How Dougie Wuggy’s is Spicing Up St. Thomas BBQs For Doug Carey, owner of Dougie Wuggy’s Barbecue, crafting BBQ sauce isn’t just a business — it’s a passion that’s been simmering for years. “Born and raised in St. Thomas, I spent a bit of time in Toronto before returning home,” Doug says. “The barbecue sauce business really started as a hobby.” That hobby grew from backyard experimentation. “I grew up on a propane barbecue — the crispier and blacker the burger, the better,” he laughs. “About 15 years ago, charcoal started making a comeback. I made a lot of mistakes — my family was very patient. They’d smile and say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s really good,’ while discreetly tucking it into a napkin.” As his skills with the smoker improved, friends and neighbours started asking about the sauce on his ribs. “That was the turning point. I had the meat down — beautiful ribs, four or five hours on the smoker — but the sauce was always store- bought. I started experimenting.” Encouraged by positive feedback, Doug decided to give it a shot. With support from the Elgin Business Resource Centre and guidance from the Foodpreneur program, he navigated food safety regulations, earned his food handler’s certificate, and secured a production kitchen at Seed Confections. Dougie Wuggy’s debuted at the Horton Market during the July long weekend last year. “I remember saying to my wife, ‘Nobody’s going to buy this. What am I doing here?’ But as soon as people started sampling, I knew I had something.”
Doug’s current line-up includes his Original Kansas City-style sauce, Honey Garlic (featuring local honey and garlic from Mazak Farms), and a whiskey-infused BBQ sauce using Forty Creek. “To me, supporting local is very important,” he says. There’s also a sauce made with Caps Off Brewing Co.’s Paddy Wagon red ale. “That one’s my current favourite,” says Doug, “Though my daughter puts the whiskey BBQ on everything — even sandwiches and homemade pizzas.” Dougie Wuggy’s sauces are available online, at the Horton Market, and in a few unexpected spots — including the farm store at Mazak and the front counter of CrossFit Elgin. Doug would like to acknowledge great assistance from his neighbour and good friend Chris Aubry. “We were neighbours and started experimenting with the grill around the same time. He is a huge help when making the sauces, volunteering to help me in the kitchen when preparing each batch”. As barbecue season heats up, Doug Carey is just enjoying the ride. “As long as I’m having fun with it, I’m going to keep doing it,” he says. Whether it’s a Saturday at the market or a backyard taste test with friends, Dougie Wuggy’s is a local flavour worth discovering — one bottle at a time.
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Page 16 Hometown St. Thomas • June 2025
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