Piggy Ribs

Sweet barbecue sauce is at the heart of an epic struggle? Oh, yeah. This barbecue drama is bigger than Obi-Wan versus Vader, it's bigger than Pirates versus Ninjas, even bigger than Redskins versus Cowboys. Somewhere along life's way, whether you use barbecue sauce or not became a BIG deal.

Go without barbecue sauce?

We here at Piggy Ribs have compassion for our dear sauceless brothers who have yet to see the light. We therefore go beyond standing on principle and appeal to reason. Collagen has gotten a bad rap. We all know it's in the ribs. We all know it can lead to a tough piece of meat. But what some find hard to accept is that collagen is merely sugars and gelatin waiting to be unlocked. While the gelatin can occupy our puzzlers, what better complement to the released sugars than a sweet barbecue sauce?

Cooked ribs are sweet by themselves. Why not offer them a sweet, thick, blanket of barbecue sauce, like a warm hug. Why tomato-based sauce? Simple. Your health is at stake. Concentrated tomato products are loaded with lycopene, which we all know helps fight certain forms of cancer. Who would not want to fight cancer with a tasty sauce?

The Sauce is Boss! Sweet Barbecue Sauces here:

Yes, we know that some consider vinegar the ideal base for barbecue sauce, with some certain health benefits, but it could pickle your brain. Then, you wouldn't be able to recognize great-tasting ribs. Actually, vinegar is the oldest form of what evolved into sauces, but it is ideally suited more as a dip for meat. You simply cannot pour on a watery imitation barbecue sauce and expect it to stick around.

Our sauceless comrades may need to exit to the home page for Piggy Ribs.

The trifecta of great ribs

Peter, Paul and Mary.  Larry, Moe, and Curly.  Red, White, and Blue.  Sun, Sand, and Surf. The world is loaded with great threes that would be nothing any other way. The trifecta of perfection in ribs is rub, smoke, and sauce. Fortunately, the only point of contention is barbecue sauce, or the conflict would have swept away life as we know it years ago.

Barbecue Sauce Abuse

We must pause here and make concessions to the other side. Yes, it is true that some have abused barbecue sauce and tried to disguise poorly-done ribs. Their rub was stale, the smoke was too strong, the meat wasn't tender. But that is not sauce's fault. The rest of us who have done ribs the right way up to the point of sauce shouldn't have to labor under a load of false guilt that barbecue sauce is somehow dirty. Those great barbecue folks in Memphis, bless their heart, have proven to everyone that they can make GREAT ribs that (may) not need any sauce. Our hats are off to them; they are the salt of the earth.

We make an appeal to our sauceless brothers to do what is right for the ribs. Do what is right for your health. Do it for Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod. Do it for Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail. Do it for the THREE little pigs, because the sauce is boss!

This concludes our sermon. Amen.