Pellet Smoker Cooking: Heinz's New BBQ Sauces

I think anyone who watches much TV should have seen the commercial for Heinz’s new BBQ sauces. They teamed up with some famous pit masters to help create the sauces distinct to their area. The flavors are Kansas City, Memphis, Texas and Carolina. The pit masters appear in the commercial, blooper style and funny. Sam Jones from the Skylight Inn family is the pit master for the Carolina style.

I saw this sampler package of the four styles at Walmart for $5.58. The 4 bottles of sauce are 11 oz. each. It’s a way to try all the flavors without buying large bottles and should be enough for some comparison cooking.

I do not accept products to test here on my blog. If I buy a product and like it I will post about it. If I accept something then I feel obligated to at least try to be positive about it. If I buy it myself and don’t like it then I am free to say so.

The sauces

Test # 1

May 12 2016

I had a nice rack of baby backs from my butcher to use and decided to just try two of the 4 styles that came in the sampler pack. I used the Carolina and the Memphis style.

I didn’t want to do much to the ribs so most of the flavor was from the sauce. You have to have a good rub so I used my favorite Penzey’s Galena St. rub. I put it on light and didn’t use any glue. I had pulled the membrane and put the rub on both sides about 45 minutes before the ribs went on the smoker. That gave them time to get to the sweat stage. I cut the rack in half to use both sauces.

A taste test from the bottle the Carolina was a tangy vinegar and a nice heat flavor taste. The Memphis style sweet and saucy with a nice smoke flavor.

I had my Traeger heated to 190 deg. when I put the ribs on. Below are the average temps at grill level for the 5 hours 10 minutes cook time.

1 hr. @ 205 deg.

2 hrs. @220 deg.

1 hr. @ 230 deg.

Sauced at 4 hrs.

1 hr. @ 250 deg.

We had leftover hominy casserole, my wife had a salad with her too and I had some Bush’s Grillen beans Southern Pit style with mine. I like beans with ribs. We also had toasted English muffins with a little butter!

The ribs were just right for me, beyond clean bite through but not completely fall off the bones.

My wife is more of a sauce person than I am. I cut us one of each of the ribs to try. I had some sauce on the side to add but she said she didn’t want any. She said she liked both but preferred the Memphis style.

I liked the Memphis style best too but want to use the Carolina sauce on pulled pork where I think it will really shine. I tried a bite of each with extra sauce but liked it better without. I didn’t know how to do a good taste test unless using the sauces on the same meat.

Bottom line is if I want sauced ribs I would buy the Memphis style again, its better than most store bought ones I have used. The Carolina sauce I will definitely buy to use on pulled pork.

Getting the ribs ready