Barbecue Sauce: Danny Gaulden's Glaze Recipe

Danny Gaulden is the owner of Danny's Place, a destination for barbecue lovers at 902 South Canal, Carlsbad, NM 88220, phone 505-885-8739. His simple sauce recipe is legendary on the internet. The idea, he says, was to create a simple glaze that adds a sheen and brings a little flavor to the party, but not so much as to cover the other flavors.

To my shame, I have ignored this recipe for years because it seemed just too damned simple. A great sauce has gotta have lotsa stuff, right? Wrong. While most sauces envelop and hide your meat and rub, Danny Gaulden's Glaze really lets your rub shine through. It frames it beautifully. I love it on ribs, and it is killer on smoked sausage and that Easter ham. If you have a signature rub, lay it on thick, because this is the only sauce to use if you want to show it off.

If you've spent any time on this site, you know I'm a tinkerer, so it will not surprise you that I have made a few minor adjustments to the original. One adjustment was suggested by Jack Waiboer of Charleston, SC, a champion competition cook and teacher of cue. He's the one that came up with replacing some vinegar with Souther Comfort.

Recipe

Yield. 1 quart. Click here to calculate how much you need and for tips on saucing strategies.
Preparation time. 15 minutes

Ingredients
3 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup prepared yellow ballpark mustard
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup Southern Comfort
1 teaspoon salt

About the booze. If you don't have Southern Comfort, use Bourbon, rum, or brandy. I haven't tried it, but I bet Amaretto will work. If you object to the alcohol, replace it with more cider vinegar (as per the original recipe).

Amp it up with. 1 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce.

Build depth. 3 tablespoons of your favorite rub adds a layer of complexity.

Makeit silky. 3 tablespoons of butter will add richness and depth.

Do this
1) Whisk all the ingredients together thoroughly in a cold saucepan. Heat gently over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar and mustard are dissolved completely, about 4 minutes. If it starts to boil, turn it down immediately.

2) Here's how to use it, in Danny's own words: "The instant the ribs are pulled from the pit, coat them with a generous brushing of warm glaze. If you pull the ribs, chase the dog, talk to your buddy for a couple of minutes, then try and apply the glaze, you've waited too long." You can also serve it as a dipping sauce, warm, at tableside.

This page was revised on 2/3/2012