Meat + Poultry - June 2017 - 63

with a slight kick. In that part of the state they
shred their pork. The sauce plays very well on
this style of meat."
Most Americans do not know that barbecue
sauce does not require tomatoes. White sauce
is what you will find in the deep south of
Alabama, and this style is gaining acceptance
across the country as an alternative to
traditional red barbecue sauce, especially on
grilled chicken. It's typically mayonnaise jazzed
up with vinegar, horseradish and mustard.
Barbecue sauces are to the US like moles
are to Mexico. There is great potential in
developing authentic regional Mexican cuisine
through the use of moles, which are deep, rich
complex sauces made from a range of chiles,
spices, seeds, nuts and often chocolate, all
ingredients indigenous to their region of origin.
One such mole is dulce, also called
poblano, which has its origins in Puebla. This
popular mole is made with chocolate, and
ancho and mulato chiles. It has a sweet aroma
and rich taste that complements pork dishes.
Oaxaca mole is very flavorful and complex
with its combination of pasilla, mulato, guajillo,
cascabel, chipotle and mora chiles. It is
traditionally used with chicken. Beef pairs well
with ranchero mole, which is indigenous to the
state of Morelos. The classic recipe includes
ancho, pasilla and mora chiles, along with
chocolate, and sesame and pumpkin seeds.
When it comes to wing sauces, anything
goes. At the 18th Annual Chicago WingFest,
which took place March 5, nearly 50 types
of wings were served. Some of the more
extraordinary sauces included a spicy, sweet,
sour tamarind and a spicy stout barbecue. There
was also sriracha lime and peanut butter and
jelly sauce described as having a Thai influence.
"It's a little spicy and a little sweet," says
Kevin Killrakis, chef, McQ's Bar & Grill,
Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Daniela Barreto, manager and chef of
Estadio Grill, Chicago, served wings with
two of her family's secret sauces. Brazinha
is made with three fruits - acai, passionfruit
and guarana - indigenous to the Amazon
rain forest of Brazil. The restaurant imports
all three to make this authentic sauce.
There was also scorpion sauce, which
features seven peppers. One she kept secret.
The other six are: arbol, ghost, Guajillo,
habanero, Carolina Reaper and scorpion.

RUB IT ON
Rubs are also associated with grilling meat
and poultry. Sometimes they are simply dried
ingredient blends, including herbs and spices.
Other times the dried blend is dispersed in
an oil base to assist with adhesion to the raw
muscle to seal in natural juices.
The use of non-traditional ingredients,
for example coffee, tea and cocoa, is gaining
traction as formulators try to create a
"wow" factor, which entices consumers to
purchase the product. The key here is that the
unconventional flavoring ingredient should not
overwhelm the overall flavor profile.
Trader Joe's, Monrovia, California, is known
for its convenience foods, including marinated
uncooked grill-ready meats. Recently
the company introduced coffee-rubbed
spatchcocked (butterflied) whole chicken
and coffee-rubbed beef flank steak. The rub
is made with real coffee, brown sugar, oil and
spices. Rosemary extract and dried vinegar
are included to extend shelf life by slowing
oxidation and microbial spoilage.
"Coffee adds richness and depth to rubs,
as well as complements chiles by enhancing
or providing roasted notes," says Lisa Stern,
vice president sales and marketing, LifeSpice
Ingredients, Chicago.
Bob Kaegi, director of protein applications
at Wixon, St. Francis, Wisconsin, says, "As a
rub, coffee and cocoa add a dimension and
depth to meat by contributing a caramelized,
bittersweet smoky flavor that complements all
cuts of meat, especially beef.
"The bold flavors stand up to the beef while
supplying a bit of a 'caffeine buzz' that also
helps to tenderize the meat as it cooks," he
says. "Add some cocoa and a little sugar and
you achieve a mocha-like flavor that offers a
deep, rich complex flavor."
Rubs can include spray dried sauces,
such as Worcestershire, sriracha or mustard.
These are ingredients that would normally be
added wet to a sauce, but in order to target
a specific profile in a rub, are added as a
powdered version.
"You can also add in dried charcoal notes
or specialized smokes," says Jean Heimann,
culinary scientist at LifeSpice. "The consumer
wants to taste the cooking process in the flavor
of their foods. It makes them more authentic."
Activated charcoal is finding its way into

"Coffee adds
richness and
depth to rubs,
as well as
complements
chiles by
enhancing
or providing
roasted notes."
- LISA STERN

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