While seasoning meat is a common practice, rubs and sauces come with varying textures and flavors. Rubs, for example, should be applied before grilling to meat that will cook slowly, whereas a wet sauce can be applied later and pairs well with food that is going to be on the grill for a long while. We recommend these seasoned veterans with Evansville roots.
Becky Sue’s BBQ Rub
Multi-packs starting at $32
Developed by competition barbecuers Becky and Jim Johnson, this dry rub was voted “Best Rub” in 2021 by readers of Barbecue News magazine. The mix of black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder favors salt for curing and brining, paprika for the resulting mahogany color, and “a few secret spices to give it its award-winning flavor,” Becky says.
Steak Dance Seasoning
Individual shakers starting at $6.59
In Kim Grauer’s wide collection of seasonings, the original Steak Dance holds its own and comes in a swath of flavors. Try the honey pecan for a touch of sweetness, Himalayan Ice for a dash of spice, or Hickory Smoked for a classic finish. As always, coffee remains the seasoning line’s common ground. (Get it?)
Big “B” Barb-B-Q Sauce
Bottles starting at $3.99
Born in a Chandler, Indiana, restaurant, Big “B” took a tomato-based family recipe from the 1930s and created a line of award-winning sauces. Ribs are complemented with the hickory notes infused in the Smokey sauce, while the Sweet Barbecue Bones blends pineapple and orange juices to sweeten the traditional taste.
