From another center of the barbecue universe comes one of the dry rubs that made the Kansas City Royal cook-off such a highly competitive event. Try this rub on turkey and chicken too.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons ground paprika

• 1 tablespoon white sugar

• 1 tablespoon garlic salt

• 1 tablespoon celery salt

• 1 tablespoon commercial chili powder

• 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne chile

• ½ teaspoon dry mustard

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Store any unused rub in a sealed container in the freezer.

Here is the way sauce is made for the famous American Royal cook-off in Kansas City–or at least this is our take on the subject. It is truly a finishing sauce and should not be used as a marinade or a basting sauce. Of course, spread it liberally over ribs just off the grill and serve plenty on the side

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 cup catsup

• 1/3 cup molasses

• 1/4 cup distilled vinegar

• 2 tablespoons commercial chili powder

• 2 teaspoons dry mustard

• 1 teaspoon celery salt

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne chile

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup water or more if needed

Instructions

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until the onions are soft. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for ½ hour until thickened.

This is the thin, vinegar sauce in the tradition of Eastern North Carolina. For a rough idea of the Western sauce, add 1 cup catsup, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to this recipe. This is served over smoked pork in any form–sliced or pulled.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

• 3 teaspoons salt

• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cayenne chile

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, mix well, and let stand for a couple hours to blend the flavors.

This Swedish dish takes two days to make, but it’s well worth the effort. After curing, the gravlax is sliced as thinly as possible, placed on black bread, and served with a little of the mustard sauce spread over it.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

• 2 small bunches dill, coarsely chopped

• ½ bunch chervil, chopped

• 1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped

• 1 bunch lemon balm, chopped

• 2 tablespoons prepared hot mustard (with chiles)

• 1 tablespoon mustard powder

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

• 4 tablespoons canola oil

• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill

• 2 salmon fillets, about 1 ½ pounds each

Instructions

In a bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and pepper to make the sugar mixture. In another bowl, combine the dill, chervil, parsley, and lemon balm to make the herb mixture. In a third bowl combine the mustard, mustard powder, sugar, vinegar, oil, and dill to make the mustard sauce. Cover and refrigerate the mustard sauce.

Place 1 fillet skin side down in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle ½ the sugar mixture over the fillet, ½ of the herb mixture, the rest of the sugar mixture, and the rest of the herb mixture. Place the second fillet on top of the first, flesh to flesh, and wrap with plastic wrap. Place the wrapped fillets in a shallow pan and weigh them down with something heavy, like bricks covered in aluminum foil or a cast iron skillet.

Refrigerate for 24 hours, then flip the fillets, weigh them down, and refrigerated for another 24 hours. Serve with the mustard sauce.