They were offended that I asked for sauce. For me, it's espresso or guava paste. With so many possibilities, Raichlen thinks barbecue sauce is the last frontier of true regionalism. Building your own sauce is easy as long as all the flavors are balanced. When Kirk creates a new sauce, he starts with a base.
Most sauces are tomato-based, which is to say the main ingredient is ketchup.
With corn syrup, I say use the dark because it has more flavor. With molasses, I think blackstrap is too overpowering. Next is the addition of a sour element, such as white or dark vinegar, beer or orange juice. Optional liquids may include Worcestershire, soda, jelly, jam, stock or hot sauce. If you're using a dry rub on the meat, Raichlen suggests adding a spoonful of that spice mix into the sauce to reinforce the flavor theme.