CROIX VALLEY: Garlic 'n Herb Sauce & Marinade | 355ml (12oz) glass bottle

A savoury garlic-herb marinade that doubles as a table sauce

This one skips the sugar entirely, built as a savoury garlic-and-herb sauce that works equally well as a marinade or a finishing drizzle. It's from the same Hudson, Wisconsin kitchen behind a family whose competitive credentials run through the Kansas City Barbeque Society and the World Food Championships.

The flavour

Front: roasted garlic hits first. Middle: a herb blend carries it through, savoury and rounded. Finish: a clean, savoury close with no sweetness to fight it.

How to cook with it

• Use as a marinade base for chicken or lamb — a few hours is enough for the garlic to work through
• Brush over roast lamb in the last 15–20 minutes for a savoury glaze
• Drizzle over garlic bread before it hits the oven
• Toss through grilled vegetables straight off the grill
• Left-field: stir a spoonful into mashed potato for an instant garlic-herb lift

In the bottle

Pale golden-brown with visible herb flecks, thinner than the BBQ sauces in the range so it pours and coats easily. Loosens further with gentle heat, making it easy to brush thin.

Ingredients & Dietary

Ingredients (from the brand's label): Tomato Concentrate (tomatoes, sugar, water, spice, onion), Tapioca Syrup, Worcestershire Sauce (distilled vinegar, molasses, tamari [water, soybeans, salt, sugar, cornstarch], sugar, spices, ground mustard, onion powder, garlic powder), Balsamic Vinegar, Granulated Garlic, Herbs, Spice.

Contains: soy, mustard (as declared on the brand's label).

Dietary: Vegan and gluten free (brand-stated) — always check the physical label.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

No sugar in this one means no scorching, so brush it heavier than the sweet stuff without a second thought. It earns its keep as a marinade base for chicken or lamb well before it ever reaches the grill. Rub the lamb first with Butcher's Axe Hunter lamb and game rub for real depth. A grind of Four Saucemen Pohutukawa Smoked Peppercorns over the sliced lamb finishes it off.

Questions answered

Is this a sweet sauce like the BBQ range?

No — it's a savoury garlic and herb sauce with no BBQ sweetness, built to double as a marinade.

Can it be used as a marinade and a table sauce?

Yes, it's designed for both — marinate with it, then brush or drizzle the same bottle at the table.

Does it contain dairy or gluten?

No dairy is listed on the brand's label (it does declare soy and mustard), and Croix Valley describes it as gluten free. Always check the physical label before serving.