Was this email kindly forwarded to you? Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
The very best barbecue sauces |
 |
| Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter |
In the world of BBQ, barbecue sauce can be a controversial topic — many pit masters say that properly cooked barbecue shouldn't need a sauce at all.
But as kitchen writer Abigail Bailey puts it: "Does a wrapped present need a bow? Does a porch need beautifully ringing wind chimes? Does an ice cream sundae need a cherry on top? No, no, and no, but life is too short to deny ourselves what makes us happy. If that means adding barbecue sauce to brisket, then slap it on there and let it rip, babes."
In our quest to find the best barbecue sauce, we lined up 18 bottles for head-to-head taste tests. A lot of commercially available barbecue sauces taste very (very) similar. But we found three standouts that are well-balanced, tangy, sweet, and wonderfully spiced.
Our 3 favorites→
We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more ›
Plus: The key to perfect smash burgers |
 |
| NYT Wirecutter |
Our kitchen expert Maki Yazawa swears by this $22 grill press for making ultra-thin smash burgers. Not only is it great at flattening beef into gloriously crispy and topping-ready patties, it's also good at smashing plenty of other foods: grilled cheeses, mini potatoes, and more.
The best grill press→
Your daily deal: Some of our favorite drinking glasses are on sale today. Cheers. |
 |
| Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter |
Our deals experts are seeing a couple of our favorite drinking glasses on sale today — including a charming set of small plastic cups that we love for picnics. Their clean, sharp rims and fun colors make them feel more akin to glass than plastic. Also on sale? A set of thin, stackable glass tumblers that feel refined and stylish.
All the drinking glasses we love→
One last thing: How our kitchen team likes their burgers |
 |
| NYT Wirecutter |
Buns, filling, condiments. Check, check, check. Whatever else makes its way onto your burger, though? That's all you. Some inspiration from the experts on our kitchen team:
- Don't be afraid to go a little sweet: Abigail once tried (and fondly reminisces about) a burger with goat cheese, blueberry preserves (!), and arugula — which has just enough bitterness to balance out the sweetness.
- Go beyond the bun: Senior editor Marilyn Ong likes sandwiching her burgers with English muffins. "The crisp-chewy texture gives the whole thing a little more gravity than a melt-in-your-mouth potato bun, but the size is still nice and trim," she says.
- Don't knock it 'til you try it: Editorial director Marguerite Preston says that her husband turned her onto a burger topping he used to get at a St. Paul restaurant: peanut butter. "Sounds horrifying, but it's actually good!" The restaurant version also includes bacon and pickles — two classic oddball peanut-butter pairings that somehow also really work.
- Pickled vegetables are a zingy add: Writer Lesley Stockton's go-to burger is inspired by the Aussie burger: piled high with melted cheddar cheese, a fried egg, lettuce, onion, pickled beets, and dill pickles.
|
More burger recipes from our friends at NYT Cooking→
Thanks for reading.
You can reach the Wirecutter Newsletters team at newsletters@wirecutter.com. We can't always respond, but we do love to hear from you.
