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This post was written in partnership with Bibigo. All opinions are my own. I truly do love this sauce.

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There are hundreds of varieties of barbecue sauce out there. Every region has it’s favorite from traditional honey BBQ to Carolina vinegar to Alabama white sauce.

But there is a new sauce that I’ve discovered that I want to baste onto everything.

It’s called Bibigo Go-Chu-Jang Hot & Sweet Sauce. It’s a funny name, I know, but this stuff is no joke. I’ve doused it on wings, shrimp, pork chops even burgers. It’s rare to find a sauce that versatile.

Bibigo Go-Chu-Jang Hot & Sweet Sauce

Three Tasting Notes to Look for in Good BBQ Sauce

There are three tasting notes that I look for, when I’m trying out new barbecue sauce, and Bibigo Go-Chu-Jang Hot & Sweet Sauce has them all.

The sauce has to be a little sweet, but not sugary. The purpose of the sweetness is to balance out the acidic tomato base. Too much sugar and you turn dinner into dessert. Not enough sugar and the sauce is too tart.

Bibigo uses a combination of brown and white sugar. That touch of molasses from the brown sugar helps the sauce meet my second requirement – umami.

Umami provides savory, meaty richness to dishes. The meat you grill will automatically have this flavor. When you can accentuate that natural goodness with an umami sauce, you’re in the bonus round.

This sauce is made with key umami ingredients like soy sauce, koji and a spike of salted sake. So far, it’s passed two of my tests.

Round three for sauce tasting is heat. I don’t care for sauces that are flat. I want them to bite back a little, but I don’t want them so bold that they burn out my taste buds and the flavor of my meat. The best heat is the spice that comes through at the end.

That’s where the power of Gochujang comes in. Go-chu what? I know. It’s that funny name again. Gochujang is simply a fermented red chili paste made popular in South Korea.

I lived in South Korea for a short time, so I became familiar with Gochujang years ago. I fell in love with it because it’s mild, earthy and blends well with so many other flavor profiles.

It’s kind of like the adobo sauce you find in a can of chipotles, but it’s not smoky. You get more of the pure chili flavor with a touch of that sweet umami.

Go-Chu-Jang Hot & Sweet Sauce rocks on all proteins and veggies

You can use it straight up, or you can blend it with other ingredients.

  • For chicken, seafood and veggies, mix it with a little melted butter and use it as a baste.
  • For pork, mix it with apple juice for a quick marinade.
  • For ribs, just brush the sauce right on at the end of your grilling.
  • For burgers, squeeze it on the bun instead of ketchup.

Or, combine it with some honey and mayo to make a dressing for a healthy grilled chicken salad. Here’s a recipe for Grilled Chicken Salad with Gochujang Honey Dressing to get you started.

skewers of grilled chicken atop lettuce and mango

Grilled Chicken Salad with Gochujang Honey Dressing

Finally, a grilled chicken salad recipe that isn’t boring. Crunchy greens with a pop of basil are topped with sweet barbecue chicken with gochujang honey dressing.

Where To Buy Bibigo Go-Chu-Jang Hot & Sweet Sauce

You don’t have to travel to South Korea to find this sauce – although I highly recommend visiting there sometime, if you get the chance.

The sauce is available in Las Vegas at area Smith’s grocery stores. You can also find it on Amazon

christie vanover standing against wood wall.

Hey BBQ Family

I’m Christie, the head cook and award-winning competitive pitmaster for Team Girls Can Grill. I have won multiple grand championships and top 10 category finishes. I’m an expert grill reviewer for BBQ Guys, and I have appeared on the Food Network and Ninja Woodfire Grill infomercials. I established this website in 2015 to share my BBQ tips and recipes.

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