By admin 
N.C. State University in Raleigh now has an “officially licensed” barbecue sauce and the man behind it did something that might count as culinary sacrilege.
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College of Natural Resources Professor Chris DePerno merged the state’s distinct eastern and western styles – one vinegar based, the other tomato based – into something called NC State Slobberin’ Sauce, and it is already causing a ruckus.
“Heresy!!! No ketchup shall debase the purity of vinegar and pepper flakes!” Michael Covington posted on the university’s Facebook page.
“I love my Wolfpack (c/o 82) and all things Wolfpack. But now I must make an exception. As Kipling wrote: ‘East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet’,” Joey Godwin wrote.
“Eastern NC style BBQ, or the one true type of BBQ, does not need some strange new sauce to try to make it like the roasted meat they serve in the west,” Al Jones said.
DePerno has been with N.C. State for 22 years, which is long enough to know barbecue sauce is a touchy subject in North Carolina. He concedes it’s “a dangerous question” to ask if someone prefers one style over the other, and chooses to avoid the debate.
“Both styles of sauce have extremely deep roots and people are loyal to what they know,” says DePerno, a professor of fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology.
“I think great food evolves. It moves forward. My goal is not to replace either tradition. I was looking for something I enjoy, and I ended up really respecting both barbecue traditions. This is something both sides of the state can enjoy.”
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It took 15 years to settle on a recipe, and the test subjects were friends and family who came to DePerno’s cookouts.
His perfected sauce hit the market under the name Dr. D’s Sauce, then DePerno got the idea of co-branding with the university to raise money for the N.C. State University General Scholarship Fund.
There is a secret ingredient, but it’s not what you would imagine.
“The secret ingredient is balance. My sauce has a nice vinegar tang, a little bit of sweet, and a little bit of smoky flavor, followed by a really nice peppery finish. It takes you through four flavors,” he says. “It tastes homemade because it’s made in small batches using high-qualify ingredients, and no high fructose corn syrup.”
North Carolina is home to dozens of similarly homebrewed barbecue sauces, many with colorful names like Pig Polish, Sea Monster Sauce and Campfire Gravy. Some add berries, others go heavy on peppers and still others mix in caramelized vegetables.
The diversity indicates DePerno’s creation perfectly aligns with a longstanding practice of sauce “tinkering.”
“It’s part of the state’s identity,” he says. “It’s more than food. It’s about family gatherings, churches picnics, tailgates and community events. It is part of who we are.”
Where to find it
DePerno’s sauce is available online at the Slobberin’ Sauce website, and through Dr. D’s direct-to-consumer channels. For details, visit Drdsbbqsauces.com. A portion of sales from both Slobberin’ Sauce and Dr. D’s Sauce benefit philanthropic efforts.
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