In the BBQ world the name Craig Sherry and his Texas Pepper Jelly brand of products have been synonymous with creating mouth-watering dishes for years. I have recently had the good fortune of reviewing three great Texas Pepper Jelly products (Mango Lime Habanero Bird Bath, both Pineapple Habanero and Apple N’ Brown Sugar Habanero Rib Candy).

The first one I tried was the Mango Lime Habanero Bird Bath. Naturally I couldn’t have a product called Bird Bath and not use chicken wings for the initial test. After putting a light seasoning of just salt, pepper, and garlic I grilled the wings on the Weber kettle using a vortex. I glazed with the Bird Bath for the last 10-15 minutes and after I pulled the wings I added some more Bird Bath to the pan and tossed the wings around. To go along with the wings I also did some chicken halves, also lightly seasoned with a SPG rub.Immediately the sweetness of the Mango and zestiness of the Lime came through, followed by a hit from the Habanero. Don’t be scared of the Habanero though because the sweetness really balances out the heat creating layers of flavor. The Mango Lime Habanero also pairs excellent with seafood as I found out when I tried it with shrimp and salmon.

Next up was the Rib Candy. Although developed for competition, the Pineapple Habanero and Apple N’ Brown Sugar Habanero Rib Candy should be staples in the pantry of anyone who enjoys creating drool worthy, culinary delights for family and friends. My favorite protein to BBQ is ribs so when serendipity struck and these great products fell into my lap for reviewing, I couldn’t wait to put some St. Louis cut on the smoker. I will start with the Apple N’Brown Sugar Habanero.

This should be an easy choice for a number of competition cooks seeing as how apple and brown sugar are both key ingredients in the glaze as well as in competitive BBQ. The sweetness along with the kick of heat is sure to please the discerning palates of even the most seasoned of food judges. I also tried the Apple N’Brown Sugar Habanero on pork butts, pork chops, and even used some to glaze some bacon that was crumbled and added to vanilla ice cream, proving the versatility of the glaze.

The last, and my favorite glaze, was the Pineapple Habanero which is also the first product made by the Texas Pepper Jelly team. It provides just the right amount of kick with a tropical sweetness provided by the pineapple. I have been a fan of this product since I first used it in competition. Even though I have used this product for a number of years I am still finding new uses for it away from competitive BBQ. I have experimented with using as a glaze on fire roasted vegetables such as broccoli and asparagus both exceeding taste expectations. I think my favorite non-conventional use however, came when I added it to a slice of watermelon.

Overall these three products will be a welcomed addition to many, if not everyone’s, pantries. If you don’t want any of the Habanero heat that’s understandable and Texas Pepper Jelly offers a complete line of wonderful products with all levels of spice. A quick Google search will provide numerous sources for these outstanding products. If you go to the Texas Pepper Jelly website you will find these products and more along with delicious recipes.

I send my appreciation to the TPJ team for stepping up not only mine but many team’s level of competition.