Why is BBQ sauce red?

[calendria]

 

      

 

Who says BBQ sauce has to be red?  I was searching for a sauce to use Molasses and this one caught my eye, never tried a mustard based BBQ sauce before. 

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/03/south-carolina-mustard-sauce-barbecue-recipe.html

This simple sauce starts with a mustard base, mixes some sweetness in with sugar, the vinegar gives it a barbecue tang, and just enough spices create a uniqueness between one sauce and another.

Quote:   Joshua Bousel ,

"Unlike my unbridled enthusiasm for North Carolina Vinegar Sauce (which I've been perfecting thanks to all of your comments), I've approached the mustard sauce more cautiously.

Though it makes a nice alternative on a pulled pork and slaw sandwich, I'm not quite feeling it on ribs or with any beef yet. Being new to the South Carolina way, I'm wondering how you use this mustard sauce?"

South Carolina Mustard Sauce
Adapted from Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book by Chris Lilly

[countrygirl12]

All of it isn't. Some is maroon (which is not red) and some is brown. I actually don't think I have seen any that is really RED.

I like some of the flavored bbq sauces but that may change the color somewhat.

[dwiley11]

brown sugar

[tantricia44]

I thought BBQ was colored dark brown.

[darkxtsuna]

Is it red O_o I always thought it was dark brownish.

[oldbuddy]

My favorite on Pulled Pork is Maurice's Southern Gold BBQ Sauce from Charleston. SC.

[stevensm4]

Because, it absorbs all the frequencies in the spectrum except for red and that frequency is what is reflected.

[nannycoe1]

I don't like a lot of bbq sauce,  just mild and sweet

[nmbrown863]

I like the honey bbq sauce.

[betlynjua]

I remember going to a BBQ place with my husband some time ago.  I didn't count them but there must have been at least a half dozen bottles of BBQ sauce on the table. 

They ranged from mild to medium; hot to extra hot and sweet.  There was also a range of colors:  Brown, browner, and more brown, yellow, green and this sort of reddish brown. 

Anyway, we had fun sampling them all.  I tend to gravitate to the mild spicy. 

[debidoo]

It is red because of having a catsup base I believe but the mustard type is not red and is really my oldest son's favorite type/flavor of bbq sauce.  I didn't used to like it but now I do I guess because the older I get the more my tastes change.

[singletonb]

I am a red sauce person but I do sometimes enjoy mustard.  being in the south, I can find both kind

[mardukblood2009]

I love BBQ sauce. I will eat it no matter what color it is. It is just so good I am thinking about having some right now. I just need to figure out what I would like to have some on being that is is 2:30 in the morning. lol

[surveygrabber]

I love BBQ. I do not really care what color it is. All I know it is made with tomatoes, honey, and spices like paprika.

[ccandpam]

BBQ is not really Red. It is more of a Brown Color from the Brown Sugar. I love BBQ Sauce on my Chicken Fingers. It is so good.