Chef and owner John Bates of Austin’s InterStellar BBQ (#2 on Texas Monthly’s list of the best barbecue in the state) takes creamy white barbecue sauce in a new direction for his Coconut White BBQ Sauce. Born out of an initial idea to swap out the horseradish often found in white sauce for wasabi, Bates doubled down on Southeast Asian flavors like coconut for the final sauce, served it over pork ribs garnished with crushed peanuts, cilantro, pickled onions and lime.

American barbecue has never showcased more flavor diversity than it does right now. Across the country, chefs are putting their own spins on the classics while also introducing consumers to the country’s wide array of on-trend regional variations. These sauces are true dynamos, showing up across the menu in everything from sandwiches to pizza and beverages to salads. Plus, a truly successful sauce can be bottled and sold at retail, extending the brand and providing an additional source of revenue. Here, we look at the broad range of flavor builds that are driving barbecue sauce innovation on menus today.