While some barbecue restaurants offer a range of sauces for every palate, Goldee’s sticks to a single sauce as the centerpiece of the menu. It seems to have worked, as Goldee’s earned the top spot on Texas Monthly’s list of the state’s best barbecue joints. Goldee’s sauce is loosely based on sauces found at popular Texas spots Salt Lick BBQ and City Market, both of which feature less tomato-centric sauces. Goldee’s starts with mustard as the base for its sauce, adding just a small amount of ketchup for color and “so people will still think it’s a normal barbecue sauce.” It’s served on a classic barbecue platter (pictured), featuring ribs, turkey and brisket, alongside cheese grits, pickles and pickled jalapeños.

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.