TATS Sauces Add Spice to 65th Murrieta Firefighters' Barbecue

TATS Sauces and Marinades will be bringing the flavor and packing the heat at the April 15. 

Based in Wildomar, Tats Sauces and Marinades was born out of a passion for cooking and a slow economy.

“We built this company on 50 bucks and a blender,” said co-owner Derek Jellsey, 28. He, along with his wife Shauna, 29, and friend, Dustin Van Duzee are the creators behind the brand. 

Shauna, a long-time fan of barbecuing and chef of 10 years, created her own special sauce she would serve at friendly gatherings. The sauce went over well with guests but it wasn’t until financial hardship hit that the couple decided to try and sell it.

“Work was so slow, we might as well have been picking our shifts out of a hat,” Derek said, who worked as a bartender at in Murrieta. “I lost my best night [to make money]; we knew we were in trouble.   

They began selling their sauces and marinades at local farmers' markets. 

“We had no labels, no tablecloths, just sauce in a jar,” Derek said.

Two years later, TATS has seven different sauces and marinades which can be purchased at local stores including , , RJ Sizzlin’ Steer Steakhouse and .

In 2011, ILoveitSpicy.com voted TATS' Black Dahlia Barbeques sauce best sauce of the year.

“The sweet cherry extract mixes so well with the heat of the ghost pepper for that nice slow Chile burn us chileheads look for in a product,” writes Al “Buddah” Goldenberg, reviewer and founder of ILoveitSpicy.com. “There are a lot of good BBQ sauces out there, but few that are truly great, and to me the Black Dahlia is in the upper tier of BBQ sauces.”

While spicy is its claim to fame, TATS offers a variety of sauces and marinades for an array of palates, like the Ghost Town Pepper Sauce. This tomatillo-based green sauce is perfect for a slow cooker recipe, suggests Derek.

Whichever sauce customers choose, they can rest assured it is made with fresh produce and natural preservatives.

“We like to know where our food comes from,” Derek said. "We want to show that something good for you can also taste good”. 

Rich in flavor and spice, TATS is becoming quite popular with the “chiliheads” and flavor lovers alike—and the Jellseys couldn’t be happier. 

“Not only do we get to earn a living, it means so much to know people love our product.”

TATS Sauces and Marinades can be purchased at local farmers' markets, in select stores and online, and range from $6-$8 a jar. For more information, product descriptions, recipes or to order online, visit Tatsoriginal.com.

To meet TATS personally, stop by the Murrieta Firefighters' Barbecue between 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in front of , 41825 Juniper Street, Murrieta.