Why A Food Network Grillmaster Adds Pickle Juice To BBQ Sauce

When a pitmaster as renowned as Erica Blaire Roby, first-place brisket winner for the 2022 World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest and winner of Food Network's Season 2 of "Master of 'Cue" gives sauce advice, you take it. If you have a leftover bottle of brine from any pickled vegetable, she suggests you don't throw it out and instead use it to upgrade white or red barbecue sauce (via Allrecipes).

Alabama's famous white barbecue sauce gets its color from a mayonnaise (rather than a ketchup or vinegar) base. But while its heartiness and smooth texture are undeniable, a bit of extra acidity gives it a boost into the flavor stratosphere, creating a more comprehensive mix. Red barbecue sauce, on the other hand, already has some acidity to it thanks to its tomato base. However, if you like an extra tangy condiment just this side of a Carolina vinegar sauce, pickle juice is a great way to have both the rich flavors of brown sugar and some incredible tang.

Plus, you can always use leftover pickle brine in other ways, from cocktails to side dishes, to create a unique meal of matching flavors! This makes the brine itself the star of the show, displaying how compatible and versatile it is with so many other flavors. If you need some variety, you can always mix up what liquids you use to really showcase the power of brine as a whole.

Deciding what brine to add to your red or white barbecue sauce is largely a matter of what meat you're putting it on. You should always consider both the marbling and rubs of your meat when selecting the perfect brine to add to your sauce. 

White sauce has a place of pride when decorating choices like chicken and sausage. For lean cuts of poultry like breast, a sweet or bread and butter brine elevates the meat with some added sugar, but this may create something overly heavy when used on richer dark meat. Extra tangy brines, especially ones rich in garlic or peppers, may be just the thing to take chicken wings or smoked sausage to the next level, cutting through their fat content. Just keep in mind that the creaminess of a white sauce is the real selling point, so don't add so much brine that you dilute its luxurious texture. 

Pork and beef are the undisputed kings of red sauce dishes. If your rub already has tons of brown sugar, the cheap, sweet bottle of sauce in your fridge may be a bit too much. However, you can transform it with some classic dill pickle juice to introduce a little acid, salt, and herbs into the mix, expanding your meats' flavor profiles. This is especially true for the two different cuts of brisket, flat and point, as both can come with healthy amounts of marbling that crave some acidity.