At a recent bbq competition, I met up with my buddy Don Parr who presented me with a bbq sauce that I just had to try…Draper’s BBQ Smokin’ Sauce. Don, a distributor of fine bbq products including the Draper’s line of sauces and rubs, is a pitmaster in his own right. Let’s see if this sauce is worthy of a place in my arsenal of competition sauces.
Label: Glossy black backdrop supports the flaming DBQ logo over the title “Smokin’ Sauce” looks very classy. Along the bottom the phrase “Three generations of pride and flavor in a bottle” tells me this sauce has been utilized, tweaked and perfected by it’s makers years and I get to reap the fruits of Draper’s hard work. Good marketing!!
Naked look: This sauce has a deep red color and a nice medium thick body. Viscosity looks good…not too runny, not too thick.
Naked Taste: Slightly smokey, sweet, peppery and…I taste something interesting…a little different…apple butter? A quick look at the label shows apple butter is not a listed ingredient, but cinnamon and nutmeg are. Aha! That little something out of the ordinary is a nice touch.
Wow! Look at that impressive ingredient list!
Let’s try this on some meat! I had some ribs, pork butt and brisket left over from the contest.
This sauce complemented all three meats well, but really hit a home run on the brisket. The complex combination of spices in the sauce combined with the beefy goodness of the brisket to create a new flavor profile not evident in the naked tasting. To me, this is a key element in a top notch competition level sauce.
Conclusion: The good folks at Draper’s have a real winner on their hands. This sauce begins as a classic, all-around bbq sauce, then transforms into a competition worthy glaze as it passes over the palate. If you want a sauce you could use on some chicken legs in your backyard or on competition style chicken thighs at your next KCBS event, give Draper’s Smokin’ Sauce a try. I think you’ll be pleased….I sure was!
