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For more than fifty years, Alabamians have enjoyed the flavor of steak soaked in a very distinctive soy marinade. In fact, many of the soy-based steak marinades on the market today originated in Alabama. What began as a seasoning for steak has turned into an all-purpose marinade that tastes great on chicken, pork, and vegetables. Keep in mind when making recipes with soy sauce as an ingredient that your results will vary greatly depending on which brand of sauce you use. Their flavor profiles differ significantly. I like La Choy soy sauce for use in marinades, although I switch to Kikkoman when only a splash is necessary. In recipes like this one, the soy sauce you choose will determine whether your food is edible or disposable!

Barbado is Spanish for goat, but don’t be misled by the name; Barbado Baste is an all-purpose baste that is especially good on poultry, pork, beef and, of course, goat. Barbado Baste works on three fronts: as a flavorizer, moisturizer, and tenderizer. The flavors are intense but give the meat a deep caramelized and slightly tangy taste. Goat meat is especially lean and the liquid baste provides moisture while the butter helps protect the exposed meat from drying out. Vinegar and lemon juice add just enough acid to the mixture to help break down the tough muscles and tenderize the meat.

Mojo is a name that originally branded several varieties of hot sauce from the Canary Islands. Now recipes and uses of mojo are spread throughout the tropical regions of northern South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The place of origin of a particular mojo recipe defines both its ingredients and its uses. Ingredients in mojo sauce can include olive oil, garlic, citrus juice (sour orange, lemon, lime), paprika, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. This flavorful sauce can be used on breads, potatoes, salads, and as a seasoning for meats and vegetables. This recipe was made as a condiment for whole roasted pig. The flavors are a complement to the sour-orange marinade used in Cuban Pig (page 163). The flavor emphasis in this recipe is placed on the acidity of the lime juice, the garlic, and oregano. Mixed with butter, this sauce can be turned into a great topper for sweet potatoes and bread.

In the South, you usually find pepper sauce in the middle of the dinner table beside the salt and black pepper. Don’t confuse this pepper sauce with a Tabasco-type sauce; this simple seasoning is made from vinegar and whole peppers. Over time the peppers will flavor the vinegar, and the longer it sits, the better it gets! Pepper sauce is used as a seasoning and an ornamental decoration. A few dashes will heighten the flavor of black-eyed peas, all types of greens, barbecue, and many other traditional Southern dishes. Pack your pepper sauce in glass containers of any size and shape. The aesthetic value of the glass combined with the color and variety of peppers creates a beautiful conversation piece.

Horseradish is a member of the mustard family, and grating or grinding this edible root releases the volatile oils that produce its signature bite. Mixing the ground horseradish with vinegar tames the spicy heat. German immigrants began growing horseradish in the Mississippi Basin in the late 1800s; today, six million gallons of prepared horseradish are produced there each year, which is 60 percent of the world’s supply. A traditional horseradish sauce is always a great partner with beef and can be as simple as a combination of whipping cream and prepared horseradish. As with any sauce based on whipping cream, the viscosity of the sauce is dependent on how much whipping you do. Here lemon juice and Dijon mustard add a bit of flair to the sauce, while mayonnaise adds a creaminess you can’t get from the cream alone.

Coleslaw is probably the side dish most often associated with barbecue, and its simple flavors match so well with smoked meat. The most common varieties include vinegar-based, mayonnaise-based, and mustard-based. Big Bob Gibson realized the harmonious relationship between slaw and barbecue early on. When he opened his first restaurant, vinegar slaw and Golden Flake potato chips were his only side-dish offerings, and a sweet tangy scoop of his coleslaw graced every barbecue sandwich that left the kitchen. As he told his customers, “If ya don’t like slaw, scrape it off!” Very little has changed in more than eighty years at the restaurant, including Big Bob’s original coleslaw recipe.

These two sauces are useful whenever you need to make a dessert in a hurry. Made in minutes, they can turn plain ice cream or store-bought poundcake into something special.

Sautéed on the stovetop or baked in the oven, these cinnamony apples add a sweet note to any meal. If you’re already baking something for dinner, pop some apples into the oven too, and if the oven temperature is hotter or cooler, don’t worry —just adjust the baking time.