The Basics Of Bbq Sauce
You can make pretty much any sauce using one of two methods. Method one involves taking something thicklike a premade powder or the burnt stuff at the bottom of the panand adding fluids to it until its thin enough. The other method involves taking something thin and cooking it to minimize the water until its thick enough to call a sauce. For simplicity’s sake, opt for method two.
Now that we’ve got that sorted, it’s time to think about how you want your sauce to taste. Keep in mind this is for a classic red barbecue sauce. If you want to get fancy, there are other options, but well start here. Its what most people think of when they think barbecue.
A solid barbecue sauce is made up of six parts.
1. Something sweet. This can be honey, cola, molasses, preserves, brown sugar, or syrup. This caramelizes as you cook, brining those smoky, sugary flavors. This will make up about half of your core ingredients, depending on what you use.
2. Something tangy. Think vinegar, mustard, citrus, or citrus preserves. This is what brings the zing to your sauce, and makes up about a quarter of your core ingredients.
3. Something spicy.This is your heat: a hot sauce of your choosing and liking. Choose with care, and dont be afraid to put in a little more than youre used to. Aim for about half a teaspoon for every cup of sauce youre making.
How To Bottle Sauce For Retail
Most sauces bottled for retail sale use either the hot fill or cold fill canning process. We explain the differences between these two techniques below.
Hot Fill Canning Process
The hot fill canning process uses heat to sterilize the food product and the container its going into. Manufacturers begin the hot fill process by heating the food product to a temperature between 194- and 203-degrees Fahrenheit. They inject the hot liquid into its packing container and hold both the container and its contents at a high heat temperature for 15-20 seconds. This sterilizes any bacteria that may have clung to the packaging or contaminated the product. The packer leaves the containers to rest until they cool to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. They then seal the packages and leave them to finish cooling.
- Which products are hot filled? – Acidic products require the hot fill canning process.
- Examples of hot filled products – vinegar-based sauces, hot sauces, juices, and sodas.
Cold Fill Canning Process
Wondering what cold packing means? In the past, cold packing meant putting raw food into a jar. When modern manufacturers cold pack food items, they use extreme cold to kill bacteria during its packaging process. They keep the food at low temperatures before they distribute it into the packaging, and they blast the packaging with icy air to sterilize it.
How To Bottle And Sell Your Own Bbq Sauce
Besides the general steps for how to start a sauce company, there are special considerations for how to bottle and sell your own BBQ sauce. Depending on the types of BBQ sauce youre selling, youll need to choose between the hot and cold packing methods. Hot packing is ideal for acidic sauces, so if youre selling a vinegar or tomato-based BBQ sauce, this is the packing method for you. If you specialize in Alabama white sauce or Carolina Gold sauce, consider the cold packing method.
BBQ sauce companies can market their products directly to barbecue restaurants. While a BBQ joint may have spectacular smoked meat, that doesnt mean they have a premium sauce to serve it with. Contact local BBQ restaurants and pitch your sauce to them. Becoming the signature barbecue sauce of a local restaurant provides a steady stream of revenue because they will purchase your sauce in bulk. The restaurant may even allow you to sell bottles of your barbecue sauce in their store.
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How To Make Coca Cola Bbq Sauce Recipe
Heres how my Mama makes her BBQ sauce.
Add ketchup to a small sauce pan over low to medium heat.
Next add in your Worcestershire sauce , along with your Stone House Seasoning. If you do not have Stone House Seasoning on hand, you can simply combine 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder for this recipe.
And of course some delicious Coca-Cola, or Coke.
Next comes the brown sugar.
And a few dashes of hot sauce for that bit of spicy kick.
This sauce works great with any meats, but is especially good with chicken and pork.
While it may not be like your Mamas BBQ Sauce, I dont think your Mama would mind so much if you give it a try. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!
How To Use Bbq Sauce
- BBQ sauce for chicken: Slather chicken wings, grilled chicken , pulled chicken, or baked chicken thighs or breasts with homemade BBQ sauce for an amazing combination.
- BBQ sauce for beef: Try homemade BBQ sauce with beef ribs and beef brisket. It’s especially delicious with slow cooker recipes!
- Turkey with BBQ sauce: BBQ smoked turkey is super delicious, especially if you’re making it into a sandwich.
- BBQ sauce for pork: Homemade BBQ sauce is incredible with pork. Try it on pork ribs, with brisket, or even in pulled pork.
- BBQ sauce for burgers and sandwiches: Western-style burgers with BBQ sauce are absolutely delicious. It makes a great sauce for BBQ sandwiches and even sloppy joes, too!
- BBQ sauce pizza: Homemade BBQ pizza is so much better than any frozen pizza or even what you can get at a restaurant! Try grilling the pizza for an even more flavorful combo.
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When Is Your Sauce Company Ready To Partner With A Co
Given the benefits of co-packing, you may be interested in working with a co-manufacturer from the start. However, co-manufacturing only makes sense for larger operations. Unless youre selling your sauce in bulk to grocery outlets or selling thousands of units on your e-commerce site, youre not ready to work with a co-manufacturer.
Most co-packers will not work with entrepreneurs. A trial process validates mass-producing a product, and small food businesses typically lack the funds to conduct multiple test runs. Since running experimental production runs and line times can cost thousands of dollars, co-manufacturers work with established food companies that can back the investment.
Co-manufacturers dont advertise their facilities. They use brokers to connect viable clientele to their services. Working with a broker benefits you as well. Brokers make sure the co-packer produces your sauce to your specifications, and they help you establish legal protection in case the co-manufacturer cannot uphold their end of the deal.
Does Sugar Thicken Sauce
Questions about the effects of sugar on sauce consistency and thickness have been a topic of debate for years. A recent study by researchers at Purdue University has backed up this claim, demonstrating that sugar does indeed thicken sauces.
The study also found that adding salt to sauce caused the sauce to thicken more than adding sugar alone.
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How To Make Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Not only is making your own homemade barbecue sauce from scratch infinitely more delicious than anything youll find at the store, but it is also EASY.
While this may not be one of those 3 ingredient BBQ sauce recipes , it is still super simple and a dead ringer for the best barbecue sauces Ive tried at legit BBQ joints.
Try it the next time you fire up the grill to make a Grilled Chicken Breastyou wont be disappointed.
Average Prices Of Common Sauces
While a sauces sales price varies by its customer base and where its sold , weve rounded up the average prices for various jarred items to help you get a sense of how much you can charge for your sauce.
- Average Specialty Hot Sauce Price – The average 8.78 oz. jar of specialty hot sauce costs $5. While some specialty brands cost more than $5, they usually remain under $10 a bottle.
- Average Specialty BBQ Sauce Price – Most specialty BBQ sauce brands charge .57 cents per oz.
- Average Chutney Price – On average, chutneyssell for $1.31 an oz.
- Average Pasta Sauce Price – When you average the prices of specialty and generic pasta sauces, the average pasta sauce costs .66 per oz.
- Average Specialty Salsa Price – Many specialty salsa brands price their products at .71 cents an oz.
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Does Brown Sugar Thicken Bbq Sauce
Many people believe that brown sugar thicken BBQ sauce. Some people even say that brown sugar makes the sauce more flavorful.
If youre thinking about using brown sugar in your BBQ sauce, be sure to do it carefully. Too much brown sugar can make your sauce thick and heavy.
Many people think that the only way to make BBQ sauce glossy is to use a high-quality, smoothie like Grade A or B oil. However, this is not always the case.
You can also use PG Tips and Heat in place of oil to make your sauce shiny.
Why You Should Make Your Own Barbecue Sauce:
- Takes less than 20 minutes and comes together in one potit truly couldnt be easier!
- Keeps well for over a week in the fridge.
- My recipe is 100% from-scratch while others use ketchup for the base, this one does not.
- Can be used in any recipe where barbecue sauce is called for. Its delicious brushed over chicken, for dipping, or really anything!
Read Also: What Is The Best Sugar Free Bbq Sauce
What Is A Co
A co-packer is an established food manufacturing company that businesses pay to produce their products. Also known as co-manufacturing, co-packers own heavy-duty equipment that streamlines food production. Co-packers either manufacture your product line for you, or they can package your finished product. Most co-packers offer various service packages, so their customers decide how many logistical details they want to handle themselves.
For example, one client may pay a co-packer to bottle and package their BBQ sauce. Another customer may only want to pay for bottling and will handle the packaging and shipping themselves. A third customer may have the co-packer handle everything from making their hot sauce to shipping it to their clients.
Working with a co-manufacturer is a cost-effective way to bring your product to market without having to build your own manufacturing facility. It also saves labor costs such as wages, benefits, and training. According to a Contract Packaging survey, 85% of respondents believed co-packing effectively cut costs and brought their margins up, and 68% reported increased business flexibility.
What Information Must Be Stated On The Principal Display Panel
The Principal Display Panel is the front label on a food product. We explain the FDAs requirements for PDPs below.
Principal Display Panel Size Requirements
The size requirements of a PDP vary by its shape.
- Rectangular Packages PDP Size: Must encompass the entire front of the package.
- Cylindrical Package PDP Size: Must encompass 40% of the packages total side area. To arrive at this, multiply your packages circumference by its height.
- Miscellaneous Package PDP Size: Must encompass 40% of the packages surface area.
Required Elements on a Principal Display Panel
The FDA requires the following elements to appear on the PDP:
- The common name of the food item
- The net quantity the package contains
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How To Make The Best Bbq Sauce
How Do You Make Bbq Sauce Taste Better
Making your own BBQ sauce is a great way to create a taste that is unique to you and your family. There are many different ways to make BBQ sauce, so it is important to find one that suits your tastes.
Here are five tips for making the best BBQ sauce:
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Bottling Your Own Sauce Faqs
Now that you understand the basics of how to start a sauce business, you need the details of how to operate your unique sauce brand. From the nuances of starting a hot sauce business to the gritty details of bottling a sauce for retail, we break down the most frequently asked sauce bottling questions below.
How To Make Your Own Bbq Sauce
Making BBQ sauce is as easy as blending a few ingredients in a pan and letting the sauce simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until it thickens. Once you get the basics down, you can put your own twist on it with different ingredients and combinations. Create your own signature sauce, tweaking the flavor profile to your personal preference. In fact, when you see just how easy it is to make your own barbecue sauce, you may never buy bottled sauce again.
There’s something special about homemade BBQ sauce and theres a sauce for every occasion and palate. Seriously, the variety of available BBQ sauce recipes is endless. Whether its sweet, smoky or spicy, this flavorful condiment can be used in so many ways. Serve it as a dip, spread it on a sandwich or drizzle it over pizza. Slather it on ribs, chicken, beef and all your grilled dishes.
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Heres How You Make It
How to make the best BBQ sauce for ribs? Ill tell ya:
Can You Add Water To Bbq Sauce
If so, it is important to understand the different effects that adding water can have on sauce quality. Here are a few tips:
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Ways To Use Bbq Sauce:
There are so many great ways to put a batch of homemade BBQ sauce to delicious use! Some of our faves include:
- Traditional bbq meat: Grilled or pulled chicken, pulled pork, ribs, burnt ends, etc.
- Baked beans: BBQ sauce is a simple and delicious way to flavor a batch of baked beans.
- Burgers: Use it as a spread on your favorite burgers.
- Pizzas: Use it in place of pizza sauce.
- Soups/salads: Mix it into broths to flavor soups, or use the sauce as a dressing for your salad.
- Tacos/quesadillas/burritos: BBQ sauce is a great way to give your favorite Mexican dishes a different twist.
- Dipping sauce: And of course, its always a great dipping sauce for everything from chicken nuggets to veggie sticks to cocktail meatballs and more!
Find Your Own Signature Recipe And You Will Never Buy Bottled Sauce Again
Assistant Food Editor Pat is an Assistant Editor at Southern Living and has been a part of the team since 2006. She works with the Senior Food Editor to plan monthly print food features and stories that will highlight Southerners making a difference through food, share delicious recipes that utilize seasonal produce, and offer exceptional reader service. Pat also writes digital content on a variety of topics including cooking, gardening, and pets.
One of the reasons Pat enjoys living in Birmingham is because it is centrally located between the mountains and the Gulf coast. She spends her free time gardening, hiking with her dogs, and pursuing her goal of becoming a better horsewoman.
Growing up, I thought everyone made their own BBQ sauce. Long before celebrity chefs and televised BBQ competition shows made it popular, grilling steaks and burgers was a weekend ritual with my dad, and he always started off by making a saucepan of his homemade BBQ sauce. Now, just to be clear, Daddy thought cooking any meat over an open fire was BBQ. I don’t remember him ever distinguishing between grilling cooking quickly over a hot flame, and barbecue using a low, slow, hours-long technique. So, when I say my Daddy quickly barbecued steaks over a hot fire, just go with it, ok?
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How Do You Thicken Bbq Pulled Chicken
Chicken thighs are the best because they are fatty and have a lot of connective tissue. Backbones and wings are also good, but they can be more time-consuming to cook.
Another important factor is how much oil you add to the bird. Too much and the chicken will become dry and tough. The ideal ratio is 1 tablespoon of oil for every 4 pounds of bird.
