CROIX VALLEY: Pitmaster's Bold Competition Barbecue Sauce | 355ml (12oz) glass bottle

Built bold for the competition table

Pitmaster's Bold is Croix Valley's big, brash competition-style barbecue sauce, shaped by pitmaster Damon Holter's years on the competitive circuit, including appearances on Travel Channel's American Grilled. It's made to stand up to brisket and burnt ends without disappearing under the smoke.

The flavour

Front: bold tomato and brown sugar sweetness. Middle: a thick, layered BBQ depth. Finish: a big, lingering savoury close built to hold its own against heavy smoke.

How to cook with it

• Brush onto brisket in the last 15–20 minutes so the sugars glaze rather than scorch
• Warm the bottle first so it spreads evenly over a hot cut
• Use as a dip alongside burnt ends
• Glaze pulled pork straight out of the smoker for extra shine
• Left-field: mix a spoonful into baked beans for a competition-style side

In the bottle

Deep mahogany-brown, thick and glossy. Clings well to a brush and caramelises at the edges under heat without turning bitter if kept moving.

Ingredients & Dietary

Ingredients: Full ingredient statement to be confirmed from the physical label.

Dietary: Full ingredient statement not verified for this product — dietary claims to be confirmed from the physical label.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

Big, brash and built to hold up against heavy smoke, this is the sauce worth guarding like plunder once it's open. Brush it late and often so the sugars glaze instead of blackening on the brisket. Season the beef first with Fancy Hank's BBQ pepper seasoning, then crown it with Butcher's Axe Big Bark rub for the crust.

Questions answered

Is this a competition-tuned sauce?

Yes, it's built in the bold, thick competition style favoured on the BBQ circuit.

What's it best on?

Brisket, ribs, pulled pork and burnt ends, per Croix Valley's own recommendations.

Who created it?

Croix Valley Foods, founded by competitive pitmaster Damon Holter and Lu Holter in Hudson, Wisconsin.