and I've tried everywhere. The best I've ever had was made by Ollie's BBQ in Birmingham but Ollie upped and died on me many years ago. His son ran the place but when he closed another guy in B'ham supposedly purchased the recipe for the sauce. Not so and I don't care how many times he swore it's the same sauce....it ain't.

It was a vinegar/water based sauce, spices and almost no ketchup and mustard. It was a brownish looking sauce and thin bodied. I've tried Sonny's, Jack Daniels, Sweet Baby Ray's, etc. and can't find one fit to eat. Anybody got any ideas?

My favorite is Stubb's Original, think it's made in Austin, TX. If you cannot find it there, I'd be glad to ship you a bottle to try.

I've seen it in some stores here. Not quite what I'm looking for but thank you so much for the kind offer. I truly appreciate it.

Sweet Baby Ray's isn't horrible for a commercial product.

Gonna have to marry his widow, I guess. And even then, she might not tell you.

Head Country from Ponca City, Oklahoma is the best commercial BBQ sauce that I've had.

http://www.headcountry.com/

Found this using Google - searched for Ollie's BBQ Sauce recipe:

This is similar to a sauce served at the famous Ollie's BBQ in Birmingham
AL. Its what I grew up with.

Hope it works.

--
Fosco Gamgee Whitfurrows
and his 6" boner




FOSCO'S FAMOUS ALABAMA STYLE SAUCE
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1tbsp brown sugar
2tsp kosher salt
1/4tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/2 cup ketchup
1tsp onion powder
1tsp garlic powder
1tsp ground mustard powder
worcestershire

Put it all in a Mason jar and shake it up really well. Allow to set for 15
minutes before using.

Shamefully stolen....

This is similar to a sauce served at the famous Ollie's BBQ in Birmingham
AL. Its what I grew up with.

Hope it works.

--

FOSCO'S FAMOUS ALABAMA STYLE SAUCE
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1tbsp brown sugar
2tsp kosher salt
1/4tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/2 cup ketchup
1tsp onion powder
1tsp garlic powder
1tsp ground mustard powder
worcestershire

Put it all in a Mason jar and shake it up really well. Allow to set for 15
minutes before using.

GeoW and TXRam, many thanks. I'll get the makins' tomorrow and whup up a batch. I may tweak it.

George, you being from the great and sovereign state of Alabama are you familiar with Ollie's sauce of yesteryear? If so, you'll understand my dilemma.

Mickey, there was also some discussion where I found that about the small bottles of cider vinegar really being cider FLAVORED vinegar, but the gal jugs being the real stuff. Not sure it matters or makes any difference, but thought I'd mention it.

May have to try this one myself - sounds good!

Mickey, actually I'm a bit east of you, in the thirteenth colony.

Spent time visiting family in B'ham and enjoyed Ollie's as well as Dreamland.. Good stuff!

g

I love this BBQ sauce, it is great on just about everything you can think of. It's so good you feel like you could drink it

I usually double the recipe.

BBQ Sauce

1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1/4 whole Onion, Diced
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 cup of Ketchup
1/4 cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons (additional) Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoons Distilled Vinegar (less To Taste)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 cup Molasses
*4 Tablespoons Chipotle Adobo Sauce (the Adobo Sauce Chipotle Peppers Are Packed In)
Dash of Salt

*If you do not like real spicy sauce use only 2 Tablespoons Chipotle Adobo Sauce. Look for it in the mexican food section of grocery store. I buy La Costena Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce.

Heat canola oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for five minutes, stirring, being careful not to burn them.

Reduce heat to low. Add all remaining ingredients and stir. Allow to simmer on low for about 20 minutes. Taste after simmering and add whatever ingredient it needs (more spice, more sugar, etc.)

I buy Stubbs or Sweet Baby Rays

I remember Ollies! It is my earlies recollection of BBQ.

In the summer my brother and I would travel with dad on his sales trips. Ollies was always on the list of places to stop for lunch.

I am gonna have to try that recipe and see if it lives up to the memory.....some how I doubt it can.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

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The best we've found is stuff made only 4 miles away in a little, teeny town called Woodville. It's "Jim Daddies" BBQ sauce.. They make several different flavors, but the 'original Hickory' is our favorite..

Here's the link:

http://www.saucesetc.net/

I make my own, I use garden variety Kraft BBQ sauce to start, and thin it (a lot) with apple cider vinegar, then add black pepper, garlic powder, salt, and paprika to taste.

Simple, but good.

For commercial, I like the Cattlemen's brand, they have different recipe's... my favorite is the Kansas city classic, though they do have some more southern recipes. Check out their website, possibly they have one that fits you. Baby Ray's is next. For cooking, not dipping... I will heat on the oven and add water to thin. Unless it's a large slab of meat, I remove while cooking with tongs, dip into thinned sauce and turn as cooking.

For homemade I use Heinz Chile sauce instead of ketchup and diced onions/garlic over dried.

Kent

I'm pretty much a Sweet Baby Rays man, but enjoy sauces made from scratch also.

I agree, starting with a "plain" sauce thinning and adding is a good way to go sometimes. Original Maulls is a good candidate, and what I used last. They make some other decent sauces also....

http://www.maull.com/sauces.html

Good sauce! I especially like the Sweet Vadalia Onion flavor of Sweet Baby Rays.

Sounds kinda like this sauce. They used to sell it around here in some stores. Don't know if they still do. I will try to find some for you to try. miles

Craigs

Mick, I like to buy some of the good "off the shelf" sauces and mix 'em together. Sometimes half/half, sometimes 2:1. It ain't home made but it usually turns out pretty good.

Sounds like Scotts.

http://www.scottsbarbecuesauce.com/

You can buy it online or at Harris Teeter.

Bone Suckin' is also a decent commercial product and as you've described.

X 10 on Head Country

It kinda looks like Ollie's sauce. I ordered a pint of it to see and if it is what I'm looking for I'll just order a case or two and be done with it. Many thanks.

If you don't like it I'll take it. Beware it is a hot/spicy bbq sauce. Peppers, vinegar, and spices. Not a ketchup base at all. However, it's a great base to add what you like. Honey, brown sugar, molasses, etc....

Another Order-of-Magnitude recommendation for Head Country.

With that many endorsements I might have to try Head Country. Is it heavy on the tomato base?

It's made with stuff like ketchup, brown sugar, distilled vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and spices.

If you want to try a dab of it go to a Braum's Restaurant, they sell it there and the clerk told me that's what's in their little packets. You can also buy it by the gallon at Sam's. It's some good sauce.

We like Gate's, from KC, but KC Masterpiece is too sweet for me. I noted that one of the poster's from the fire said that he cheated by adding vinegar to Sweet Baby Ray's. You might try that. Good luck.

When I worked up in Tuscaloosa I fell in love with Dreamland. that was some fine BBQ.

http://www.dreamlandbbq.com/default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

I made up a recipe of this and then discovered I was out of Worcestershire sauce of all things. It appears to be very similar to Ollie's as far as body and color. I do have some Dale's Steak Sauce and thought of using that but it's mostly soy sauce. I'll pick up the correct stuff tomorrow and try it.

The Fiery Vinegar is pretty good - the rest are more like condiments

www.wildroostersauces.com

Mickey, that's about what you get with Scott's but likely a bit more hot. I cut mine with a little extra brown sugar and honey. Also, if you wind up with something that's too hot then carrots or carrot juice will cut the heat. That's why you see it in so many hot sauces.

Mickey, how 'bout an update on the sauce? Did you get it finished? How was it?

Mickey,

If you have access to a health food store, look for Braggs Unfiltered Cider Vinegar. That's all we use. Ollie's sounds like the recipe I confis...stol...BORROWED from a friend of mine in NC that they use on the hogs for pig-pickins and it is some good stuff!

Ed

Sweet Baby Ray's always pleases those at our table. When no one is looking, I sprinkle on a little Varget.

I agree 100%

Another "Thumbs Up" for Head Country..!

Only criticism I've got about Head Country is I'd like to see it a little thicker. Tastes Awesome...

DW444 could you just add some honey to it to thicken it or would it alter the flavor to much?

So how did the Fosco's sauce ever work out? Tasty?

It's almost exactly like Ollie's sauce. Maybe just a tad of tweaking but I have to remember that it's been 6 years since I've had any of the old Ollie's sauce. It's my go to sauce at present.

Badley sent me some that is excellent. I ordered some Scott's but as the poster said, it's probably best used as a base. Fosco's is the sauce and I thank you for the recipe.

Kind of like to try this, any certain amount of worcestershire???

Phil

It's already pretty sugary. I'd be afraid to add anything else to it that's sweet.

[b][color:#3333FF]Order up a gallon and see if you like it...[/color][/b]

I just made up a small batch of this and I like it. I went up on the brown sugar a tad, but without any pulled pork or Chicken to slop in it, I can't tell you much other than I like it and will prolly have to thaw something directly to immerse.

Maybe Rick should start a food forum, just sayin'. Bob

there allready is one

Try adding malt vinegar to whichever not-quite-good-enough barbecue sauce comes the closest to what you want.

I added about a tablespoon. It's easy to add but takes forever to remove. On my next batch I will only use cider vinegar and omit the white vinegar to see how that tastes.

The only thing wrong with the Heads Up sauce is that it uses liquid smoke and I'm not too fond of that taste. It is still good, though, even with that in it.

I only used 1/4 cup of ketchup on the first batch but don't think I want to add more.

That's what I like about the Scott's Mickey. It's a simple hot vinegar bbq sauce, which can be adapted to become whatever you want and without artificial content. If I'm looking for a smoky flavor I simmer it on the BGE for about an hour with fresh additives. But then we real South Carolina folks like plain ole hot vinegar sauce. No ketchup and no mustard for me.

This past weekend I even used it right out the jar in fresh salsa, It was a huge hit.

Call one dem Coonasses in South Louisiana!

This is the recipe from Cooper's, in Llano Texas. It is THE best BBQ in the world, no discussion.

Recipe

Yield. About 5 cups. Click here to calculate how much you need and for tips on saucing strategies.
Preparation time. 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon of butter *
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup Lone Star beer (or any other lager). Drink any that is left over.
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons steak sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Hot sauce to taste (start with 2 teaspoons of Tabasco sauce for mild heat)
2 cups beef, veal, or chicken stock

Note about the oil. Butter or margarine work fine, but to make it authentic, use rendered beef fat from the fatback of a brisket or use bacon fat.

Do this
1) Mix the paprika, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin in a small bowl.



2) In a one quart saucepan, melt the butter or bacon fat and gently cook the onion over medium heat until translucent.

3) Add the garlic, bell pepper, and the spice mix you made in step (1). Stir, and cook for two minutes to extract the flavors.

4) Add the stock and the rest of the ingredients. Stir until well blended. Simmer on medium for 15 minutes. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a month or so.

Never heard of malt vinegar. I'll look for some. The Fosco's recipe is so close to Ollie's that I suspect my search is over. I had reached the point of not really wanting to barbecue because of the lack of a good sauce. Happy days are here again!

I've enjoyed reading through this thread. I do a lot of BBQing. I like seeing the differences in recipes based on geographic locations.

Malt vinegar is GREAT on fresh cut french fries!

You keep talkin' and I'm gonna get dressed and go to town to find some.
Is there one particular brand that you recommend?

French Fries...?

Malt Vinegar goes on Fried Fish,...what's wrong with you..?

YUP! Fried fish as well! It's a beach boardwalk favorite!!

Now I want some as well. I wonder what time Five Guys closes...

Sweet, just enough sour, rich.....simple. Easy to reduce ingredients for smaller quantities.



Pig Sauce


1# melted butter
2 sml jars mustard
2 sml bottles ketchup
1 sml bottle worcestershire
1 sml bottle white karo syrup
1 sml bottle white vinegar
Black pepper to taste

Speaking of BBQ sauce, there is a place in the northern Alabama, I am thinking at or near Decatur, that has a white BBQ sauce. Not sure, but I'm thinking it is mayonaise based. Sounds real odd at best. Anyone familiar with such?

I'm not a fan of using liquid smoke or much Worcestershire for that matter... and don't care for a real sweat type BBQ sauce, nor one that has a real bitter or vinegary taste. Only store bought BBQ sauce I have found that I really like is the Chris & Pits.

But went down to the health food store yesterday and purchased some of the real/live cider vinegar and plan on trying this sauce this weekend.

One question I have for you guy's is do you cook/simmer yor BBQ sauce or is it a cold mix that you mix up and refrigerate, letting it sit to mix the flavors??? I've alway's cooked mine and made just enough for the one occasion, but your Ollie's BBQ sauce sounds like a cold mix and left to sit.


Phil

Mr. Coleman,

I'm make a big batch of bbq sauce today. Its a ketchup based, thin sauce that goes well with beef such as brisket and pulled pork as well.

I know you were looking for a vinegar based sauce but I'd love to send you a pint to try if you'll PM me your address.

Thanks!

Matt

Big Bob Gibson's

The white sauce is used on chicken and It's not my cup of tea, but others like it.

Sweet Baby Ray's is good thinned with burboun. I use about 3/4cup sauce to 1/4 cup Wild Turkey.

Mr. Coleman, went and made up 12 pounds of BBQ chicken leg quarters last night using the Ollie's/Fosco's BBQ Sauce you've been talking about, came out fantastic!

I had to use the ingredient's I could find locally, but here is the recipe I used;

3/4 cup (Bragg, raw apple cider vinegar with the mother)
1/4 cup (London Pub, malt vinegar)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp crushed/dried hot red peppers
1 tsp oriental hot mustard powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
approx. 3/4 cup catchup, maybe a little less

After mixing this stuff up, I wound up putting it in a near-empty 18 ounce bottle of Bulls Eye, brown sugar/hickory that probably only had a spoon full left in it... it was just the right size and filled the bottle back up nearly to the top... shook it up real good and let it set in the refrigerator overnight.

After washing and drying the chicken pieces, I brushed each piece with the sauce and placed in a big bowl putting a little more over the top, and let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours while getting the BBQ ready.

Used most of the rest of the sauce on the chicken while on the BBQ also having a couple big hickory chips on the charcoal fire for a little smoke flavor....

Chicken came out great!


Phil

Matt,
I just saw your post. A better idea would be for you to bring it down and let me cook some BBQ for us. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. My address is: 778 Jasmine Hill Road Greenville, AL 36037 but I'd rather you come down for a visit.

Phil, I have sorely missed Ollie's sauce and was almost delirious to get the recipe for Fosco's. It's so near Ollie's that I can't say for a certainty just what the difference would be. I'm delighted that you enjoyed it so much.
Warmest regards,
Mickey

I'm here to tell ya' that's good stuff. Whole Foods sells it. I'm going to store away a case of it.

Go to the "Bragg" web site, they have their book on the benefits of raw apple cider vinegar for sale there $9.95 if I remember right. Makes for some interesting reading, it's 6"x9" paperback book of about 120 pages.

We have a local health foods store that sells their entire product line...

But it's also made here in California!


Phil

As it happens, I was passing thru Llano last week about suppertime, so I stopped in at Cooper's for some beef brisket and smoked sausage. Very, very fine BBQ, and the sauce is delicious.

Thanks for the recommendation, Pat.

Yup. We were raised on heavy doses of vinegar. I'm convinced it's one of the reasons my family members live to be as old as they do.

Duce Staley (Carolina boy), said he drank a jar of vinegar or pickle juice before, during and after every football game. Cured what ailed him and kept him from dehydrating. In fact, I think the entire Eagles and Gamecocks football teams starting drinking it.

Anytime I can find products that are not unfiltered and raw I jump on them. Especially, honey and vinegar.

http://bragg.com/products/bragg-organic-apple-cider-vinegar.html