4th Grade Essay Contest Honorable Mention, Bethany

Posted: 3/21/2016

Old West BBQ Sauce

 

The Best South Dakota Made Product Bethany, Homeschool

 

 

 

My favorite South Dakota product is Old West BBQ Sauce. It is made by the James Valley Company in Mellette, SD. The company was started 1982 by John Collins. James Valley also produces hunting scents and dog treats. It employs 11South Dakotans and grosses $1.4 million in sales. Old West Sauce is 40% of the total sales.

Mr. Collins started bottling Old West Sauce in 1995. He started with his mother's recipe for BBQ sauce, but changed it a bit. The ingredients are brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, smoke flavor, salt, garlic and spices. The sauce is a bit sweet and pepper. It is good on chicken, ribs and most meats, but their website stated one customer actually has the BBQ sauce over ice cream.

 

Old West BBQ Sauce can be found at Hy-Vee, Coburns, or order it on-line. It can be bought in a pint or gallon size. The company has been shipped the BBQ sauce as far as Alaska. My family once purchased it at an outdoor show in Mason City, IA from a  BBQ grill vendor .

 

John Collins past away in 2011. He did not have any family and left James Valley Company to 3    of his employees. The company is ran the same way he ran it for over 25 years, making quality products in South Dakota.