Trifecta’s Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce – Perfection
You know what a huge fan I am of Kentucky food and all made in Kentucky products. I’ve preached so much about supporting our friends and neighbors that I’m sure I don’t have to step anywhere near my soapbox today.
Because of this overwhelming passion for all things made, baked, cooked, designed, built, and/or crafted in Kentucky, it’s like the highest of all natural highs when I come across something with Kentucky on the label that’s extraordinary.
Fortunately, it happens more than I can even begin to count.
The most recent Kentucky Food to blow my socks off is one of the Trifecta Gourmet Sauces: Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce. This may just be the best Barbecue Sauce I’ve ever tasted.
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Trifecta Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce
We eat an uncommon amount of barbecue and have gone through enough barbecue sauce bottles to fill a small lake. We live in Owensboro, after all, how could we NOT be obsessed with barbecue?!
Barbecue chicken, brisket, and pork are our favorites but we’ve also recently fallen deeply in love with barbecued ham. I also use barbecue sauce in my homemade baked beans.
So, as you’d imagine, we are beyond particular when it comes to barbecue sauces. After all, think about it – that’ where most barbecued meat truly gets its flavor from.
Before I found Trifecta, I went back and forth between a few of the major brands. After having to give up gluten/wheat, I had to check each label carefully and weed out any sauces that didn’t say Gluten Free on the label. That left me with about 3 really, really good sauces.
One day in Kroger, as I was reaching for one of my favorites, a bottled sauce with the words “Gluten Free” on the front caught my eye. I thought, “Whoa… someone’s not making people search all over the label for it, they’re letting them know, literally, up front.”
So, I picked up the bottle to take a closer look. That’s when I saw the second set of magic words, “Kentucky Perfection.”
INdeed and INto the cart!
Michael was grilling chicken that night, so I knew I wouldn’t have to wait long to try it out.
You know how it is with most barbecue sauces and other condiments – after a while they kind of taste more similar than they do special. That’s why when you get one that stands out, your taste buds are “taken aback” and do all but squeal out with happiness.
That so happened at the dinner table that night. Trifecta’s Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce is “say it out loud” delicious. It’s not one of those things that you taste and think, “Man, this is good.” It’s one of those things that you taste and scream, “Holy cats, this is delicious!” to everyone in the room.
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Trifecta Passes the “Spoon Test!”
When it comes to barbecue sauces, I’m probably about as picky with them as I am my ketchup (Heinz or Hunt’s) and mustard (French’s). I want my barbecue sauce to be a little sweet and it must not, not, not be too thin. I hate the dubious dark liquids that call themselves Barbecue Sauces without earning the title.
Look at the picture above, see how Trifecta’s Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce clings to the back of my spoon? That’s where the magic is, you know. That’s solid proof that there are ingredients and not dubious dark liquids in play.
Ingredients!
The sauce is as delicious as it is beautiful and I’m over the moon hooked on it. The sweetness is there, in the perfect amount. As for the heat, I was relieved to discover that it isn’t at all overwhelming. A lot of sauces get carried away with the heat aspect of the deal and seem to think that burn tastes good.
Burn doesn’t taste good. Burn tastes like pain. Trifecta’s Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce is the absolute perfect balance of sweetness and heat. No pain, just perfection. Absolute perfection.
Seriously, it has ruined all other barbecue sauces for me.
Not only is my new favorite barbecue sauce the perfect companion for chicken and pork, it’s delicious in baked beans.
Heck it’s even Heavenly for dipping gluten free cornbread into – or any cornbread for that matter.
Trifecta Gourmet Sauces are made in Louisville Kentucky. They were an American Made 2014 Martha Stewart Finalist which, as far as I’m concerned is highfalutin!
From Trifecta:
Trifecta Gourmet Sauces are Kentucky Proud, made only from the finest ingredients from Kentucky Farms. Buying Kentucky Proud products ensures that you’re eating fresh and nutritious foods while supporting Kentucky’s farm families. Kentucky Proud is an investment in Kentucky’s land, people and its future.
The sauces blend a winning combination of sweet, spicy and tangy flavors. The recipe starts with vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh jalapeno peppers. All natural and gluten free, you won’t find preservatives, artificial colors, synthetic flavors, cornstarch, or high-fructose corn syrup on the list of ingredients.
I noticed on their website that Trifecta has a few sauces I haven’t tried yet… YET. I will give them a try as soon as I get my (oven)mitts on them and will let you know how they are in a future review. In the meantime, head over to Trifecta Gourmet Sauces and read more about the company. Then, make no mistake about it, you’ll want to find a bottle of Trifecta Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce and see for yourself what barbecue sauce is supposed to taste like.
EDIT: I tried it last night in my favorite Honey Mustard Dip. See the recipe for my Tangy Honey Mustard Dip on my food blog… just replace my “old favorite” sauce with my new favorite sauce and leave out the lemon juice.
Trifecta’s doesn’t need it, thank you very much.
You can actually find Trifecta’s Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce on Amazon – stock up, you’re going to love it!
LOVE IT BEST AROUND, BUT HARD TO FIND
I’ve noticed that it has gotten a lot harder to find. My Kroger doesn’t carry it anymore and that’s a heart-breaker. I love this stuff!