12 hours Ago By [email protected] (Mariana Zapata)
Here at The Takeout, we take our BBQ sauces seriously. So much so, that we've personally (for research purposes, of course). Although the competition is tough, our number one sauce is .
The choice may be controversial since Kansas City-style BBQ tends to enjoy a wider national popularity than Carolina sauces, but we stand by it. A strong vinegar flavor and low sweetness make this Lillie's Q sauce perfect for fatty meats like brisket, but it's also a great complement for drier meats like ribs or pulled pork. Plus, we love that it has mustard, which gives it even more depth, making for a heavenly explosion of contrasting flavors that we simply never get tired of tasting.
This tangy sauce was created by Chef Charlie McKenna, who's won the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest twice. (He also named his sauce line after his grandmother, which we think is sweeter than peach cobbler.) Dedicated to providing quality, McKenna makes sure his sauces don't contain ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, modified food starches, artificial colors or preservatives, or MSGs.
The result is a better-tasting sauce that can hold its own against industrial sauces. A bite of anything covered in Lillie's Q Carolina sauce takes you right into the middle of a family BBQ on a hot summer day in the Carolinas — and you just can't beat that feeling. What makes Carolina BBQ sauce special Although Kansas City-style BBQ is better known worldwide, food historians believe that the original American BBQ sauce recipe is most closely related to Carolina sauces.
Back in the mid 1880s, were made with vinegar, butter, spices, and, sometimes, catsup (ketchup's predecessor). You can still find these ingredients in the , which are usually separated into mustard-based, vinegar and pepper, light tomato, and heavy tomato. Of these, the vinegar and pepper is the one thought to be most faithful to historic sauces.
Basically, we love Carolina sauces for their deep history and for remaining true to their origins. Not that we don't love other, more modern styles of sauce, but it's good to go back to a recipe's origins once in a while. As for Lillie's Q Carolina barbecue sauce, it's a light tomato sauce that combines ketchup with vinegar.
This makes it ideal for anyone who wants both tanginess and sweetness. It's balanced and light-bodied, so it works well with chicken, pork, and grilled vegetables. You'll probably want to spread it over your meat or use it as a marinade rather than as a dipping sauce.
The product exemplifies beautifully why Carolina sauces are so special, and why they should be given more attention. Recommended.
