Sauce or No Sauce for Pulled Pork?

jmill88 · Oct 26, 2011

I'm helping out a few friends with a comp this weekend and I'm in charge of the pulled pork. I never sauce mine at home, but figure I need something for the comp. Anyone care to share what you do as far as sauce for a competition?

OakPit · Oct 26, 2011

Try something sweet with a vinegar twang - Carolina style. Sweet is typical at contests; look how Blues Hog did at the Jack Daniels recently.

Boshizzle · Oct 26, 2011

50/50 Blues Hog Original and Blues Hog Tennessee Red seems to be a favorite.

tamadrummer · Oct 27, 2011

I have not had the Blues Hog stuff but one of the best sauces/glazes I have had so far is the sticky fingers BBQ Memphis sauce and the Carolina is awesome too.

I do not compete so you are better off listening to the competitors for that kind of advice but for backyard BBQ, try the sticky fingers brand stuff.

jmill88 · Oct 27, 2011

Boshizzle said:
50/50 Blues Hog Original and Blues Hog Tennessee Red seems to be a favorite.

I know it does well, but I am just not a huge fan of Blues Hog. I guess it isn't about what I like, but what the judges are looking for though.

Lake Dogs · Oct 27, 2011

jmill88, tell me a little about the competition. Sanctioned or not? What sanctioning body?

Unsanctioned most anything goes and it's a crap shoot. If you sauce, make darned sure that the sauce that you use goes very well with the rub. I cannot tell you how many times (like 80% of the time) I sample barbecue where the sauce flavors conflict with the injection or rubs.

I see you're in MO. I doubt it's MBN, but if it is they allow sauce on the side; multiples. I would do that. It gives the judges the option of how much sauce to use and which sauce to use.

If sanctioned, research the sanctioning body and see if they allow sauce on the side. if so, do that. If they allow 2, then present 2. Choices are generally a good thing, as long as the sauce goes.

Know that the sauce should compliment the flavors of the meat, not overpower it. That's another mistake many newer teams make; the only flavor is in the sauce. The smart judge will pick-up on this and even with a great sauce you'll be scored down.

Best of luck!

southernstyle · Oct 27, 2011

try this. http://www.bigpapasbarbecue.com/mix the regular or sweet with a little blues hog tenn red

tmehlhorn · Oct 27, 2011

I dont like sauced pulled pork. If it is sauced it should be a very small amount of a vinegar based sauce, you wantt the flavor of the pork to stand out. Me i pull mine and keep the juices let it sit about five or ten minutes and pour juices back over meat. The cooling meat seams to soak up the juice nicely. Not sure about the comp if just serving the pork or sandwiches etc. ? If sandwiches what i do is a really good bun, then i make up a batch of patio dadios sweet and tangy slaw and put some of that on top. Its a vinegar based slaw and the juices run down into the meat. It really is wonderful. Good luck to ya let us know what you do, some pron would be nice to.:becky:

jmill88 · Oct 27, 2011

The contest is judged in accordance with the St. Louis BBQ society.

Cook · Oct 27, 2011

GreenLeafBBQ said:
Try something sweet with a vinegar twang - Carolina style.

There is nothing sweet about Carolina style...if it's the Old North State you're referring to.

deguerre · Oct 27, 2011

Cook said:
There is nothing sweet about Carolina style...if it's the Old North State you're referring to.

Yep. Vinegar, cayenne (Lots!), a little salt and maybe a couple other things? But NO sugar!

fingerlickin' · Oct 27, 2011

Anyone else ever make Bob Gibson's "Pig Dip" recipe from his book? I love that stuff. I'm not sure I would mix it in with the pulled pork for fear not everyone would like it but it's excellent as a condiment on the sammy.

I guess I should say Chris Lilly's "Pig Dip" recipe from his Big Bob Gibson BBQ book.

deguerre · Oct 27, 2011

fingerlickin' said:
Anyone else ever make Bob Gibson's "Pig Dip" recipe from his book? I love that stuff. I'm not sure I would mix it in with the pulled pork for fear not everyone would like it but it's excellent as a condiment on the sammy.

I guess I should say Chris Lilly's "Pig Dip" recipe from his Big Bob Gibson BBQ book.

Yep.
And it IS Big Bob's original recipe that Chris Lilly has carried on.

Cack · Oct 27, 2011

Being in the south I'd say SAUCE. If you can see dry pork ... add more sauce

deguerre · Oct 27, 2011

Cack said:
Being in the south I'd say SAUCE. If you can see dry pork ... add more sauce

Heck. I'M from the South and if the pulled pork is good, it don't need no sauce at all. Mebbe a little vinegar slaw though. :becky:

OutlawSwine · Oct 27, 2011

deguerre said:
Heck. I'M from the South and if the pulled pork is good, it don't need no sauce at all. Mebbe a little vinegar slaw though. :becky:

^^^^ What he said. :-D

SirPorkaLot · Oct 27, 2011

Cack said:
Being in the south I'd say SAUCE. If you can see dry pork ... add more sauce

Them folks in SC :roll: :doh:

Heck they think BBQ sauce is mustard based down there.

When folks talk Carolina sauce, they are typically talking NC sauce, and this comes in two varieties.
Eastern, NC or Lexington, NC sauce.
Both are nothing but Apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, a little brown sugar, some red pepper flakes, and some tomato influence (Lexington only)

This is used as a complement to the pork, and should never ever take center stage. (always on the side)

My standing rule: If i have to use BBQ sauce - i screwed the cook up somewhere in the process.

My vote = No Sauce :cop:

Terry The Toad · Oct 27, 2011

I recently took a BBQ judging class - and as part of the class we judged a contest. Man, the pulled pork entries really ran the gamut. There was one entry that was swimming in sauce. Yikes!

I can definitely say MY taste runs to little or no sauce.

qnbiker · Oct 30, 2011

Great with or without. If I'm saucin', I prefer a vinegar based sauce.

NS Mike D · Oct 30, 2011

can you win competitions with no sauce

or not sweet sauces?

and specifically for the OP:

jmill88 said:
The contest is judged in accordance with the St. Louis BBQ society.

Sauce or No Sauce for Pulled Pork?

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