The table below displays what seasonings/rubs the prolific award winning chef, Chris Marks, suggests for different foods.
| Rub | Beef | Pork | Poultry | Seafood | Wild Game | Vegetables |
| Kansas City All Purpose | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Kansas City Championship | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Kansas City Sweet | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Kansas City Touch of Cherry | X | X | X | X | ||
| Memphis Style | X | X | X | X |
There is no denying that this is one of the most successful barbecue sauces on the competition circuit. With 8 American Royal Championships, these sauces have been bringing home the trophies for Chris Marks and the Three Little Pigs competition team for two decades. Despite all the renown, these are a classic tomato based sauce starting with ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, seasonings, and smoke. It is the balance of flavors that is the genius of this sauce. Thick enough to stay put, thin enough to pour, even when cold.
All in all the flavor of these sauces are conservative. But the balance of sweet (sugars), sour (vinegar and Worcestershire sauce), heat, spicy (cayenne mash) and smoke make them simply perfect.
Aroma
A sweet and sugary aroma fills the nose on first whiff of this sauce, keeping with barbecue competition standards. There’s a bright tomato ketchup base along with an upfront, but not too strong, molasses component. Vinegar adds a contrasting tang, but it’s light compared to the sweetness that dominates overall. After taking in a few more whiffs of the sauce, a garlicky undertone starts to make itself known, as well as a depth that clearly comes from Worcestershire.
Thickness & Texture
This smooth and shiny sauce has a dark mahogany hue. Its syrupy texture is broken up with some small bits that look like they include garlic, onion, and black pepper. The sauce runs medium-thin, flowing quickly in a steady stream off a suspended spoon, leaving a thin, transparent coating left clinging to the silverware.
Out of the Jar
Delivering on a promise made by the aroma, this sauce starts out like a spoonful of sugar. It has the tongue coating consistency of corn syrup, but the flavor doesn’t follow suit. There’s a molasses depth behind the sugar, and a bright and fruity tomato ketchup base. These three upfront flavors begin to mingle with a tart vinegar after a few seconds on the tongue. Things get more complex as Worcestershire makes an appearance, quickly followed by garlic and onion, adding extra bite and texture. Finally, a nice heat rounds thing out right at the end, but the sugar never really backs down, making the final aftertaste one that’s primarily sweet and sugary, with a little tanginess still remaining.