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Spicy Pork Sauce: Sweet Heat for the Grill

11/8/2025

Some sauces are good. Some sauces are legendary. This Spicy Pork Sauce lands firmly in the second category. With the perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and spicy, it’s a glaze that transforms pork into sticky, finger-licking perfection. Whether you’re brushing it on ribs, glazing chops, or candifying side pork on a stick, this sauce is pure magic.

Why You’ll Love It

Sweet & Sticky – thanks to honey and hoisin sauce.
Smoky & Bold – with Mad Dog & Merrill® Spicy BBQ Sauce.

Fiery Kick – courtesy of chili powder and crushed red peppers.
Versatile – works on pork, chicken, wings, or even veggies.

This isn’t just a sauce — it’s the ultimate grill glaze.

Ingredients

3 tbsp hoisin sauce
½ cup Spicy BBQ Sauce (Mad Dog & Merrill®)
¼ cup honey
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp crushed red peppers

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, Spicy BBQ Sauce, honey, chili powder, and crushed red peppers until smooth.
Taste and adjust: add more honey for sweetness or extra crushed red pepper for heat.
Use immediately to brush over pork, or store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.

Pro Grill’n Tips
🔥 Double it up: This sauce goes fast. Make a larger batch for parties.
🔥 Layer the flavor: Brush it on once while grilling, then again at the end for a glossy, candied finish.
🔥 Mix & match: Try it on wings, ribs, or even roasted veggies for a spicy-sweet twist.

The Final Bite
If you love your pork with a little kick and a lot of flavor, this Spicy Pork Sauce is your new go-to. It’s quick to whip up, loaded with bold taste, and guaranteed to keep your guests coming back for more.
So grab your whisk, fire up the Pit Boss, and let Mad Dog & Merrill® bring the heat to your next cookout.

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Loin Chop Sandwiches with Southwestern Style Cabbage

11/8/2025

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Looking to upgrade your sandwich game? Forget deli meat — we’re talking thick, juicy pork loin chops grilled to perfection on a Pit Boss, seasoned with bold spices, and stacked high on a bun with a mound of Southwestern Style Cabbage. This isn’t just a sandwich… it’s a full-on flavor explosion.

Why This Sandwich Works

Big & Bold: Pork loin chops bring hearty, meaty bite.
Southwestern Flair: Seasoned with cumin, thyme, lime chili, and Up Nort Peppery for smoky spice.

Cheesy Veggie Power: The colorful cabbage topping (loaded with cheddar and Cherry BBQ Sauce) adds crunch, tang, and melt.
Perfect Build: Toasted bun, juicy chop, smoky cabbage… every layer pulls its weight.

This sandwich is as much backyard showstopper as it is comfort food.

Ingredients

1 pork loin
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp lime chili seasoning
2 tbsp Up Nort Peppery (Mad Dog & Merrill®)
2 tbsp cooking oil
Southwestern Style Cabbage (recipe follows)
Buns

Directions

Cut pork loin into thick chops.
Mix cumin, thyme, lime chili seasoning, and Up Nort Peppery into a dry rub.
Coat pork chops generously on both sides with seasoning.
Heat the Pit Boss Griddle and drizzle with cooking oil.
Place chops on the griddle and grill until internal temp reaches 140°F.
Build the sandwich: buns → pile of Southwestern Style Cabbage → grilled pork loin chop → top bun.

🔥 Serve hot and watch the smiles.

Serving Ideas

Pair with tortilla chips and salsa for a full Southwestern plate.
Swap buns for flour tortillas and make it a pork chop taco.
Add a splash of Sun Drop® on the side — the citrus zing balances the smoky heat.

The Final Bite
This Loin Chop Sandwich isn’t just dinner — it’s a statement. It’s smoky, juicy, spicy, cheesy, and stacked with the kind of flavor only Mad Dog & Merrill® Midwest Grill’n can deliver. Fire up your Pit Boss and prepare to impress.

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Southwestern Style Cabbage: A Bold Twist on a Classic

11/3/2025

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Cabbage isn’t just for coleslaw and sauerkraut anymore — not when Mad Dog & Merrill® get ahold of it. This Southwestern Style Cabbage recipe brings big, bold flavors straight to the Pit Boss Grill. It’s smoky, cheesy, zesty, and packed with peppers for a kick that’ll wake up any backyard party.

Whether you serve it as a side dish, a topper, or even scoop it up with chips, this cabbage creation is ready to steal the spotlight.

Why You’ll Love It
This isn’t your everyday cabbage recipe. It’s loaded with:

Colorful crunch from green and red cabbage
Zingy freshness from lime and cilantro
Southwestern spice thanks to jalapeños and Chicago-style peppers
Cheesy goodness melted right on the griddle
Sweet-tangy flair from Cherry BBQ Sauce to finish it off

It’s smoky, melty, and just the right balance of sweet and heat.

Ingredients

2 cups green cabbage, shredded
1 cup red cabbage, shredded
1 cup canned tomatoes
1 cup leeks, chopped
1 cup orange peppers, chopped
½ cup Chicago-style peppers, chopped
½ cup jalapeños, sliced
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup Cherry BBQ Sauce (1/4 C Cherry Preserves with 3/4 C #1 BBQ Sauce Mad Dog & Merrill®)

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together both cabbages, tomatoes, leeks, orange peppers, Chicago-style peppers, jalapeños, lime juice, cooking oil, and cilantro.
Spread mixture evenly on the hot skillet of your Pit Boss Grill.
Grill for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften the veggies and blend the flavors.
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the top and let it melt into the mixture.
Finish with a drizzle of Cherry BBQ Sauce to taste.

Serve hot as a side dish, taco filling, or bold burger topper.

Pro Grill’n Tips
🔥 Turn up the heat: Add extra jalapeños if you like it fiery.
🔥 Make it a meal: Spoon into tortillas and top with grilled chicken or steak.
🔥 Switch the cheese: Pepper Jack works great if you want more spice.
🔥 Keep it colorful: The mix of red, green, and orange makes this dish look as good as it tastes.

The Final Bite
This Southwestern Style Cabbage recipe proves that cabbage doesn’t have to be boring. It’s smoky, cheesy, spicy, and tangy — the perfect sidekick (or star) of your next cookout.
So grab a head of cabbage, fire up the Pit Boss, and let Mad Dog & Merrill® bring the Southwest to your backyard. 🌵🔥

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Sauerkraut Topping That Steals the Show

11/3/2025

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When you think “sauerkraut,” you might picture a simple jar of tangy cabbage on the shelf. But when Mad Dog & Merrill® hit the Pit Boss, kraut becomes something else entirely — bold, cheesy, smoky, and downright addictive. This Sauerkraut Topping recipe takes your brats, burgers, and sandwiches to a whole new level.
Forget “side dish.” This kraut is the star of the plate.

Why This Kraut is Different
We didn’t stop at cabbage. This topping is a glorious mash-up of flavors:

Sweet & Tangy – brown sugar balances the kraut’s bite
Savory & Bold – olives, red pepper, and onion add texture and flavor
Smoky & Smooth – Hickory BBQ Sauce plus a splash of beer
Rich & Melty – Swiss cheese and a full stick of butter (because, why not?)
Zesty Kick – a final drizzle of Da Works Brat Sauce ties it all together

The result? A kraut topping that doesn’t just sit quietly on the side — it takes over the party.

Ingredients

3 cups sauerkraut (drained)
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup green olives, sliced
½ cup chopped red pepper
½ cup chopped red onion
⅓ cup Hickory BBQ Sauce (Mad Dog & Merrill®)
⅓ cup beer (choose your favorite brew!)
1 stick butter
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup Da Works Brat Sauce

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine sauerkraut, brown sugar, olives, red pepper, red onion, BBQ sauce, and beer.
Spread the mixture evenly across a hot Pit Boss Griddle.
Drop in the stick of butter and let it melt through as everything sizzles.
Grill for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the veggies soften and the flavors marry together.
Sprinkle Swiss cheese over the top and let it melt into gooey perfection.
Finish with a drizzle (or a big spoonful) of Da Works Brat Sauce to taste.

Serve hot over brat patties, bratwurst, burgers, or even as a wild side dish.

Pro Grill’n Tips
🔥 Make it ahead: This topping reheats beautifully, so make an extra batch and stash it in the fridge.
🔥 Get creative: Try it on hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, or even baked potatoes.
🔥 Pick your beer: A malty lager makes the kraut sweet and rich, while a hoppy IPA adds bite.
🔥 Sauce it up: Da Works Brat Sauce is the closer — don’t be shy with it.

The Final Bite
This isn’t your grandma’s sauerkraut. It’s bold, it’s melty, it’s smoky, and it’s the perfect partner for Homemade Brat Patties (or anything that comes off the grill). One taste and you’ll never go back to plain kraut again.
So grab a jar, fire up the Pit Boss, and let Mad Dog & Merrill® show you how sauerkraut can become the star of your next backyard cookout.

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The Ultimate Homemade Brat Patties (Grilled to Perfection on a Pit Boss)

11/3/2025

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When it comes to Wisconsin traditions, brats are right at the top of the list. But what if we told you that you could skip the casing, throw tradition on the griddle, and sink your teeth into the juiciest Homemade Brat Patties you’ve ever had? That’s right — this is brat night, reinvented.

We’re talking brat flavor, burger style, cooked up hot and fast on a Pit Boss Griddle with all the smoky goodness you crave. Add a tangy sauerkraut topping, pile it high on a bun, and you’ve just created backyard legend status.

Why Brat Patties Instead of Brats?
Sure, traditional brats are great, but patties have a few tricks up their sleeve:

No casings, no hassle — just pure brat flavor without the snap.
More topping space — because when you’ve got kraut, mustard, and sauce, you want a sturdy base.
Perfect for grilling rookies — if you can shape a patty, you can cook a brat burger.
Crowd-friendly — one batch makes enough to feed the whole block (or at least your hungriest friends).

Plus, these patties are seasoned just right, thanks to a little Midwest magic and a dash of hot sauce for attitude.

Ingredients

4 lbs ground pork
1 tsp hot sauce (your favorite brand works here!)
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp ginger
Buns (sturdy ones, because these patties mean business)
Sauerkraut topping (recipe follows)

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together ground pork, hot sauce, and all the seasonings. Use your hands — that’s the Midwestern way.
Shape the mixture into brat-sized patties. Pro tip: press a thumbprint in the middle so they cook evenly.
Preheat your Pit Boss Griddle to medium-high heat.
Grill patties until they hit 160°F internal temperature. A quick-read thermometer (and a sharp Rebex Knife for slicing into the first one) makes it easy.
Layer brat patties over sauerkraut topping and sandwich everything inside a toasted bun.

🔥 Serve hot. Watch them disappear.

Sauerkraut Topping
The tangy bite of kraut is the secret weapon that takes these brat patties from “oh that’s good” to “where has this been all my life?” Here’s our go-to kraut topper:

1 jar sauerkraut, drained
1 small onion, diced
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp caraway seeds (optional, but old-school tasty)
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the onion in butter until golden. Add sauerkraut and caraway. Warm through, season, and pile it high on your brat patties.

Pro Grill’n Tips

Pair these with an ice-cold Sun Drop® — because nothing says Wisconsin grilling like a citrus soda on the side.
Want to go spicy? Add jalapeños to the kraut for a fiery twist.
Hosting a crowd? Double the batch. These patties freeze like a dream (just thaw before grilling).

Final Bite
If you’re looking to shake up your grilling routine, Homemade Brat Patties are the answer. They’re bold, juicy, and packed with flavor — perfect for game day, tailgates, or any night you’re craving something Midwest and mouthwatering.
Mad Dog & Merrill® say: ditch the casings, grab the griddle, and let the brat burgers change your life.

👉 Want more recipes like this? Join the Grill’n Club for exclusive e-books, tips, and behind-the-scenes fun from the Midwest Grill’n crew.

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Spicy Pork Sauce: Sweet Heat for the Grill

Loin Chop Sandwiches with Southwestern Style Cabbage

Southwestern Style Cabbage: A Bold Twist on a Classic

Sauerkraut Topping That Steals the Show

The Ultimate Homemade Brat Patties (Grilled to Perfection on a Pit Boss)

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