Old mule BBQ sauce????

Smokin3d

New member
Has anyone heard of or tried any of the old mule bbq sauces?
It's made in North Carolina.
Website is oldmule.com
 
Never heard of that one John. Give it a go and let us know what you think of it. Have a great weekend!
 
New one, on me, John.  Tell us what you think!  There's about a million of them out there, so we're always grateful for a new recommendation!
 
I live in NC and haven't heard of it.  Their website is kind of vague on what base (and taste) it is other than the mustard one.  NC has basically two traditional sauces: vinegar based and tomato based, both being thinner than most people are used to.  Mustard is an SC sauce.  I would ask them before ordering, vinegar base is not for everyone or everything.
 
Coolio now has me scared to order it! I like a thicker bbq sauce like sweet baby rays and head country original.
Last night I tried for the first time bone sucking sauce (thicker style) and it didn't really impress me. It's a thinner sauce and I had it cold with wing dings.
I know with a lot of bbq sauce the the taste can change when it's cooked on the food your eating.
I'm kinda a bbq sauce nut as the buddy's say I go over board on the sauce.    Last year at one time I had 75 pounds of bbq sauce.
I have tried making bbq sauce but have found one to my liking and always end up grabbing my go to sauce sweet baby rays.
 
If you're a sauce connoisseur but don't have that one, then you need it! 

+1 on Sweet Baby Ray's.  We'll put that !@#$ on everything.  Very versatile BBQ sauce.

I also like a sweeter thicker dark sauce cut with a mustard sauce.  Are there any good commercial mustard sauces?  I have had some and they are not very good usually.  Order up some Old Mule mustard and let us know.  :)
 
Ok.

Picked them up today.  Found them (randomly) at an ACE Hardware store that has a pretty extensive grilling inventory.  Pictures of labels below so you can see the ingredients.  Going to toss in the fridge since the consistency is one of the things being tested.  Will compare to Jack Daniel's original. 

Expecting a very "Carolina" flavor palette.
 

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I used hickory smoked chicken (sliced) and sampled by dipping in the sauces.  See pic below.  I spooned out each flavor (except JD, it poured) to check the consistency of each.  I also tasted each on the spoon, progressing clockwise.

Impressions:
The sauces were about 1/2 - 2/3 as thick as JDs.  I've definitely had runnier sauces.  These would have been fine in pourable bottles.

The original:
On the spoon: first thing I tasted was molasses and pepper.  Other spices worked in, but those two dominated even through the aftertaste.  Good flavor.  Not sweet, but definitely not overpowering vinegar flavor that I've experienced with many Carolina sauces.

On meat:  Good addition to the smoke flavor.  Paired nicely.  Neither dominated (smoke nor sauce).

Mustard:
On the spoon:  less molasses than the original.  More pepper and mustard flavor.  Again, no vinegar flavor to speak of.  Good flavor.

On meat: paired well with the smoked meat.  Like the original, did not overpower the smoke in the meat, but was present in the flavor.

Hot:
On the spoon:  Much like the original (molasses and pepper), but a little more heat than the original, but not too hot.  No vinegar flavor.

On meat:  more present than the other 2, but not overpowering.  Complemented the smoked meat well.

In all:  None of them was as sweet as JD's, but definitely not vinegar flavored (which I would expect of a "typical" Carolina sauce).  Molasses was the base for all.  The sauces weren't thin (also typical of Carolina sauces), but they weren't as thick as JD's (or Stubb's or other "western"/"midwestern" sauces).

I acknowledge the differences between using them as dipping sauces vs marinades or post-smoking sauce.  Using them differently may change how they present themselves.

I think these may be good binders as well.  I really like these sauces (relieved  :D).  That means I won't have to throw them away.

Their website also only depicts these three flavors, so I think I've sampled everything they have to offer.  Their website shows a "store locator" so you may be able to save shipping costs (these were $5.99 each).

I don't know if this helps or not.  I doubt I'll be putting RG out of the "review" business any time soon.
 

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Thanks for taking the time to try old mule and what a great review.
I like to change things up a lot so I just ordered 4 half gallons of old mule.
Thanks!
 
Good review Daron! I may give the hot version a shot since I haven't been successful making my own with a mix of heat and sweet.
 
John,

I'm interested to hear your take on these sauces.  My wife wasn't part of my taste test, but I asked her to sample the mustard one and she loved it as a dip.  Been traveling, so I haven't smoked anything in a few days.  Brisket next (sorry to read your post about a failed briskie recently). 
 
So you're saying these are kind of neutral/moderate flavors?  I may see if I can find them locally.  A good ways away from where they make it, but still in the same state!  I want a good mustard sauce.
 
Dead👁Daniel said:
Coolio now has me scared to order it! I like a thicker bbq sauce like sweet baby rays and head country original.
Last night I tried for the first time bone sucking sauce (thicker style) and it didn't really impress me. It's a thinner sauce and I had it cold with wing dings.
I know with a lot of bbq sauce the the taste can change when it's cooked on the food your eating.
I'm kinda a bbq sauce nut as the buddy's say I go over board on the sauce.    Last year at one time I had 75 pounds of bbq sauce.
I have tried making bbq sauce but have found one to my liking and always end up grabbing my go to sauce sweet baby rays.

John, I also live in NC and agree with Coolio's post.  However, I have many relatives in Richmond, VA and visit often.  Their are 2 places there that have always gotten rave reviews, and I think their bbq sauces are excellent.  You can order online.  Buz and Ned's barbeque sauce and their pork and chicken glaze are staples in my kitchen.  The other restaurant is  called Q Barbeque.  They have 3 different types.  My husband likes the hot one.  Sauces from Buz and Ned's and Q Barbeque are both thick.  Q sauce is a bit sweeter with a little more heat.  I too tried making my own, and my husband really liked it but after trying it several times, it just seemed to lack something.  I will try again sometime.  Good hunting.
 
flying smoker said:
John,

I'm interested to hear your take on these sauces.  My wife wasn't part of my taste test, but I asked her to sample the mustard one and she loved it as a dip.  Been traveling, so I haven't smoked anything in a few days.  Brisket next (sorry to read your post about a failed briskie recently).


Ok will do but it might be awhile cause I have a gallon of sweet baby rays and a gallon of head country open now.
I looked at those sauces Susie but on the Q bbq sauce I put a picture up to make sure I'm looking at what you said.
 

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Dead👁Daniel said:
flying smoker said:
John,

I'm interested to hear your take on these sauces.  My wife wasn't part of my taste test, but I asked her to sample the mustard one and she loved it as a dip.  Been traveling, so I haven't smoked anything in a few days.  Brisket next (sorry to read your post about a failed briskie recently).


Ok will do but it might be awhile cause I have a gallon of sweet baby rays and a gallon of head country open now.
I looked at those sauces Susie but on the Q bbq sauce I put a picture up to make sure I'm looking at what you said.

Yep! That's the Q sauce with the pig snout on the label.  Be sure to check out Buz and Ned's bbq sauce as well as the glaze which I use frequently, even on fish.
 
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