Saucy ideas for DIY Barbecuers

Red Apron’s House Rubs
Southern Style BBQ Spice Rub, Organic Cocoa Spice Rub, Flavours of East India Spice Rub. Is your mouth watering yet? The Red Apron has developed a series of fine spice rubs (and, bonus, they’ve also written up a cheat sheet with recipes that you likely never considered). Use the rubs dry or wet. Try mixing the Southern BBQ Rub with a bit of oil and some apple cider vinegar to create an intense brush-on sauce, or combine the East India rub with yogourt for a great chicken marinade. The list goes on and on. They even suggest adding the rubs to your basic vinaigrette and tossing it on a salad. $4.95/100 g. Red Apron, 564 Gladstone Ave., 613-321-0417, www.redapron.ca.

BBQ Stu’s Pennsylvania Gold
As soon as he tasted them, Mike Pilon was sold. The owner of Romantic Fireplaces and BBQs recently became the Canadian distributor for BBQ Stu’s, a line of four sauces out of, yes, Pennsylvania. Pilon is especially hyped on Stu’s Pennsylvania Gold, a unique mustard-based barbecue and dipping sauce that pairs perfectly with ham and pork. Better still, it’s gluten- and fat-free. $10.99/395 g. Romantic Fireplaces and BBQs, 5929 Jeanne D’Arc Blvd., 613-834-1777, www.romanticfireplaces.com.

Ultra Hot Mad Dog All Natural Ghost Pepper BBQ Sauce
When asked what’s hot for summer, Chilly Chile’s owner Alison Steele-Myers replies, “Everyone’s talking about the ghost pepper, which is twice as hot as a habanero.” But, she notes, heat without flavour is pointless. That’s where the Mad Dog recommendation comes in. This sauce, says Steele-Myers, packs heat and flavour  — an intensely delicious sauce that works on all kinds of meats. $8.95/12 oz. Chilly Chiles, 1226 Colonial Rd., Navan, 613-835-9173, www.chillychiles.com.