Blues Hog BBQ Sauce – A Tangy, Sweet and Spicy Treat

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

An Introduction to Blues Hog BBQ Sauces

Blues Hog BBQ Sauce – A Tangy, Sweet and Spicy Treat. Blues Hog is a Kansas City-based BBQ sauce company known for their distinctive flavors and high-quality ingredients. Founded in 1988 by three friends with a passion for barbecue, Blues Hog has grown into one of the most popular BBQ sauce brands in the United States.

Blues Hog makes a wide variety of BBQ sauces to suit different tastes and cooking needs. Their product line includes:

• Original Blues Hog Sauce – Their signature sauce with a tangy, sweet and spicy flavor. It combines tomato puree, brown sugar, garlic, spices and vinegar.
• Tennessee Red Sauce – A sweeter, tomato-based sauce with hints of molasses. Ideal for ribs and pulled pork.
• Carolina Mustard Sauce – A mustard-based sauce with a tangy kick. Great on pulled pork sandwiches.
• Texas Pit Sauce – A smoky, molasses-infused sauce perfect for brisket and beef ribs.
• Kansas City Sweet Sauce – A thick, rich sauce with brown sugar and honey notes. Fantastic on chicken and pork.

Why Choose Blues Hog BBQ Sauces?

Here are some key reasons Blues Hog sauces stand out from other BBQ sauce brands:

• High-Quality Ingredients – Blues Hog uses natural ingredients like tomato puree, vinegar, molasses and spices. They avoid artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.
• Complex, Balanced Flavors – Their sauces offer layered flavors combining sweet, tangy and spicy notes. They aren’t just sugary or too spicy.
• Versatile – With multiple sauce varieties, you can use Blues Hog sauces on all types of barbecued and grilled meats.
• Restaurant-Quality Taste – Blues Hog was created by restaurant pitmasters. Their sauces offer authentic BBQ flavors.
• Thick and Sticky Texture – The sauces adhere nicely to meats instead of running off. They also work great as dips and marinades.

Blues Hog Original BBQ Sauce Review

The Original Blues Hog Sauce is the brand’s signature product and top seller. As their original recipe, it established Blues Hog’s reputation for quality. Let’s look closer at why it’s so popular among backyard grillers and professional pitmasters alike.

Rise and Brine! Shop Our Newest Injectable Marinade!

Flavor Profile

Right away you’ll notice the Original Blues Hog hits all the right notes flavor-wise:

• Sweetness – Brown sugar provides a nice sweetness that balances out the acidity and spices. There’s sweetness upfront followed by the tangy kick.
• Tartness – Apple cider vinegar and tomato puree give it a tangy, pucker-up taste. This contrasts nicely with the sweet notes.
• Spiciness – There’s moderate heat from black and cayenne peppers. You get a slow, building burn rather than an overpowering jolt of heat.
• Smokiness – Molasses and garlic add an appetizing, barbecue smokehouse flavor.
• Herby Goodness – Spices like mustard, paprika and coriander add savory depth.

The overall effect is a balanced BBQ sauce that tastes professionally crafted. It excels at enhancing the flavor of meats during grilling rather than overpowering them.

Shop Our Top Selling Original BBQ Sauce

Consistency and Appearance

The Original Blues Hog has a nice thick, clingy texture similar to what you’d get from a homemade BBQ sauce. Here are some attributes:

• Viscosity – It’s thick enough to coat meats evenly without running off. This helps the sauce caramelize into the outer “bark.”
• Body – There’s some weight and density to the liquid while still being pourable. This gives it a mouth-coating richness.
• Texture – It’s smooth from pureed tomatoes yet with a faint chunkiness from seasonings.
• Color – Reddish-brown hue like a classic ketchup-based BBQ sauce. Darkens nicely as it cooks down.

The thickness allows excellent adherence to meats along with tantalizing caramelization, charring and glazing.

Taste When Grilling

The Original Blues Hog performs fantastically during grilling and barbecuing. Here’s what to expect:

• Sweetens and Tightens – The sugars caramelize to give even more sweetness along with a sticky texture.
• Deepens in Flavor – Browning the meat and sauce drives in rich umami, roasted flavors.
• Nice Tenderness – The sauce keeps meats moist while also allowing the surface to crisp.
• Killer Aromas – You’ll be tempted just from the smoky, meaty, sweet scents wafting off the grill.
• Pretty Coloring – The sauce coats meats in an even, deep red lacquer as it chars.

Overall, the sauce consistently enhances meats thanks to its balanced flavor and ability to caramelize into a tasty glaze.

Use on Different Meats

The Original Blues Hog pairs wonderfully with all kinds of barbecued and smoked meats:

• Pork – Excellent on pork ribs, chops, roasts and pulled pork sandwiches. The tangy sweetness nicely complements the pork.
• Beef – Ideal for tri-tip, brisket, short ribs and hamburgers. It adds moisture and flavor to beef’s richness.
• Chicken – Wings, drumsticks and tenderloins stay juicy and gain robust flavor from the sauce.
• Turkey – Brings out the best in smoked turkey breasts, drumsticks and whole birds.
• Seafood – Works surprisingly well on salmon, shrimp, scallops and other grilled seafood.

The sauce is versatile enough to pair with nearly any meat while adding signature BBQ taste.

Key Benefits of Blues Hog Original BBQ Sauce

Here are some of the main benefits home grillers can expect from the Original Blues Hog Sauce:

• Restaurant-Quality Taste – It delivers authentic barbecue joint flavors you can replicate at home.
• Well-Balanced Flavor – The sweet, tangy and spicy notes blend harmoniously.
• Enhances Smoked Flavors – Adds wonderful complexity without overshadowing the smoked meat flavors.
• Sticks and Caramelizes Well – Coats meats excellently for maximum flavor infusion.
• Easy to Use – You can easily baste, glaze, dip or marinate with this sauce.

The Original Blues Hog is a gold standard BBQ sauce that boosts the flavor of smoked and grilled meats of all kinds. It’s easy to see why it’s the foundation of Blues Hog’s sauce empire.

How to Best Use Blues Hog Original BBQ Sauce

Here are some tips to use Blues Hog Original Sauce to maximize flavor:

BBQ Saucing Tips

• Baste during grilling – Continuous basting provides great taste and char.
• Glaze near the end – Brush on a thicker glazecoat for the last 5-10 minutes.
• Layer the sauce – Apply coats of sauce over several hours when smoking meat low and slow.
• Heat the sauce – Warm it up to help it coat better and caramelize faster.
• Try mixing sauces – Customize the flavor with a mix of Blues Hog varieties.

Marinade Suggestions

• Marinate tougher meats – Helps tenderize flank steak, tri-tip, brisket, etc.
• Keep it brief – 1-4 hours to avoid excess sweetness. Rinse before grilling if marinating more than 2 hours.
• Score meats – Cut shallow slashes to help the marinade penetrate.
• Mix with ingredients – Combine with oil, spices, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, etc.
• Reserve some – Use some to marinate and the rest as a sauce when cooking.

Serving and Dipping

• Serve as-is – Goes great with any barbecued meat right out of the bottle.
• Pair with vinegar – Mix with cider vinegar for pulled pork and drier meats.
• Thin with water – Add a splash to thin out and make better for dipping.
• Garnish dips – Swirl in extra spices, herbs or hot sauce for a kick.
• Vegetable dipper – Use as a tasty veggie dip alongside your barbecue feast.

Blues Hog Original vs. Other Blues Hog Sauces

Within Blues Hog’s lineup, the Original stands out as the classic, all-purpose BBQ sauce:

Vs. Tennessee Red

• Tennessee Red is sweeter with a ketchup and molasses tomato profile.
• Original has more vinegar tartness and barbecue smoke flavors.

Vs. Carolina Mustard

• Carolina Mustard gets its tang from mustard instead of vinegar. Subtler flavor.
• Original has bolder sweet, tangy and spicy notes from multiple ingredients.

Vs. Texas Pit

• Texas Pit is intensely smoky from molasses, with more robust seasoning.
• Original has a more balanced flavor instead of just heavy smoke and sweetness.

Vs. Kansas City Sweet

• Kansas City Sweet is extra thick and sticky sweet from brown sugar and honey.
• Original has a wetter, more pourable consistency and slight acidity to balance the sweetness.

The Original Blues Hog delivers the core flavors that make the brand famous while still being versatile. The other regional spin-off sauces complement it when you want to add their unique flavor personalities.

How to Buy Blues Hog Original BBQ Sauce

Here is some helpful info for purchasing this stellar BBQ sauce:

Prices

• 16 oz bottle – $4 to $6
• 32 oz jug – $8 to $12
• 1 gallon jug – $30 to $40

Buying Tips

• Check expiration dates – Ensure you get the freshest sauce possible.
• Look for deals – Buy in bulk sizes or sets to lower the per-ounce price.
• Storage – Refrigerate after opening, using within 4-6 months for best flavor.

Investing in some high-quality Blues Hog sauce is worth the moderate price to make your home barbecue unforgettable.

Blues Hog – Much More Than Just Sauces

While Blues Hog built its brand on excellent sauces, they offer much more for barbecue enthusiasts:

Rubs

• Sweet Honey Rub – Brown sugar, honey and warm spices for pork and poultry.
• Kansas City Rub – Paprika, garlic, cumin and chili powder for beef and ribs.
• Chicken and Rib Rub – Onion, oregano, rosemary and mustard for extra flavor.

Marinades

• Southwest Marinade – Chilies, cumin, oregano and garlic for fajita and taco meats.
• Island Reserve Marinade – A tropical marinade with brown sugar, pineapple and coconut.
• Santa Maria Marinade – Garlic, onion and California chilies inspired by the California Coast.

Grilling Tools and Kits

• Meat Shredders – Forged two-prong meat claws for easily shredding pork.
• Silicone Brushes – Heat-resistant brushes in multiple sizes.
• Gift Boxes – Sauces paired with rubs, aprons and grilling gadgets.

Explore all the offerings at www.blueshog.com to take your backyard barbecue to the next level. The sauces kick it off deliciously!

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have some questions about Blues Hog’s incredible barbecue sauces? Here are answers to their most common FAQs:

Is Blues Hog barbecue sauce gluten-free?

Yes, all Blues Hog sauces are gluten-free and contain no wheat. They are safe for anyone avoiding gluten.

Are the sauces vegan?

Most Blues Hog sauces are vegan except for the Kansas City Sweet Sauce, which contains honey. The other sauces use molasses for sweetness.

Where are the sauces produced?

All Blues Hog sauces are handcrafted at their production facility in Kansas City, Missouri. Local ingredients are sourced whenever possible.

How long does an open bottle last in the fridge?

An opened bottle will retain optimal flavor for 4-6 months when refrigerated. The vinegar acts as a natural preservative.

What’s the difference between the sauces?

Each regional-style sauce has its own flavor profile – Original is balanced sweet, tangy and spicy, Tennessee Red is sweeter, Carolina Mustard tangy, etc.

What meats pair best with Original sauce?

The Original sauce pairs amazingly well with all types of pork, beef, chicken, turkey and even seafood off the grill. It’s highly versatile.

Recap and Key Takeaways

• Blues Hog makes high-quality barbecue sauces inspired by different regional American styles. Their flagship Original Sauce balances sweet, tangy and spicy flavors.
• The Original Sauce clings well, caramelizes beautifully and enhances smoked meat flavors without overpowering. It works magic on everything from pork to chicken, beef, turkey and more.
• For best results, baste and glaze meats with Blues Hog Original while grilling. It can also be used as a dip, marinade and vegetable dipper.
• Beyond their sauces, Blues Hog makes rubs, marinades and grilling tools for fantastic barbecue from start to finish.

The Blues Hog team truly mastered the art of barbecue sauce. Their Original blend is a tangy, sweet, spicy treat that will win over any backyard pitmaster. Fire up the grill and experience it for yourself!