Barbecue is the great American religion and each region prays in its own way. And the hymns of flavor are represented in the dry rubs and the wet rubs, the marinades before the fire, and the sloppy, saucy slatherings applied after.
The components that go into building good barbecue flavors run from a few simple spices and herbs to vinegars and reductions of wines and spirits. Sauces can be basic or complex, with chili peppers, tomatoes, fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients creating a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Yet bringing recipes from the back yard to the production line without losing quality or authenticity, and balancing flavors with smoke and time, call for an adept hand.