One of grilling’s greatest virtues: the way the smoke does most of the work for you, infusing every bite of the food it touches with intense flavor. But even pitmaster-level proteins can use a saucy soul mate—just a quick swab of something sweet, sour, rich or spicy to translate a grill-hatched slab of beef or salmon or maitake mushroom into a meal.
The right condiment instantly raises your grill game. Experiment boldly. “There’s a lot of stuff around the house that can be good in other applications with a little thought and creativity,” said Brady Ishiwata Williams, chef and owner of Tomo in Seattle, before offering an ode to his beloved Kewpie mayo.
“Grilling is something you want to share with friends and should be simple, straightforward, unfussy,” said chef Alexia Duchêne of Margot in Brooklyn, N.Y. “Having just a few condiments on the table that anyone can pick and make their own is pretty cool.” Here, 6 top chefs lay it on thick regarding their go-to grilling condiments.
Ricky Moore, Chef and owner, Saltbox Seafood Joint, Durham, N.C
French’s Classic Yellow Mustard: I dredge catfish in a spice rub and the spices stay on [with the mustard]. There’s an underlying turmeric-vinegar flavor. $4, Amazon.com
O’Food Sunchang Mild Spicy Gochujang: I’m a big fan of Korean food because I spent time in the military in Korea. Gochujang is the base for my barbecue sauce, where I add Pepsi-Cola and the holy trinity of green pepper, onion and garlic. I brush this on chicken thighs as they’re grilling. $7, OFoodUsa.com
Carolina Treet Original Cooking Barbecue Sauce: It’s a molasses-y, vinegary spice sauce with cinnamon notes that people use as a starter for barbecue sauce, but I like it in a compound butter along with a whole bunch of fresh parsley and garlic. I brush it on fish, chicken, steak, burgers, whatever. $5, LegacyFamilyFoods.com
Max Robbins, Executive chef, the Oakville Grill & Cellar, Chicago
Homemade Hot Vinegar: The base is just 2 cups vinegar, 6 dried chiles, 11/2 tablespoons salt and 3 tablespoons sugar. Bring that to a boil and then let it cool. To season it further, I’ll add onion/garlic powder, bay leaves, a cinnamon stick, toasted cloves/coriander/allspice, and/or orange peels to the boiling vinegar. It’s better the longer it infuses; I’d recommend at least 24 hours. I use hot vinegar on grilled snapper, vegetables and chicken.
Uncle Joe’s Jerk Sauce: It’s really nice with grilled meats, working as both a marinade and a finishing sauce. $12, Amazon.com
Galil Silan Date Syrup: It’s got a complex flavor that works with lamb, duck, beef and chicken. Anytime you might use barbecue sauce, replace it with date syrup. It’s all natural. $5, ShopGalil.com
David Nayfeld, Chef and co-owner, Che Fico and Che Fico Alimentari, San Francisco
Calabrian Chili Bomba: I make this into a compound butter and add it to grilled steak or chicken. And you can put a big scoop on corn, too, during the summer. $15, CheFicoAlimentari.com
Talatta Anchovy Fillets: I’ll smash the fillets into a paste and mix that with chopped garlic, vinegar and a whole bunch of herbs. Then I’ll drizzle that over grilled steak, lamb, prawns or vegetables. A lot of people can get put off by anchovies, but they’re actually really delicious when melted. They become rounder and less briny. $6, WorldMarket.com
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce: It’s in every supermarket, but people don’t seem to use it very often. I’ll marinate steak in Worcestershire, olive oil, chopped garlic, thyme, rosemary and black pepper for an hour [before grilling]. It just adds that extra dimension. $4, Amazon.com
Kat Petonito, Executive chef, the Duck and the Peach, La Collina, the Wells and Meli, Washington, D.C.
Mina Harissa: This chile paste is a great way to add heat to all sorts of foods. I especially like adding it to kofte, made from ground lamb, ground beef, onions and garlic, shaped into small patties on a skewer and grilled. $7, Mina.co
Homemade Chimichurri: This chunky, herbaceous sauce is best fresh. Stir 1 grated garlic clove, 1 minced shallot and 1 seeded, minced Fresno chile into 1/4 cup red wine vinegar and the juice of 1 lemon. Add a whole lot of chopped cilantro, Italian parsley and chives. Pour in olive oil to just cover herbs (about 3/4 cup), and stir.
Cava Tzatziki: This yogurt-cucumber sauce works to cool down spicy items—like kofte, for instance. Tzatziki also complements harissa perfectly. $6, WholeFoodsMarket.com
Alexia Duchêne, Chef, Margot, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Hellmann’s Mayo: I’ve always preferred supermarket mayo rather than homemade; it feels less heavy and eggy. I love to switch [mayo] up by mixing in a bit of Sriracha and honey. At the restaurant, we serve that with grilled sausages and with grilled fish that’s not really fatty and needs a bit of richness—perfect combo. $16, Pack of 3, Amazon.com
Mike’s Hot Honey: I discovered this last year and loved it. It works very well with dairy products, like brie, or some yogurt to serve with grilled chicken. $14, Amazon.com
Fly by Jing Chili Crisp: I love everything a bit spicy. This elevates a vegetarian recipe like grilled cabbage with buttermilk, lemon and herbs, adding something crispy and spicy. It rounds out the dish and makes it something really unique. $17, FlyByJing.com
Brady Ishiwata Williams, Chef and owner, Tomo, Seattle
Kewpie Mayonnaise: As a Japanese-American, it’s what I grew up with—a vinegary, velvety mayo. Baste it on a whole fish before grilling to get a nice crispy exterior. Grilled asparagus and broccoli are pretty good with it, too. $8, Amazon.com
Bulldog Sauce: This is a staple similar to barbecue sauce, made with ketchup, soy sauce and brown sugar. I grew up with this too, typically on tonkatsu. Now I like it on grilled pork, chicken, cauliflower and brassicas. $7, Amazon.com
Mama Lil’s Peppers: A Portland brand that’s delicious with pork sausage or a hot dog. You can fold it into sauces or use it as a sort of relish that’s good on fish and steak. $54, Pack of 6, MamaLils.com