How we got from plant-based BBQ to Condiments Designed to Combine.

If you are following closely - and how could you not :) - what started as a fast-casual plant-based BBQ joint is now Pure Grit Market, focused on what we like to call With/Ands. How did we get from plant-based BBQ to condiments designed to combine? Simple — we cooked BBQ for a year.

“The steps in between are not precious or particular; there is a ton of room for experimentation. And if I have said it once, I will say it again: it is really hard to screw up.”

At first glance, BBQ seems to be all about meat, giant smokers and building fires. What I have learned over the past two years is that it is so much less. By less I mean that it also includes outdoor grills, stove-top smokers or just an oven. It starts with what you want to eat and with some simple steps, and ends with a delicious meal hopefully shared with friends and family. The steps in between are not precious or particular; there is a ton of room for experimentation. And if I have said it once, I will say it again: it is really hard to screw up.

BBQ cooking is all about staples, what you have on hand. That is why there are so many different types of BBQ, as each method flourished based on the “protein” and wood that was available in a specific region. You might even consider it the original farm to table movement. Bottom line, mains were prepared simply: adding salt and pepper, mixed spices or RUB, mustard, vinegar, BBQ sauce (which is really just a mixture of almost everything on your refrigerator door) and any and all combinations of the aforementioned. Even sides are made of staples, like cornbread, potato salad, coleslaw, and baked beans - mayo, mustard, ketchup and BBQ sauce.

My typical countertop. Mustard, BBQ sauce, something sweet (maple syrup) something tangy (apple cider vinegar), ketchup

“So much of what I was making were combinations of fridge door and spice cabinet staples. Condiments that I always thought of as an “Ending” were, in fact, also Beginnings.”

This got me thinking. So much of what I was making were combinations of fridge door and spice cabinet staples. Condiments that I always thought of as an “Ending” were, in fact, also Beginnings. And when combined with spice blends, they took on even more cooking power. I realized that what kept me from cooking before was intimidation. This realization freed me from self doubt and confusion. I had everything I needed in the old friends that I had taken for granted over the years.

This realization caused me to rethink our business model. It wasn’t about what plants could bring to BBQ, but rather what BBQ cooking and culture could bring to everything. By simplifying recipes and focusing on kitchen staples, we could make cooking more inclusive and enjoyable. With this new framework we had to make some changes.

I reach for The Rub so much, I just had to put it in a shaker.

“This realization caused me to rethink our business model. It wasn’t about what plants could bring to BBQ, but rather what BBQ cooking and culture could bring to everything”

To get our business up and running quickly in the time of COVID, we relied heavily on Brian Rogers and his brand Fools Gold. He helped us bring our BBQ dream to life. We have ambitions beyond BBQ and we need to start focusing on where we are going. While we love our current BBQ sauce, it was not designed to combine. To make it more versatile, we have taken out some of the heat and sugar. We find that the new formula layers well when smoking and grilling and is an excellent marinade. We will be launching various recipes for sauce combinations, including one that is close to our original sauce, so for those that love it, you can still get your fix. We have also refined our Hot Stuff. It still brings the heat, but it has no residual pepper, so it finishes and combines well, especially with our BBQ Sauce when you want to turn the heat up.

We are proud of the new sauces and our focus on combining - giving you more freedom to create exactly what you want. We believe that condiments should be kept simple so that you can make them complicated.

Designed to combine.

Make something new.

What 2020 Has Taught Me and How It Changed My Business Model

How we got from plant-based BBQ to Condiments Designed to Combine.

“The steps in between are not precious or particular; there is a ton of room for experimentation. And if I have said it once, I will say it again: it is really hard to screw up.”

“So much of what I was making were combinations of fridge door and spice cabinet staples. Condiments that I always thought of as an “Ending” were, in fact, also Beginnings.”

“This realization caused me to rethink our business model. It wasn’t about what plants could bring to BBQ, but rather what BBQ cooking and culture could bring to everything”

Pure Grit BBQ