FOOD NEWS
A Squeeze Of Citrus Is All You Need To Level Up Store-Bought BBQ Sauce
BY KAT LIEU
To make an ordinary store-bought BBQ sauce extraordinary, all you need to do is add a squeeze of citrus, whether it be lemon, lime, yuzu, calamansi, orange, or even a tangerine.
The acidity and zest from citrus fruits can cut through the cloying sweetness, one-dimensional, or more robust flavors often found in off-the-shelf BBQ sauces.
Adding citrus also helps thin out thicker sauces and adds a new flavor profile. As for which citrus fruit to use, it’s up to your preferences and what’s available to you.
Lemons are all-rounders and easily accessible across the U.S. They will lend summer notes to sauce and refresh your palate, while lime brings zestiness and a taste of the tropics.
For those who have access to yuzu, an aromatic citrus fruit from East Asia with floral notes, it can add a subtle sweetness and an intricate bouquet of flavors to BBQ sauce.
Calamansi, a gem in the citrus family from the Philippines, offers a concentrated burst of sourness with a hint of sweetness. For rounding out spices, oranges are great.
Orange juice will also add a mellow complexity that's especially good with steak and beef. Finally, the gentle sweetness of tangerines can complement smoky undertones.
Tangerines smooth and balance out the taste of intense flavors with a subtle whisper of sweet citrus. No matter your choice, each fruit is sure to help make your sauce delicious.