James River BBQ Sauce - North Shore’s Best Roast Beef Sandwich Secret
Classic North Shore roast beef piled high with James River BBQ Sauce on a buttered, grilled roll.
If you love North Shore roast beef, whether you grew up in Beef Country or discovered it later, you know there is one ingredient that can turn a good sandwich into a great one. The beef is essential, but the true signature is the sauce. Across the North Shore, Cape Ann, the Seacoast, Merrimack Valley, and Greater Boston, that sauce is James River BBQ Sauce. Bold yet balanced, sweet without being cloying, and tangy with the right bite, it is the flavor that seals the deal. For beef fans everywhere, there is no substitute.
Where it all began. Kelly’s Roast Beef has fed beachgoers since 1951.
HOW A CANCELLED WEDDING LAUNCHED A NORTH SHORE ROAST BEEF LEGEND
In 1951, on Revere Beach, Frank McCarthy and Raymond Carey of Kelly’s Roast Beef faced an unexpected problem. A wedding they were catering had been cancelled, leaving them with a mountain of perfectly cooked rare roast beef. They sliced it thin, piled it onto grilled hamburger buns, and served it to people strolling the boardwalk.
The sandwiches sold fast. Soon, onion rolls became another bread option, and the addition of mayo, white American cheese, and James River BBQ Sauce completed the flavor profile that still defines the North Shore roast beef sandwich today.
Smithfield, Virginia, where James River BBQ Sauce began before finding a home in Beef Country.
JAMES RIVER BBQ SAUCE: FROM VIRGINIA SMOKEHOUSES TO THE NORTH SHORE
James River BBQ Sauce was first made in the early 1950s at Smithfield Market in Smithfield, Virginia, named for the historic river that runs through the region. It was created for Southern barbecue classics like ribs and pulled pork and showed up in drive-in restaurants and roadside diners throughout the South.
The path north is part fact and part legend. Some say it arrived quietly through restaurant supply distributors that stocked Southern sauces. Others believe a North Shore shop owner discovered it while traveling and brought it back. However it happened, by the late 1960s, the sauce was appearing in beef shops from Saugus to Salem.
Once it met rare, thin-sliced roast beef wrapped in white butcher paper, everything clicked. The thick, tangy-sweet sauce clung to the beef, blending with the mayo and melted cheese to bring balance to each bite. The aroma, smoky and a little sweet, can make a beef fan’s mouth water before the first taste.
Bill & Bob’s in Salem, one of the original homes of the perfected James River pairing.
HOW BILL & BOB’S PERFECTED JAMES RIVER BBQ SAUCE
In 1968, Greek immigrant Nondas Lagonikas bought Bill & Bob’s Roast Beef in Salem and eventually grew it to a dozen locations. His most significant contribution to Beef Country, however, was arguably fine-tuning the sauce.
Lagonikas traveled to Virginia to meet with the Smithfield Packing Company, makers of James River BBQ Sauce, and worked with them to adapt it for the North Shore roast beef sandwich. The exact changes have never been made public, and those who know are not talking. Some say he made it thicker and tangier. Others say he added a touch more sweetness. Whatever the adjustment, it transformed a delicious barbecue sauce into the defining flavor of a beef.
Like the best Beef Country stories, no one agrees on every detail, but everyone agrees on the impact.
The 3Ways North Shore Beef™ sandwich — James River BBQ sauce, white American cheese, and mayo on a fresh bun.
BUILT FOR NORTH SHORE ROAST BEEFS
Part of James River’s magic is the way it works in a sandwich. It is thick enough to stay with the beef, yet smooth enough to mix with mayo and melt into white American cheese. The flavor is layered and balanced and never overpowers the meat.
There are 26 ingredients in the recipe, including paprika, tamarind extract, and natural smoke flavor. More than a topping, it elevates a North Shore beef, whether you are grabbing a late-night super beef on Route 1 or unwrapping a three-way by the water in Gloucester.
"In Beef Country, spotting a James River bottle on the counter is a promise that you are in the right place."
Taste the Tradition: Shop 3Ways North Shore Beef™ merch made for true North Shore beef fans.
The signature sauce of Beef Country, bottled and ready for your next beef.
FUN FACTS ABOUT JAMES RIVER BBQ SAUCE EVERY BEEF FAN SHOULD KNOW
- The label design has changed very little since the 1950s.
- It is sold in two standard sizes, the 18-ounce glass bottle and the one-gallon jug.
- Most shops buy by the gallon.
- Some shops keep jugs at room temperature near the slicer, while others chill them.
- Fans swear it affects taste and pour.
- James River BBQ Sauce once appeared in national roundups of “best regional sauces you have never tried.”
- Outside Beef Country, many people have never heard of it, which is part of the charm.
WHERE TO BUY JAMES RIVER BBQ SAUCE
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Local: Market Basket, beef shop counters, and select butcher shops.
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Online: The 18-ounce bottle is widely available from major retailers and specialty food sites.
- For the devoted: Gallon jugs are available through restaurant supply stores and sometimes directly from shops.
The sauce that makes a North Shore beef unforgettable.
A LOCAL ICON THAT NEVER WENT NATIONAL
From Amesbury to Cambridge, Rockport to Chelmsford, James River BBQ Sauce has been the quiet constant in beef shops for generations. In Boston’s South Shore and beyond, many people have never heard of it. That small reach is part of the appeal. While most products chase national attention, this sauce stayed loyal to one region and one sandwich. It is a condiment and part of the culture.
MORE THAN A SANDWICH TOPPING
Although its rightful place is on a North Shore roast beef, James River BBQ Sauce shows up on burgers, fries, and even pizza. If you see that familiar bottle with the bold red label, you know you are close to the real thing.
From Gloucester to Cambridge, this is the map of true North Shore roast beef country.
BRINGING BEEF COUNTRY TO YOU
At 3Ways North Shore Beef, we celebrate everything that makes this sandwich and this sauce legendary. We live for the flavor of a true North Shore beef, the stories behind every shop, and the pride that keeps the tradition alive.
The North Shore Beef Hub is coming soon. It’s your ultimate guide to every beef shop, local tip, and story worth telling. Until then, rep Beef Country with our merch, made for people who know the sauce is never optional.
Rep Beef Country with 3Ways merch - built for fans who know sauce is never optional.
👉 Shop 3Ways North Shore Beef Merch - Available Now
👉 Explore the North Shore Beef Hub Directory - Coming Soon
The sauce that started it all.
Saucy, Slightly Salty. That’s how we roll.
Beef Country. That’s how we roll.
