Labor Day may signal the inevitable end of summer, but we've still got a few good months of grilling and cookouts left to go. We're here to make sure you don't waste them by slathering bad BBQ sauce on perfectly good meat. That's why we embarked on a blind taste test of eight different supermarket BBQ sauces to see which one is the most flavorful and deserving of your ribs, chicken, and pork. As it turns out, there was one sauce in particular that completely blew all the other competitors away.
Any idea which one it could be?
Before we reveal the winner, here's the list of sauces we sampled on grilled chicken (in random order):
- Bull's-Eye Original BBQ
- Hunt's Original BBQ
- Jack Daniel's Original BBQ
- KC Masterpiece Original
- Kraft Original BBQ
- Open Pit Original BBQ
- Stubb's Original BBQ
- Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ
Typically in our office taste tests, more than one brand comes out at the top; but in the BBQ sauce taste test, nearly everyone agreed on a clear winner.
And, now, here's what you've been waiting for ... the favorite, hands-down, in our BBQ sauce blind taste test was: Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ. Our tasters used the following phrases to describe it: "Sweet and spicy, "Great intense flavor," "Enjoyable smokiness, "I would totally use this as my everyday choice," "Great balance of smoke, sweetness, and spice," "Familiar and delicious," and "Has a good kick."
If for some reason, you can't find Sweet Baby Ray's, we should mention that Kraft Original BBQ was a (distant) second. Tasters described this one as: "Perfect mix of smoky, sweet, and sour," "Good tangy balance," "So good!" and "Tastes expensive!" In other words, we really liked this one, too -- just not as much as our No. 1 fave.
Which BBQ sauce are you cooking with this weekend?
Image via Emily Abbate
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Comments 55
We have used Sweet Baby Ray's this summer too, and it was very good. I'm from KC so, obviously I use KC Masterpiece alot! I like the HIckory Brown Sugar (I use it in baked beans too).
We looooove Sweet Baby Ray's! :-) Have used it for years.
the best sauce doesn't come at the store - but hands down for me it's the sauce at Green Mesquite in Austin, TX. you can buy their sauce by the bottles and it is SOOOOOOOOO good. and yes, it warrants that many O's!!! lol i have family there and i ask them to send me a bottle whenever they can... speaking of, i think i have a phone call to make now... LOL
Sweet baby rays is really good.
I use Stubbs since they use REAL ingredients and taste phenomenal. Check your labels ladies; you're guzzling down high fructose corn syrup. Yum!
I'm a fan of Bulls-eye for the smokey flavor, although I'm going to have to quit it (sniff) for exactly the reason that Banana-Bear gave. High Fructose Corn Syrup. We'll finish what we have, and while it's here, we'll be doing our best to duplicate it.... we like making our own, too.
I looove Sweet Baby Ray's. Hickory Brown Sugar to be specific!
Sweet Baby Rays is the only BBQ sauce we use!