After Cooking

A Finishing Sauce is a thin sauce applied to cooked meats just after smoking to keep them shiny and moist and lock in the flavor. Finishing sauces are used almost exclusively on the competition barbecue circuit.

A Compound Butter is a disk of flavored butter placed atop a grilled chop, steak, or piece of fish just prior to serving. The butter melts, subtly saucing the meat and keeping it moist and glossy. In general, compound butters are not sweet. (You’ll find recipes for compound butters.)

A Barbecue Sauce is a condiment served on or next to grilled or smoked meats when they’re served. Many barbecue sauces, particularly American sauces—like the oneare sweet, but some, like the vinegar sauce, are not. My personal preference is to serve the barbecue sauce after the meat comes off the grill or smoker. If you apply a sweet sauce too early, the sugar will burn before the meat is completely cooked.