The Texas BBQ Forum

I'm from north east Texas,( Marshall ) but moved to south east Texas more than 25 years ago. Neely's was one of the best mom & pop bbq joints in the state. If my memory is correct they only had sandwiches and side orders on the menu. Their pork or beef sandwiches were the best I have ever eaten. If you lived there or stopped in 25 or so years ago you would back me up. The flavor of their food was unique along with their sauce. The sauce was a closely guarded secret. I have heard it is still in business, but the original owners are deceased. If anyone would know if this sauce is still being served there please post yes or no. If yes, please post their contact info. Thanks

papajim

I'm not perfect.... just like to share my $.02 on the internet

Several yrs ago Pat Neeley gave up the sauce recipe it is posted on Food Networks Site

Dawg the recipe I"m looking for is not the down home with the Neely's recipe that appeared on TV. Sorry for the confusion. The Neely family I want the recipe from owned and operated a BBQ restaurant in Marshall Tx. Thanks Dawg

papajim

I'm not perfect.... just like to share my $.02 on the internet

if your looking for a Savory sauce you might want to try Fontains made famous by the old pit master at Louie Mullers, Mr. Fred Fountain Back in the day.



Fountaine’s Sauce Recipe*

By Fred Fountaine Pitmaster

Louie Muller BBQ

1 quart (32 ounces) catsup
3 quarts water
2 onions the size of baseballs, cut up fine (use 1 ½ if they are the size of softballs)
2 beef bullion cubes
2 tablespoons salt, or to taste
¼ cup black pepper, or to taste

In large pan, combine all ingredients, going gently with salt and pepper first.

Bring to boil over high heat and boil vigorously 40 minutes. Reduce heat to low, taste and correct seasonings, and let simmer 40 minutes longer. At end, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil again. Then it’s done. Bottle in clean bottle or jars and store in refrigerator. Makes about two quarts.

* As originally printed in the October 24, 1984 Milwaukee Journal

I change the salt to McCormicks Season All when I make it then adjust with regular salt to taste.

Another one you might try is Gate's sauce. Although they are a famous KC BBQ joint the sauce is not your typical sweet KC fare.
It is sold in stores if you can find it, seems the closer you are to KC the more available it is.
The recipe is available however I don't believe it is the exact same, even though (or maybe because) the source is Ollie Gates hisself. That recipe is in the "Texas Legends BBQ" book.

Here Ya Go!!

Gates BBQ Sauce Recipe

This recipe was supposedly shared with viewers of the Martha Stewart show by none other than Mr. Gates himself. It«s probably not an exact duplication of the commercially produced sauce, but it comes pretty darned close.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons celery seeds
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground red pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 quarts ketchup (Hunt«s probably, because of a Hunt«s KC connection)
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons of liquid smoke, hickory flavored
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine the sugar, salt, celery seeds, cumin, red pepper, garlic powder and chili powder in a small bowl. Mix the ketchup and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, then stir in the dry ingredients. The sauce can be served warm or at room temperature.

That«s the recipe provided by Mr. Gates, but I do things a little different. To bring out the flavor of the spices, and to get all that sugar and salt completely dissolved I next pour the vinegar into a large pan, and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. At that point, I lower the heat and continue simmering for 20 min then add the remaining ingredientsand simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, at which point it«s taken off the heat, covered, and cooled until it can be funneled into 5 or 6 cleaned, empty bbq sauce bottles.

I like the Gates Extra Hot bbq sauce and found that by adding an extra tablespoon of ground red pepper, plus 3 tablespoons of ground black pepper to the recipe, I get a sauce that is nice and spicy, while still having that great Gates taste.
For a Smaller Batch of Gates Bar-B-Q Sauce…

You might feel that 2-1/2 quarts of bbq sauce is too much to make at one time, so the following homemade Gates bbq sauce recipe will make about one bottle«s worth.

1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cup salt
1-1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons ground red pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
16 ounces ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke, hickory flavored
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

For the hot and spicy version, add an extra 3/4 teaspoon of red pepper, and just shy of 1 full tablespoon of ground black pepper. Follow the above directions for combining the ingredients.

Thanks guys for the recipes, will add them to my recipe list. Dawg, I am amazed with your bbq knowledge.

papajim
I'm not perfect.... just like to share my $.02 on the internet

Alan in the coastal bend checking in, I recommend when brisket or ribs are finished off, the au jus is the best sauce for my BBQ.
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tbsp Cayenne
2 tbsp Paprika
1 tbsp Thyme
2 tbsp Gebhart's Chili powder
1 cup Dark Brown sugar
1 tbsp minced garlic
This is my dry rub and the au jus it makes when "finishing" covered by foil in a pan will be "Larapin" good!

I really wanted to ask a question, and just did not know how. I am from SW PA, and am looking for a sauce recipe that is not sweet at all. I grew up in the Mon Valley and want a tomato based sauce that is not like traditional bbq sauces. Can anyone help me out?

Most of the above sauces should work fine for you, DawnMC1991. Like most of the folks here, I'm not a fan of sweet sauces either. I grew up on my great grandmother's sauce recipe. They owned a farm down around Germantown.

FWIW, "traditional" is relative too. Just about every culture around the world does some form of BBQ. More relative to the US, dumping tons of sugar, HFCS or molasses into sauces and foods is a relatively modern thing. Food makers have realized more and more how addictive sugar is, and they put it in EVERYTHING now. Bread, pizza sauce, you name it. Hope that didn't come off as preachy or anything. Just want folks to know to read food labels.

Franklin's BBQ in Austin has it's sauce recipes online (google) and in Aaron Franklin's BBQ book. Those are all more along the lines of what I presume you're looking for. They're posted somewhere on the site here also.

Dawnmc1991 wrote:I really wanted to ask a question, and just did not know how. I am from SW PA, and am looking for a sauce recipe that is not sweet at all. I grew up in the Mon Valley and want a tomato based sauce that is not like traditional bbq sauces. Can anyone help me out?

Are you looking for just a tomatoe sauce, plain old tomotoe sauce?? If so giggle Edmonds tomatoe sauce nz.
It's one I make. I vary it slightly for my taste.

Russ

I am looking for a sauce recipe that is tomato based and I know has celery seed in it. It would be related to Bad mad sauce

I'm not from Texas but I have a non-sweet recipe.

Here's what's proclaimed to be the original version and it's very good. I've made it with both water and Grape-ette.

Shack Sauce

The BBQ sauce of my youth. When I was younger and naive I thought this was what all BBQ tasted like. Now I know It's related to western NC BBQ sauce and somehow mad it's way to Arkansas.

http://www.ibdjohn.com/shack/

I like it with a little bit more sugar though

Here's a small version of the the full version I found in a local newspaper posted by a former employee. They're different but close enough for jazz.

Shack Sauce

I pulled this one out of a local paper long before finding the full version online. Ad a tablespoon or so of mustard and you'll be good to go. Same with the garlic & onion powder.

12 oz cider vinegar
19-1/2 oz catsup
19-1/2 oz water
2-1/4 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons sugar(more to taste)
2-1/4 tablespoons black pepper
2-1/4 tablespoons chili powder

2 TBL spoon garlic powder
2 TBL spoon onion powder

Put all ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-35 minutes.
Needs no refirdgeration whithen reason.

If BluDawg were still around he'd second my choice.