Hi-Ho BBQ Sauce

Is he the man who knows the secret? I'm sure this topic has come up before, but I didn't see anything when I searched.

I don't see how they can call it BBQ sauce. I'll never understand the love for this place.

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I don't see how they can call it BBQ sauce

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Well, it is. If you have traveled at all across this country, you would have found many types of "bbq" sauce. I don't like them all, but they are what they are...bbq sauce. Take North Carolina: Those crazy bastards think that a heavy vinager sauce is bbq sauce. Whatever. Go to Voodoo BBQ here in BR/DS. Their sauce isn't what I would call BBQ sauce, either. HIHO BBQ is very unique. I have been eating it since the early 80s. It happens to be one of my favorite restaurants, too. I do not, however, know how to make the sauce. It was made by one man for almost 40 years before any of his kinfolk actually made it. It is a secret. If anybody doesn't know anything about HIHO, I suggest they read this article that WAFB did some time back... LINK

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Look, I'm sure this place has a special spot in your heart and all, and that's fine, but when it comes down to taste I don't like Hi Ho at all. I know it's not "traditional" BBQ. I get that. FYI, I've had BBQ in St. Louis, Memphis, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. While they've all been a little different they've all cosisted of one thing: Good smoked meat. The sauce is just an after thought. What Hi Ho does will never be considered BBQ... anywhere. Maybe I just had three bad experiences with the one in Denham but from the hype this place got it set me up for a monumental let down.

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Recipe:

1- Take deli slices of thin, flavorless, oven baked pork.

2- Make a packet of brown gravy but add 42times the amount of water the instructions call for.

3- Place both flavorless meat, and watery brown gravy on a hamburger bun or french bread.

4- Call it BBQ so people will try it.

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The pork, and more importantly the beef, are smoked in a smoker...you're funny, though.

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There is NO WAY the meat ever saw smoke

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So where does the red color and hint of tomato flavor come from?

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I'd have paid extra for a hint of ANY flavor in that sauce.

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There is no brown gravy or french bread at a HI Ho...

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There was no "red" in my sauce. Also, in Ponchatoula, they offer the sandwiches as a po-boy. Served on french bread.

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That is what I thought when I was in North Carolina. "You guys call this bbq?" But many people did. I couldn't believe it.

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I've had all sorts of BBQ, including North Carolina. The common thread is meat that has been at least SLIGHTLY smoked.

I'm not trying to be a jerk here, it's just not BBQ. Call it anything else, no problem. BBQ it is not.

Then DS and Hammond should somehow distance themselves from the Ponchatoula hacks. That stuff was so bad, I'll never try the other locations.

Seriously...no red in the sauce. I'm not sure what the heck was in there. My theory is they somehow bake/roast the meat in the oven with water. Then take that water and add corn starch. That is what it tasted like.

Ponchatoula bbq's and Hammond bbq's are WORLDS apart imo.. I only go to the one in Ponchy if I want a cheeseburger.

The Hammond location is basically the same sauce as the original but it still does not taste as good as it did when they were located next to Sunflower.

Without Ms Celeste, Woody and Billy behind the counter it just won't ever be the same for me. Combine that with the increasing prices of the bbqs and the "original" taste deminishing. I rarely go there anymore.

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Without Ms Celeste,

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Just reading that nearly brought a tear to my eye. I miss that old lady! There is a pic of her just rigt of the counter in Hammond. Also, the link from WAFB has a pic of her. She never forgot a customer, either. She is the model employee for a small town business.

To Mrs. Celeste

do yourself a favor and buy some real bbq sauce.