Walk down the barbecue sauce aisle at any grocery store and here’s what you find: bottle after bottle of American-style tomato and vinegar-based sauces. Some skew a little sweeter, smokier, or spicier than others, but the general flavor profile is consistent. There's a good reason for this homogeneity–American barbecue sauce is delicious! But we believe Middle Eastern-inspired barbecue has something delicious to add to the conversation. That’s why we are thrilled to share our new trio of BBQ Sauces: Harissa, Preserved Lemon, and Shawarma. (Get a BTS of the production process in our Journal)

What the heck is Middle Eastern barbecue?

Our barbecue sauces bring together the best parts of American and Middle Eastern barbecue traditions. Cooking meat over a fire pit or grill is an integral part of American food culture, particularly in the South where regional variations abound. Meanwhile, cooking meat and vegetables over the grill–juicy kebabs, grilled kofte, shawarma, smoky, charred eggplants–is also a beloved practice across the Middle East. In Israel, cooking al ha’esh (“over the fire” in Hebrew) with family in the backyard, on the balcony, or at the beach is a beloved pastime. 

“Our barbecue sauces bring together the best parts of American and Middle Eastern barbecue traditions.”

In The Book of New Israeli Food, food writer Janna Gur jokingly writes that grilling in Israel is so popular, it has become “the country’s leading participant sport.” And in his cookbook Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking, chef Michael Solomonv sets the stereotypical Israeli grilling scene. Instead of an American dad in a “Kiss the Cook” apron, you will likely find “a macho dude in a tank top hovering over a small metal box on the roadside, gingerly fanning the coals with a scrap of cardboard.” 

Food is most often grilled over a mangal–a small, portable grill (the name stems from the Arabic word for “portable”) where the food being cooked–often beef, lamb, whole fish, chicken (including chicken livers or hearts)–comes into very close contact with the charcoal. “All of the browning and crust comes from the intense heat of the coals,” Solomonov writes. “The lack of airflow means the coals burn slower and hotter…it produces a fragrant smoke that bathes the meat as it rises.” The focus of a Middle Eastern barbecue is the food coming off the grill, of course. But just like with American barbecue, the real beauty is in the chance it gives family and friends to gather together.

Ron and Leetal both grew up in families with strong barbecue traditions. Leetal’s family would gather at her Turkish grandmother’s house on the weekends for simple-but-succulent grilled meats and pita. Ron’s Moroccan family made grilling a whole-day affair. “My uncle would leave the house at 4 in the morning to scout out a spot in the park or forest,” he said. The grill would be lit around 7am and the feast of kebabs, salads, spreads, desserts, and tea would last until 5 in the afternoon.

In recent years, Middle Eastern and Israeli-style grilling has also become increasingly popular abroad. In London, Israeli-born chefs Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich opened Honey & Smoke, a restaurant centered around the grill. In Los Angeles, Ori Menashe and Genevive Gergis recently opened the kebab and small plates restaurant, Saffy’s. And in Brooklyn, Solomonov’s rooftop restaurant Laser Wolf has turned cooking al ha’esh into a dining sensation.

What makes are our sauces different?

Fire and flavor are at the heart of all barbecue traditions. But the concept of mopping barbecue sauce across a piece of meat before or during grilling is not part of Middle Eastern barbecue culture.

Instead, flavor is traditionally infused into the meat via dried spice rubs and marinades. Our grilling condiments bring both worlds together, infusing barbecue sauce with Middle Eastern flavor profiles. 

Harissa BBQ Sauce

The Harissa BBQ Sauce is our most direct nod to American barbecue with its sweet and smoky flavor. Sweetened with California-grown medjool dates and honey, and with a splash of tang from preserved lemons, it gets an added hot and smoky kick from blistered chili peppers and garlic. Our Harissa Sauce can be used anywhere American-style barbecue shines: from grilled chicken, wings, and ribs to steak. It would also liven up a pan of meatloaf or a batch of baked beans. If you wish to switch things up a bit, try it on Grilled Eggplant for an Asian-inspired side dish or play around with taco toppings!