reviews" page.

Since buying our home six years ago, I've been cooking primarily on a small charcoal smoker attached to our back deck. I stripped the components out of what was originally a natural gas grill (no longer functional)until I had an empty cast iron box. Over the years, I've honed my cooking skills on that make-shift pit as best I could.

Though that old box has served me well, it has one major limitation....space. Even with some creative positioning, I am still only able to smoke three racks of ribs or two pork butts at a given time. Thus, I've long been searching for an affordable large capacity cooker.

My ultimate goal is to purchase something like a Lang 60 or 72, but that dream will have to wait for a more fiscally fruitful period in my life. With budget being the primary factor in my search, I had to get creative. As I debated the merits of what type of cooker to purchase for myself, I made it a point to keep an open mind and not eliminate any specific type of cooker. I simply needed the biggest bang for my buck.

While searching the Internet for viable options, I came across the Masterbuilt GS40 propane smoker. I had used a vertical propane smoker for the first time last summer. My brother in-law had purchased a Smoke Hollow smoker and we used it to smoke ribs for a summer cookout. I was really happy with the smoker's ease of use. It held a steady temperature for hours and cranked out an impressive amount of smoke from just a few handful's of chips. However, it too lacked the cooking space that I was looking for. The chamber wasn't quite wide enough to accommodate full racks of ribs. The Masterbuilt GS 40 smoker featured an extra large cooking chamber that easily accommodates ribs and most whole briskets.

I spent a great deal of time reading reviews on this smoker in comparison to others. While I found a fair amount of complaints, they all seemed to be about relatively minor issues: thermometer, chip pan etc... Overall, the feedback was pretty positive. One thing everyone seemed to agree on was that the Masterbuilt GS40 provided a whole lot of cooking space for not much money.

After weighing a lot of options, I finally decided to make the purchase. I picked the smoker up on sale at Bass Pro Shop for $179.99. I've now had the smoker for a week and used it three times. My inaugural cook was four pounds of chicken wings. I followed that up with three racks of spareribs and a smoked meatloaf this weekend. So far so good. I've been very happy with the food.
I'll get into greater detail about the smoker at a later time. After I've had some time to thoroughly test it, I'll post a review. Before all of you charcoal / hardwood purists jump all over me for cooking with propane, I ask you to please refer to my opening paragraph. I have cooked on charcoal for years and will continue to do so. However, I'm not averse to making things a little easier on myself (on occasion) by working with user friendly propane.

Stay tuned for the review....and more photos.

Claude's Sauces (El Paso, TX) makes a full line of Texas style sauces for everything from BBQ to fajitas. I previously reviewed their Variety Sauce. Claude's also sent their Hot & Spicy Sauce which I recently had the opportunity to test.

Like Claude's other sauces, Hot & Spicy is packaged in 16 oz plastic bottles. The label for all of Claude's products features their signature logo as well as Bi-lingual (Spanish / English) text. The sauce is dark red like a Texas style BBQ sauce and speckled with coarsely ground black pepper. The sauce is pretty thick and pours slow and smooth.

Claude's Hot & Spicy is a difficult sauce to categorize. Like a BBQ sauce, Hot & Spicy has a tomato and vinegar base. However, it doesn't really have a sweet or smokey element. The sauce is slightly tangy from the vinegar and the addition of lemon juice. The heat is provided by cayenne pepper and tabasco sauce.

The label suggests pairing Hot & Spicy with beef, poultry or seafood. I used it on a couple of occasions for tacos and fajitas. The sauce provided plenty of spice, but the flavor a bit "one note". I didn't see the flavor as being complimentary to the meat I was using. It's not that I found it unpleasant, I just don't think I've found the proper application.

I will, however, continue to experiment with Claude's Hot & Spicy in an effort to find its best use. I could see it being a good addition to chili or grilled burgers. To get your own Hot & Spicy (or any of Claude's other sauces) visit their website. Check out our "Product Reviews" page to see how Claude's Hot & Spicy rates.

Curt's BBQ Sauce is a family owned and operated business that began in 2007. However, the sauce for the recipe dates back many years prior. Since making Curt's available to the public, the sauce's popularity in North Dakota grew so quickly that the family was unable to keep up with the production demands. They now Full Service Foods (Hillsboro, ND) to do their bottling.

Though each bottle is no longer canned and sealed by hand, the integrity of the original recipe remains in tact. The simple formula for Curt's starts with tomato concentrate and adds sugar, vinegar and a variety of spices. Curt's BBQ Sauce is sweet, with a medium thickness and bright red color. The sauce is available with three different heat levels and can be purchased in 16 and 32 oz. glass bottles or gallon jugs.

By design, Curt's BBQ Sauce is sweet, tangy and lacks the smokiness of most thick tomato sauces. In addition to chicken and ribs, Curt's website recommends using the sauce for everything from pizza to french fries. Curt's does have a high sugar content. When cooking over high heat, care should be taken to prevent charring.

I had the opportunity to cook three racks of spareribs in my newly purchased Masterbuilt smoker today. I seasoned the ribs with Oakridge BBQ's Secret Weapon rub and sauced them with Curt's BBQ Sauce (Medium). The thick, red sauce was fantastic on the ribs. The sauce was very sweet and tangy out of the bottle, but the flavors mellowed a bit when the sauce was heated and applied to the ribs. The sauce gave the ribs a terrific red glaze.

Curt's is the type of sauce that I really love on ribs. The sweetness and tang from the sauce balanced the smokey pork and slightly salty rub. Not only did the sauce provide great color and flavor, it also added a third (often underrated) element....stickiness. In my humble opinion, ribs are at their absolute best when glazed with sauce that sticks to your fingers and face just as well as it sticks to the meat.

I've tried many, many great rib sauces and Curt's can hold its own with the best of them. For people who love a sweet, sticky sauce on ribs or chicken, Curt's is an excellent option. Learn more about Curt's BBQ Sauce by visiting their website. See how they rate on our "Product Reviews" page.

Who doesn't love a good wing sauce? John Rizzotti certainly does. John has been making his Rippin Red Wing Sauce since 1996. He originally made his sauce for friends and family only. He spent several years perfecting his recipe until spring of 2010 when he finally began bottling the sauce.

Though relatively new, Rippin Red is already a highly respected and awarded product. The sauce has earned some of the fiery food industry's highest honors, inlcuding a second place Scovie. Rippin Red is sold in 12 oz bottles and is available in Original or Hot flavors.

Rippin' Red Wing Sauce has a classic orange color. It's also laced with visible flakes of fresh garlic. The sauce is fairly thick and pours smoothly. The thickness allows the sauce to cling tightly to the wings.

I recently purchased a new smoker and Christened it with four pounds of chicken wings over hickory wood. I tossed the smokey wings in Rippin Red Wing Sauce and served them hot. The sauce is bold and a bit more tangy than typical Buffalo Wing Sauces. The Original recipe has some kick, but the Hot variety really takes it to the next level. It didn't take long for the sweat beads to form on my forehead.

The sauce's tang and spice are balanced with creamy butter and parmesan cheese. All the ingredients really blend well to create a delicious, all natural wing sauce. Additionally, the sauce is sugar free and nearly fat free.

I normally enjoy alternative sauce flavors on my wings, but as far as traditional Buffalo style sauces go, Rippin Red is first rate. For wing lovers, it's a "must try" sauce. Whether Original or Hot, the ingredients are simple and natural. The results are delicious.

Check out Rippin' Red's website for ordering information. See how Rippin Red Wing Sauce rates on our "Product Reviews" page.

Sauced Up Smokers started in 2007 when friends, Chef Ben Mesiti and Leon Kaufmann entered their first BBQ competition. While they didn't fare as well as they would have liked in their inaugural effort (45th place), they weren't discouraged. Rather than throw in the towel, Ben and Leon set out to create their rubs and sauces to improve their standing on the competition circuit.

Sauced Up Smokers has since added a third partner, Jon Riesch. Together, the three man team continues to compete and produced sauces. They also offer smoker rentals and BBQ vending. There are even plans to move into catering.

After formulating their Ninja Dust BBQ Rub, they developed their first BBQ sauce. Roadhouse Series BBQ Sauce is a pretty traditional Kansas City style sauce. The thick tomato sauce is bright red and packaged in 20 oz glass bottles. Roadhouse Series is thick, and pours slowly.

The flavor is very sweet thanks to presence of HFCS, brown sugar, honey and molasses. Though not quite as smokey as most Kansas City sauces, the liquid smoke is still detectable. The sauce also finishes with a slight pepper spice. It's not a burn, but you'll feel the spicy tingle on your tongue.

When the bottles first arrived, I immediately thought ribs. The bright red sauce was just asking to be brushed on a slow smoked rack of spares. So, when I experimented with some new rib techniques last week, I naturally reached for Roadhouse Series.

 I brushed the sauce on a rack of ribs as it finished cooking. The sweet, slightly spicy sauce was an excellent pairing with the smokey pork. When the sauce was heated, it poured like liquid candy, giving the ribs a beautiful red, glossy shine. I later used Roadhouse Series on BBQ chicken with the same results.

Click here to see Sauced Up Smokers website. See how Roadhouse Series BBQ Sauce rates on our "Product Reviews".

While most hot sauce companies stick to simple pepper sauces with varying degrees of heat, Big Fat's (Niles, IL) dares to be different with a creative line of sauces, each with it's own unique flavor profile. Big Fat's sauces vary in every way possible: flavor, color and heat level. Whether you want a spicy habanero sauce or a traditional Caribbean jerk sauce, Big Fat's has what you're looking for.

Jeremy Walsh, president of Big Fat's, was kind enough to send bottles of two of their sauces: 208 Bajan Style and 408 Jerk Style. Jeremy felt that these two sauces were best suited for grilling and BBQ. I recently put both sauces to the test on a grilled pork loin.

208 Bajan Style: This sauce is unlike any mustard sauce that I've ever had. It combines blazing hot habanero peppers with tangy mustard and vinegar. Additionally, the sauce features a decent amount of finely ground carrot giving it a unique texture. According to the bottle, the origin of this sauces flavor comes from Barbados.

The sauce can be used as a condiment for dogs, burgers, chicken or pork. I brushed some on a grilled pork loin. I also used a bit of sauce to dip the meat in. The habanero heat is obvious, but not overwhelming. The heat level doesn't distract from the flavor at all. The sauce added significant zip to my pork loin, but I'm not sure that was the best application for the sauce. My recommendation would be to use the sauce on burgers in place of mustard.

408 Jerk Style: I was particularly excited about using Big Fat's Jerk Style sauce. I love Caribbean flavors and was interested to see Big Fat's take on the traditional jerk sauce. The sauce is thin and loaded with spice. Though it has some brown sugar, it's not a sweet sauce like the Caribbean Jerk wing sauces found at your local bar and grill. It's much more of an authentic, traditional jerk sauce.

The sauce works well as a marinade for chicken or pork. You can also pour it on the meat as it cooks as I did with the pork loin. The habanero heat is significant in this sauce. It burns, but it's a pleasant burn. It was really an excellent compliment to the grilled pork.

I really like what Bigfat's has done. It takes creativity and courage to make sauces outside of the norm. They've already got a great lineup of sauces and have more in development. I also love their commitment to wholesome, natural ingredients. You won't find any artificial preservatives in Big Fat's products.

Click here to see Bigfat's website. See how the sauces rate on our "Product Reviews" page.

Sweet Georgia Soul is the second sauce from Southern Soul BBQ (St. Simon Island, GA) to be reviewed on The "Q" Review. I previously reviewed their mustard sauce, Low Country Soul. Sweet Georgia Soul is one of four Southern Soul flavors, and is considered their "Signature BBQ Sauce."

All Southern Soul sauces are packaged in slim 12 oz glass bottles. Sweet Georgia Soul is burnt orange in color with large flecks of black pepper scattered throughout. The has a medium thickness making it versatile enough for just about any application.

The sauce is a ketchup and mustard blend which accounts for the color. Though Ketchup is the primary base ingredient, the mustard flavor comes through clearly. The sauce is also sweetened with additional sugar. The finish is tangy from the apple cider vinegar and has a slight pepper spice.

Sweet Georgia Soul displays many of the same characteristics as other Georgia made sauces that I've sampled. The blending of sweet and tangy flavors creates unique sauces not found in most regions of the country. Obviously influenced by the mustard and vinegar traditions of the Carolinas, Georgia has created a BBQ identity all its own.

I used Sweet Georgia Soul this weekend on a rack of slow smoked spareribs. The sauce's unique blend of flavors was a good compliment to the smokey pork. When heated, the sauces flavors were sweet and mild. The sauce created a nice dark orange glaze on the ribs when used as a finishing sauce.

Sweet Georgia Soul worked well as a glaze on the ribs, but I think it may be best served on chicken and pulled pork. I prefer the flavor of the sauce after it has been heated. Use it as a glaze or dip. Either way, I recommend Sweet Georgia Soul for anyone who enjoys a mild mustard or vinegar tang.

Check out Southern Soul's website for more information on Sweet Georgia Soul and their other products. See how Sweet Georgia Soul rates on our "Product Reviews" page.

Timber Ridge Cattle was started in 2006 by Pete and Cindy Woltz of Osceola, IA. Timber Ridge produces health conscious beef snacks from hormone free beef. Their cattle  feed is supplemented with flax on a daily basis yielding a product containing 3-5 times more Omega 3 and a robust 4-1 Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio.

Timber Ridge Cattle are processed on a small, family owned farm where the commitment to quality and attention to detail are top priorities. Using 90% lean beef, Timber Ridge produces beef sticks, summer sausages and jerky cured with low temperatures to ensure the highest quality product.

Of course I respect any company that commits itself to producing, quality healthy meats. However, I must confess that all that Omega 6 and Omega three talk doesn't do much for me. It's nice to have the piece of mind that I'm eating something wholesome, but flavor always wins the day. With that in mind, here are my thoughts on some of Timber Ridge Cattle's flax fed beef snacks.

Beef Sticks: Timber Ridge currently produces six different flavors of beef stick. Each stick is made from 90% lean beef and packaged in 1.25 oz. portions.These tasty treats were pretty near perfect. They had just the right amount of chew and the flavors were fantastic. I enjoyed each one, but I think their Original beef stick is my favorite. BBQ and Jalapeno are excellent as well. Are they salty? Of course they are....but they're also delicious.

Beef Jerky: Timber Ridge jerky is of the ground and formed variety. It's chewy, but relatively moist in comparison to jerky that uses larger cuts. Timber Ridge offers three flavors: Original, Peppered and Audacious (Sweet & Spicy). The thinly formed strips are individually sealed  in .75 oz packages. The saltiness of this jerky is awfully high. I still enjoyed the flavors (especially Audacious), but I couldn't eat much at one time.

Summer Sausage: Packaged in 8 oz. sausages, Timber Ridge produces a classic summer sausage. The super lean beef yields a product very similar to the venison sausages I grew up eating in the Midwest. The texture is about the same as the beef sticks. It slices easily, but still requires a bit of chew. Available in both Original and Jalapeno flavors, this type of sausage is great with cheese and crackers.

Timber Ridge Cattle Company produces cured beef snacks that emphasize nutrition without neglecting flavor. Without a doubt, they a step or two above the typical meat snacks found in most grocery and convenience stores. Timber Ridge meat snacks can be purchased online directly from the Woltzs. If you're in the Osceola, IA area, you can also purchase them in grocery stores or farmers markets. Don't forget to see how Timber Ridge product rate on our "Product Reviews" page.

Demon Pig BBQ makes sauces that I'm very fond of. Both their Original and Blaze Orange BBQ sauces scored very well with The "Q" Review. When they asked me to review their BBQ Rub, I was happy to oblige.

Demon Pig BBQ Rub is packaged in 3 oz. plastic shakers. The product features an attractive, newly designed red label (not pictured). The rub itself is also dark red with a speckle of different earth tone colored spices.

The rub is a sweet, low sodium blend. You won't find any exotic ingredients on the label. Demon Pig uses standard, tried and true spices to produce a familiar, yet effective flavor. Demon Pig recommends its rub for any and all meats. However, the brown sugar and paprika base is typical of pork and chicken rubs.

I used Demon Pig BBQ rub on a rack of slow smoked spare ribs. The flavors were sweet and mild allowing the natural smoked pork flavor to come through. The salt content was just about right for the long cook time. I prefer a low sodium rub when cooking low and slow. Demon Pig BBQ Rub provided flavor, but didn't overpower the meat with salt.

Demon Pig BBQ Rub is safe, standard fare in the world of BBQ. When cooking pork or chicken, this type of sweet, mild rub is what I most often reach for. It works well in tandem with Demon Pig Sauces or any type of sweet, tomato sauce.

To learn more about Demon Pig products, click here to visit their website. See how Demon Pig BBQ Rub rates on our "Product Reviews" page.

Original Brat Hans was founded in 2008 and is distributed by Coleman Natural Foods. Coleman has been a pioneer in the organic and natural foods since 1875. The Original Brat Hans brand produces sausages and meatballs made only with natural, antibiotic free meats.

Sold exclusively at Whole Foods, Original Brat Hans products are fully seasoned and pre-cooked. I recently picked up packages of their all natural Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage and Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage. Both products featured four links in vacuum sealed packages.

Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage: Having always enjoyed Chicken & Apple Sausages, I picked up a few packages to test out. These sausages are made from hormone free chicken, organic apples and organic maple syrup. The sausages have a natural, edible pork casing. I first grilled the sausages on their own. I was surprised at how sweet they were. The apple chunks were large and the meat was seasoned heavily with holiday spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.

More sweet than savory, I decided their best application was with breakfast. They make a quick, tasty compliment for pancakes, waffles or french toast. In fact, I even sliced some of them up and put them directly into the pancake batter.

Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage: Italian Sausage one of my favorites because of it's versatility. It's great on the grill or sliced up on pizza. I also love in pasta dishes and casseroles. Original Brat Hans' Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage is made with antibiotic free chicken and traditional sausage spices.

The sausage is tender and salty. One great thing about Original Brat Hans pre-cooked sausage is that they're nearly greaseless. The spice level is relatively mild. There is a detectable level of red pepper, but it won't scare anyone away. I used the Italian sausage in my jambalaya rice casserole on multiple occasions. The salty, moderately spicy sausage complimented the cajun flavors really well.

Original Brat Hans products are a smart alternative to many of the pre-cooked meats found at your local grocer. Few companies share the same commitment to producing wholesome, quality meat products as Coleman Natural Foods. Learn more about the entire Coleman Natural Foods product line on their website. See how their Original Brat Hans products rate on our "Product Reviews" page.

Oakridge BBQ (Kearney, MO) is nationally recognized by BBQ competitors and connoisseurs. Few rubs have gained more acclaim or won more awards on the competition circuit than Oakridge. These rubs are hand made in "micro-batches" using only top-shelf, all natural ingredients.

Oakridge BBQ is owned an operated by Mike Trump. Mike claims to have been involved in BBQ since he was ten years old. He's a very accomplished BBQ competitor that was set on creating his own signature rubs for competitions. A self proclaimed perfectionist, Mike's commitment to quality is evident in every Oakridge product. He and his company back their rubs with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Currently, Oakridge BBQ features six different blends targeting everything from pork to wild game. Each rub (aside from Habanero Death Dust) is packaged in attractive six ounce gold pouches. The back of each package is clear making the spice blends visible.

This week, I used Oakridge BBQ's Secret Weapon Pork & Chicken Rub on multiple occasions. Their newest competition style rub, Secret Weapon features a great mix of standard and exotic herbs and spices. The flavors are equal parts sweet and savory with just a hint of spicy heat. A mix of paprika, ancho, chipotle and guajillo chilies give the rub an added smokey / earthy dimension that many pork and chicken rubs don't have.

I used the rub on smoked chicken quarters early in the week. The rub was the perfect blend of flavors for the hickory smoked poultry. The spices created a delicious savory crust on the skin. The salt content was also perfect. All the flavors were right on point. They were strong enough to hold their own when the chicken was sauced, but acted in a complimentary manner rather than dominating the chicken.

In addition to chicken, I also put the rub to work on a spareribs. I slow smoked a rack of spareribs with cherry wood and seasoned it liberally with Secret Weapon. Once again, the rub was just about perfect. I was concerned about the salt content, but the results proved I had nothing to worry about. With the help of Oakridge BBQ and some new techniques, this week's ribs were the best I've ever made.
After putting Secret Weapon to the test, it's easy to see why Oakridge BBQ has gained so much acclaim. Secret Weapon is one of the finest BBQ rubs I've had the opportunity to use. There's no doubt it's competition quality. I can't wait to test out Oakridge BBQ's other rubs. Secret Weapon has set a very high standard.

It's a pretty safe bet that you're already familiar with Snyder's of Hanover. The world famous pretzel company has been making classic sourdough treats since 1909. Today, Snyder's is part of the Snyder-Lance corporation that features familiar brands like Jay's, Tom's and Krunchers.

Snyder's has put a new spin on their traditional, "Old Tyme" pretzels with their Pretzel Pieces snacks. These crunchy pretzels come in a variety of flavors ranging from the tame to the exotic. One flavor that caught my eye was Hot Buffalo Wing. I'm always curious about chips and snacks that attempt to incorporate flavors like Buffalo or BBQ. It's a risky proposition that doesn't always come together well.

The crunchy sour dough pretzel pieces are seasoned with dried cayenne pepper sauce. Snyder's doesn't hold back on the seasoning. Each bite is loaded with the orange powder. The "Buffalo" flavor is very bold with a strong vinegar tang. The heat level, however, is pretty mild. Calling these pretzels "Hot" Buffalo Wing is a bit misleading. I really couldn't detect much heat at all.

While I found the flavor of these pretzels to be satisfying, I was disappointed with the ingredient list. It read like the glossary of a chemistry text book. I'm not a certified nutritionist (or a bio-chemist), but the ingredients lead me to believe that these may not be the most wholesome snack option. However, if you're craving a crunchy, tangy snack, you could do a lot worse.

Learn more about these pretzels on Snyder's website. See how the Hot Buffalo Wing Pieces rate on our "Product Reviews" page.

Hawaiian BBQ is the second wing sauce from Bonfatto's that I have had the chance to use. I featured Bonfatto's Hawaiian BBQ sauce in addition to their Razz Hab sauce on wings for my Super Bowl party. I was in need of a mild sauce for some of my guests so the "No Heat" graphic on the bottle seemed to be just what I was looking for.

Bonfatto's Hawaiian BBQ Wing Sauce and Marinade is much thinner than Razz Hab. The rich, dark sauce pours very quickly. The sauce is brown with and speckled with a variety of spices.

The sauce is sweetened with pineapple juice, corn syrup and brown sugar. It's also contrasted with soy and sesame. All these flavors blend together for a very Asian profile. The sauce reminds me of a thin Hoisin or sesame stir fry sauce.

Out of the bottle, the flavors are very strong. The sesame and soy overwhelm the initial sweetness. However, when poured on the wings, the sauce seemed much more mild. The thin sauce didn't stick to wings quite as well as Razz Hab, but was still adequate.

While I typically enjoy Asian sauces on wings, I felt that Bonfatto's Hawaiian BBQ lacked the sweetness that I look for. Rather than compliment the sweetness, the sesame flavor is a bit too prominent for me. Hawaiian BBQ was a bit of a let down for me, but I may be in the minority on this one. There weren't any Hawaiian BBQ wings left over on Sunday and I didn't hear any complaints.

To learn more about Bonfatto's, visit their website. See how Hawaiian BBQ Wing Sauce and Marinade rates on our "Product Reviews" page.

Cattleboyz was launched in 1998 by a family of cattle ranchers in Alberta, Canada. In search of a gourmet sauce to compliment their prime beef, the Ternes family developed their own rich, full bodied sauce. While originally produced at home for family and friends, the family eventually made the sauce available to the Canadian public. The company started with their Original BBQ sauce, but has expanded to feature Sweet Chili Sauce and several spice blends.
Cattleboyz Original BBQ Sauce is packaged in unique 17 oz (500 ml) bottles. Pictured above, they resemble old school rootbeer bottles. It's definitely one of the coolest looking bottles on the market. The lone drawback is that the bottle is tinted dark which makes it impossible to get a good look at the sauce.

The sauce, too, is quite unique. The flavor hardly fits the description of a classic BBQ sauce...regardless of region. Though the sauce contains traditional ingredients like tomato paste and vinegar, the first ingredients listed on the label are actually sugar and water. The unusual proportions of familiar ingredients give the sauce a flavor that is difficult to categorize. The closest comparison that I can make is an Asian Hoisin sauce.

I used Cattleboyz Original BBQ Sauce on a couple of occasions. First, I brushed the sauce on grilled chicken. The dark, brown sauce gave the chicken great color on the grill. The bold, tangy flavor was muted a bit by the heat. However, the flame did seem to bring out a slight bitterness. I later used the sauce for BBQ meatballs. It wasn't quite the flavor profile I was looking for. I didn't feel like the sauce complimented th savory beef / pork meatballs the way a traditional BBQ sauce would.

It's hard to recommend Cattleboyz Original as a BBQ sauce. While it was fair as a finishing sauce for grilled chicken, I would suggest that Cattleboyz is best suited for use as a cooking sauce. Stir fry and fajitas may be good applications for Cattleboyz.

For more information about Cattleboyz, click here to visit their website. See how their Original BBQ Sauce rates on our "Product Reviews" page.

Whitewater Creek BBQ Sauce is produced and bottled in Byron, Ga. After finding the sauce on Facebook, I contacted owner, Jason Allmon about his product. Jason was kind enough to send a bottle of his BBQ sauce to be reviewed

Whitewater Creek BBQ Sauce is packaged in 16 oz. glass bottles. Bulk containers are also available. The sauce features a Black and White label. It's a familiar dark red through the glass. The thickness can be characterized as medium - thin. It pours smooth and quickly from the bottle.

I used Whitewater Creek BBQ Sauce on BBQ chicken last weekend and later for meatballs served at our Super Bowl party. Like many of the other Georgia made sauces that I've sampled, Whitewater Creek has a ketchup and vinegar base. The sauce is fairly sweet and finishes with a zippy vinegar and pepper tang.

Where Whitewater Creek stands out is with it's inclusion of various earthy spices. Tamarind, mustard, anchovies, paprika, tumeric and oregano blend with the core ingredients to compliment and balance the sweet and tangy flavors. The sauce, though relatively thin, was fantastic when brushed on BBQ chicken as it finished. The tang mellowed a bit when the sauce hit the flame, but still provided a great deal of flavor to the smoked poultry.

I loved the sauce with the meatballs as well. The beef / pork mixture was full of garlic and savory flavors. The sweet, tangy sauce was a great contrast with the meat. The texture coated the meat well. Whether poured over the meat or used as a dip, Whitewater Creek BBQ Sauce worked well.

Whitewater Creek is the type of sauce that I like to keep on hand. It's a great change up from the Kansas City style sauces that typically line the shelves of my pantry. I find myself reaching for thinner, tangy sauces more and more all the time. Whitewater Creek is definitely one of the best "tangy" sauces I've had.

To order Whitewater Creek BBQ Sauce, click here. You can also find them on Facebook. See how Whitewater Creek BBQ Sauce rates on our "Product Reviews" page.

Bonfatto's has a rich and unique history dating back before WWI. Sicilian immigrant, Guy Bonfatto, opened a small grocery store in Pennsylvania in 1910. After a stint in the war, Guy returned to PA and re-opened his grocery store with his new wife, Pauline. Guy and Pauline grew the business (and their family) steadily. The next generation of Bonfatto's maintained the family business after Guy and Pauline's passing.

What started as a grocery store, developed into a local hot spot for prepared subs and pizza. Eventually, the family turned the establishment into a full service restaurant. In 1990, David Letterman, grandson of Guy Bonfatto, took over the business. Guy continues to grow the thriving business and has since opened a second location in State College. Now famous for their subs, pizza, steak and wings, Bonfatto's has become a favorite of locals and college students throughout PA.

David was gracious enough to send me several varieties of Bonfatto's Wing Sauce and Marinade. Along with the customary buffalo flavors, Bonfatto's features some truly unique flavors like Apple Pepper Jack, Tongue Thai'd and Razz Hab. I used a couple of these sauces, including Razz Hab, for our Super Bowl gathering.

As the name would indicate, Razz Hab is a Raspberry based sauce spiced with the ultra hot habanero chile. Razz Hab is a thick, sticky sauce with true Raspberry flavor. Red Raspberries are the number one ingredient listed on the label and that becomes very apparent after the first taste. The sauce is extra sweet thanks to the addition of corn syrup.

Bonfatto's lists Razz Hab's spice level as "Torch Heat." Out of the bottle, the habanero spice is screaming hot. When the sauce was heated and applied to wings, it lost some its burn. In fact, I found the heat level to absolutely perfect on the wings. It was hot enough to burn, but not so bad that a cold beverage couldn't put out the fire.

With a unique blend of real fruit sweet and substantial heat, Razz Hab is a top notch wing sauce. It stuck great to the wings and to my fingers. Learn more about Razz Hab and all of Bonfatto's Wing Sauces on their website. See how the sauce rates on our "Product Reviews" page.

Claude's Sauces originated in a small El Paso, TX butcher shop. Proprietor, Claude Struve sold briskets that had been marinated in his signature smokey sauce. The business started with Claude's original Brisket Sauce. Claude's Sauces now produces eight different sauces and a dry chicken spice rub.

Claude's was generous enough to send several samples of their sauces. This week, I had a chance to open up a 16 oz. bottle of their Gourmet Variety Sauce. The name "Variety Sauce" is pretty vague. I didn't really know what to expect from the product. The sauce was dark, thick and even a little chunky.

The sauce's flavor is difficult to describe. It's savory and tangy with a bit of spice. There is even a kind of ethnic quality to it. Looking at the ingredient list, I assume this comes from the tamarind. It falls somewhere between a steak sauce and cocktail sauce.

Claude's recommends their variety sauce as a cocktail sauce alternative or as a dip for deep fried vegetables. I used the sauce for a few different applications. As recommended, I tried it as a dip. In my opinion, the sauce was at its best when paired with beef. I enjoyed it as a steak sauce. It also worked well brushed on burgers just as they finished grilling.

The sauce's unique flavor opens up a lot of possibilities. I plan to use the sauce in beans and casseroles that normally call for ingredients like BBQ sauce or ketchup. I can see this sauce playing a role in many of kitchen experiments in the near future.

To learn more about Claude's Sauces, click here to visit their website. See how their Variety Sauce compares on our "Product Reviews" page.

Each of SuckleBuster's BBQ sauces has won numerous awards in some of the nation's  biggest and best competitions. Though each is excellent in it's own right, it all started with their original sauce. Few sauces can match the trophy case of SuckleBuster's Original BBQ Sauce. A first place finish at the 2011 American Royal is just one of the top honors this sauce has earned.

Like their other varities, the Original recipe is a thin vinegar base. It's sweetened with both brown and white sugar. The sauce also mixes in tomato paste for body, color and favor. The sauce is intially quite sweet. The flavors are generally mild, but there is a detectable amount of smokey spice. It finishes with a great vinegar tang that lingers on the tongue.

I used SuckleBuster's BBQ Sauce on pulled pork and BBQ chicken. The sweet and tangy sauce was perfect with the smokey pulled pork. Despite being thin, it also worked incredibly well as a finishing glaze for BBQ chicken. It brushed on smoothly and gave the chicken a beautiful glossy shine.