Sauces & Marinades
The first thing we ever made is on this page
W’ham® Marinade was the first product Willingham’s ever made. It and the Original Mild seasoning were both in use at the Collierville restaurant in 1978 — five years before the first championship. Sweet’n’Sassy came later, created in 1983 for the ribs we took to Memphis in May. Those ribs took First Place.
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W’ham® Sauce – Original Mild
From $7.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
W’ham® Sauce – Sweet’n’Sassy
From $7.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
W’ham® Sauce – Marinade
From $7.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
W’ham® Sauce – Hot Sauce
From $7.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
W’ham® Sauce – Cajun
From $7.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Top Rail – Reserve Sauce
From $7.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
W’ham® Sauce – Georgia Ember
From $7.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Which one
- W’ham® Sauce – Marinade — the first product Willingham’s ever made, and still the binder we start with. A thin wipe before the rub, or a soak for beef tenderloin and stir fry. NBBQA Awards of Excellence Winner, 2026, and an International Flavor Awards Winner, 2025.
- W’ham® Sauce – Sweet’n’Sassy — created in 1983 for the ribs we took to Memphis in May. Ribs, chicken and beef. NBBQA Awards of Excellence Winner, 2023.
- W’ham® Sauce – Original Mild — the table sauce, and the one to reach for when you do not know who is eating. First Place Mild Vinegar Sauce, American Royal 1995.
- W’ham® Sauce – Cajun — vinegar-forward with Gulf-coast heat behind it. Good on nearly everything, pasta included. First Place Cajun Sauce, American Royal 1995, and a Scovie Awards Winner in 2025.
- W’ham® Sauce – Hot Sauce — Original Mild with Hot Stuff already folded in. First Place Hot Sauce at the American Royal in 1995 and again in 1998.
- W’ham® Sauce – Georgia Ember — the newest of the line, and a table sauce like the others — we just tend to reach for it as a finishing glaze, brushed on salmon at the end.
- Top Rail – Reserve Sauce — from Big Shanty Smokehouse, our Kennesaw restaurant — a Big Shanty product, not a W’ham one. Hot end of the scale. International Flavor Awards Winner, 2025.
Where the sauce goes
Marinade first as a binder, a light even coat of seasoning next, then sauce in the last ten minutes or alongside at the table. Binder, rub, finish — that order is not a system we invented afterwards, it is the three products that won in 1983, written down.
The amounts for each layer are on the W’ham® Pairing Matrix, and the full championship record is on our Awards page.
Asked at the trailer
Common questions
What is the difference between the Marinade and the sauces?
The Marinade is a binder — it goes on before the rub so the seasoning grabs, or it soaks into beef before it cooks. The sauces finish: last ten minutes on the heat, or at the table.
When should the sauce go on?
Late. The last ten minutes on the cooker, or alongside on the plate. Sauce added early mostly burns.
Which is the mildest for a table?
Original Mild Sauce. It carries the flavour without heat, which is why it is the one we put out when we do not know who is eating.
What makes Georgia Ember different?
Nothing, technically — it works at the table like the rest of them. It is just that we tend to use it as a finishing glaze, brushed on salmon in the last few minutes. Beef is not where we reach for it, but that is our habit rather than a rule.
Can I use these on something other than barbecue?
Yes. Cajun Sauce goes on nearly everything, pasta included, and the Marinade earns its keep on beef tenderloin and in a stir fry. They are built to enhance what you are already cooking.
Is Top Rail a Willingham’s sauce?
No — Top Rail is a Big Shanty Smokehouse product, from our restaurant in Kennesaw, Georgia. It is sold here because people ask for it, but it is its own brand.