Flavor guide: Seven sauces to lift your grilling season
“Barbecue is slowly being redefined in America,” said Kat Thompson in Thrillist.com. Brisket and ribs are still wonderful, but flavors and ideas from around the world are bringing fresh pleasures to the table. Whether or not you’ve already made room on the grill for shredded jackfruit or tofu in a sheet pan, you can elevate your grilling game with some of the great jarred or bottled sauces available for marinating or finishing beef, chicken, and other meats. Fly by Jing Szechuan Chili Crisp ($15). A drizzle of this chile oil created by a Chengdu-based chef makes just about everything taste better. Szechuan chile peppers provide the heat; the “deep savoriness” comes from mushroom powder, seaweed, and fermented black beans. Bulldog Worcestershire Sauce ($10). Put aside the Lea & Perrins for this Japanese alternative. It’s thicker, slightly sweeter, and just better, “thanks to its blend of fruit and veggies, including apple juice, prune, and tomato paste, and plenty of garlic and onions.” Oo’mame Mexican Chile Infusion ($16). An Asian-style chile oil made with chipotles and other Mexican peppers, this is great on wings, corn, or carne asada.
Kumana Avocado Sauce ($8). Whatever you’re dressing up, “you can’t go wrong with creamy avocado accompanied by the zip of jalapeños.”
Boon Sauce ($18). Another great addition to burgers or steaks, this small-batch chile oil made in Los Angeles contains fried garlic, shallots, and anchovies.
Bullhead Barbecue Sauce ($15). A staple at every Chinese hot-pot table, this “deeply savory” fish, shrimp, sesame, and garlic paste is a very versatile marinade.
Nong’s Khao Man Gai Sauce ($17). The signature sauce of a young Thai-born, Portland, Ore.–based chef might be “the perfect complement to chicken.”