Category / Products & Equipment

5
Jul

The Factory at 17th Street Sauce Co-Packing Facility

Amy Mills standing in front of Factory at 17th Street bottling machinery

Co-Packing at The Factory at 17th Street

The Factory at 17th Street is now accepting select co-packing clients. Our co-packing capabilities include:

• Hot and cold fill
• Wet-type products (i.e., barbecue sauces, marinades, mustards, pasta sauces, salad dressings, etc.)
• Retail-size glass & institutional-size plastic containers ( 1-gallon jugs)
• 120 gallon minimum run — this will equal about 1 pallet of 850 18 oz bottles
• Hot-filled sauces are filled in glass containers. Clients use our classic 18-oz bottle or we can source other bottles
• We often do split runs of bottles and gallon jugs for restaurants who want  retail bottles for sale and gallons for back of house use
• We can also bottle in five-gallon pails
• Dry seasonings are packaged in clear plastic bottles of various sizes – other options are available

Bottles of 17th Street Barbecue Sauce on bottling conveyor belt.

Who co-packs at The Factory at 17th Street?

At The Factory at 17th Street, we work with a variety of barbecue restaurateurs and caterers to produce top-quality sauces per their recipes and specifications. Here are a sampling of the products we produce:

• Pitmaster sauces and dry rubs
• Chef & restaurant signature products
• Grower’s value-added products
• Entrepreneur’s secret recipes

Row of bottles of 17th Street Barbecue Sauce on bottling conveyor belt.

The Factory at 17th Street is devoted to food safety

All of the products we produce are safe and of the highest quality, meeting the needs of today’s consumer. Our certifications require that we keep abreast of  the continually evolving food safety standards.

• Facility approved & inspected by the US FDA #14238083964
• Facility approved and inspected by the Illinois Department of Public Health
• HAACP, GMP, Food Safety & Food Security Programs
• HAACP-certified managers
• SQF certified

Most large retail outlets require that products they sell are bottled in SQF-certified facilities. We’ll provide you with our SQF certificate, making it simple and easy to meet this requirement. 

Phillip Heern and Amy Mills at the Factory at 17th Street.

Our onboarding fee includes:

• Up to three test batches of your product
• Obtaining your process authority letter
• Nutrition label and ingredient statement
• Referrals to our graphic design team and label manufacturer
• Obtaining certificate of origin letters for any new ingredients your sauce might contain
• pH testing

The Factory is managed by Phillip Heern, a 19-year 17th Street veteran and the official 17th Street Pitmaster. Phillip’s years of barbecue experience are invaluable in the sauce production arena.

You can view the products we produce for ourselves on our retail web site. Learn more about 17th Street Barbecue here.

For more information about the process, please contact Ben Heller by email or at 618-684-8902.

18
Jul

A Rundown of the Four Different 17th Street Barbecue Sauces

Mike's OriginalMike’s Original

The sauce that won dozens of awards and accolades on the competition circuit. Mike’s Original is a harmonious combination of ketchup, vinegar, and mustard – the three ingaredients that typically set regional barbecue styles apart from one another. This is a thinner sauce, best applied in several coats during the cooking process or simply slathered on table side. It’s a favorite on ribs and pulled pork sandwiches, as well as on chicken and burgers.


Apple City Red

A sweet, ketchup-based sauce with a little heat on the end. Apple City Red is excellent on pork, poultry, and beef. Try it in place of ketchup after melting a thick slice of sharp cheddar over a juicy flame-grilled burger.


Little Kick

Identical to Mike’s Original harmonious combination of ketchup, vinegar, and mustard, but Little Kick has extra cayenne for a touch of heat. Pour some Little Kick on a plate and some Magic Dust® on another, then dip the rim of a chilled glass – first into the sauce, then into the Dust – and fill with a freshly stirred bloody mary. Add your favorite garnishes and a straw and wait for your brunch guests to sigh with delight.


Hog Warsh

Splash this pepper-flecked Carolina vinegar sauce on pulled pork or brisket, just before serving. You can use Hog Warsh alone for traditional Carolina-style barbecue, or layer it with your favorite sauce. It’s also a great option for brushing over the skin of your roasted or smoked chicken, just before taking the bird off the heat, to help crisp things up with a tangy punch.


Magic Dust®

The secret to all of our success! Use Magic Dust® as a seasoning for just about anything you prepare. Garnish your scrambled eggs, rice bowls, and grilled veggies. Toss it with freshly-popped and buttered pop corn for a savory movie snack. Sprinkle it over your favorite hummus or dip for an eye-popping (and delicious) presentation. It’s spectacular on barbecue, naturally, but also so much more.


Brisket Rub

A robust blend of black pepper, salt, and garlic, our Brisket Rub adds the perfect punch to brisket, steak, burgers, eggs, and more. Slather a pork tenderloin with some dijon mustard and a healthy sprinkle of Brisket Rub before searing on all sides to get a savory crust before finishing your cook inside a hot oven or grill. Drizzle the slices with Hog Warsh and a light dusting of the rub for a finishing touch. Want one more layer of flavor? Add a drizzle of your favorite hot honey just before serving.