Killer Hogs Barbecue Mississippi White Sauce
Background
Killer Hogs began in 2001 as a competition barbecue team helmed by brothers Malcom and Waylon Reed. The two travelled the circuit across the country, racking up a lot of hardware along the way. From there, Malcom took his barbecue obsession a few steps further by founding How to BBQ Right, which delivers grilling and barbecue advice and recipes across a website, YouTube channel, and podcast. He also brought the Killer Hogs name into the realm of the barbecue marketplace by selling his sauces, rubs, and pickles, of which there are now many varieties of each to choose from.
Aroma
Like with most white sauces, an initial whiff reveals an extra tangy mayo aroma. There's a bit of lemon at work with the vinegar to create the tartness, while there's also a pretty strong and distinct stamp of sharp horseradish. There's little sweetness to the smell, but multiple notes of pepper are present, with black pepper being distinguishable but obviously not the sole component that could potentially release some heat in the taste. Also coming out in the aroma is a bit of garlic powder.
Thickness & Texture
This off white sauce has a glossy sheen to it and a ton visible spices that come in large black specs and medium sized red and orange ones. The thickness runs medium-thin and the consistency is very smooth and, unsurprisingly, can be described as watered down mayo. From a suspended spoon, the sauce falls in a quick and even pour that changes to several smaller drips before stopping and leaving a medium coating of sauce still left clinging to the silverware.
Out of the Jar
A creamy mayo-like start gets a pretty strong wave of lemony citrus flavor quickly before becoming even more sour with the entry of vinegar next. At this time, horseradish works its way in to add a different type of sharpness and then tastes of garlic and black pepper define the spice layer. The horseradish and vinegar get dialed up next, making the sauce have a more harsh edge to it which is amplified even more in the aftertaste by a black and cayenne pepper, which bumps the spiciness up to a medium level.
Slathered & Cooked
This sauce coated the chicken in a thin and even layer that baked down and into the meat incredibly well over indirect heat. When moved over direct heat there was attractive browning where the leg touched the grates and no burning at all. The first bite released a rich and tangy flavor that was more prominent than your average white sauce. A couple more bites in brought the horseradish and peppers into focus, along with a mellow hint of garlic, to deliver all the flavors tasted out of the jar.
Put to Use
I often describe white barbecue sauces as more of an enhancer than primary flavoring since they tend to give chicken a boost of richness and tang that melds with the meat rather than stand out against it. This Mississippi White Sauce did that, but also functioned as a more conventional barbecue sauce by retaining its full range of flavors after being cooked, especially that horseradish sharpness. That made this a sauce that stood out to me, and the fact that all those flavors were extremely tasty and well balanced, sent the sauce into the top ranks. I would immediately recommend this sauce to anyone looking for a white sauce and would feel confident it would wow and deliver. I liked the flavor so much, that I definitely see uses beyond the standard chicken and would be happy to try this on a pile of pork, dip for veggies, dressing for salads, and more.
