3 Tasty Ideas for Barbecue Sauce

Who says barbecue sauce is meant only as a glistening lacquer for grilled chicken, ribs and burgers? Certainly not us! The tangy, smoky sauce is simply too tasty to limit the range of its many potential uses. We employ it regularly as a sauce for pizza, a zesty addition to sandwiches and a flavor enhancer for seafood on the grill. We have a range of barbecue sauces from which to choose, so we often make our selection according to the preparation at hand. Here are a few of our favorites:

1. Sandwiches

You simply can’t go wrong with our ultimate trifecta of barbecue sauce-enhanced sando faves: pulled pork sliders with spicy slaw, sliced braised brisket, and beefy meatball subs. I mean, c’mon! Pulled pork and barbecue sauce go together like peas and carrots. Brisket is a barbecue sauce match made in heaven. And, meatball subs? Oh! Soooo much better slathered with the zesty, smoky sauce.

2. Seafood

Oysters on the grill? Now we’re talking! Load them onto a hibachi or other small grill at the beach and you are one cool dude. A spoonful of barbecue sauce added to each open-shelled oyster adds to its smoky flavor. Southern-style barbecue shrimp is another grilled dish that improves with the tangy sauce.

3. Pizza

Whether we pair it with chicken or with pineapple (or both!), barbecue sauce is a zesty alternative to tomato sauce on pizza—especially when it’s cooked on the grill. Use an outdoor pizza pan or slide the pizza onto a pizza stone placed over indirect heat on the grill rack. Looking for a short-cut? Simply swap in purchased pizza dough for the homemade! The following recipe is the perfect combo of tangy and sweet—hitting all the right notes for a stellar summer meal.

Pineapple & Basil Barbecue Pizza

• Extra-virgin olive oil as needed
• 1/2 batch Food Processor Pizza Dough 
• 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) Memphis Barbecue Sauce or barbecue sauce of your choice
• 1/2 cup (4 oz./125 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup (2 oz./60 g) fresh chopped pineapple, or more if desired
• 1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
• Leaves from 1 small bunch fresh basil
• Freshly ground pepper

Prepare a hot fire in a grill. Turn the center burner to medium-low heat or arrange the coals so the center of the grill is at medium-low heat and the edges are at high heat. Lightly brush a steel grill pizza pan with olive oil.

On a lightly floured surface, shape the pizza dough into a 12-inch (30-cm) round and transfer to the prepared pizza pan. Quickly spread the sauce evenly on the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch (12-mm) border uncovered. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese, and top with the pineapple and Parmesan.

Place the pizza pan in the center of the grill and cover the grill. Bake until the crust is crisp and well browned and the cheese is melted, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and top with the fresh basil. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with several grinds of black pepper. Cut into slices and serve immediately. Serves 2 to 4.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen