Abstract: A dry mixture of tomato powder, vinegar powder, and a modified food starch (e.g., hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate) capable of thickening upon addition of liquid, without requiring heating, is disclosed. The dry mixture may be employed as a dry rub, or may be mixed with a liquid of the consumer's choice (e.g., water, beer, wine, bourbon, soda, pineapple juice, other juice, vinegar, or the like). Upon such mixing, and without application of heat, the resulting mixture will spontaneously thicken to have viscosity and other rheological characteristics similar to bottled barbeque sauces, which are thickened with application of heat during formulation, e.g., before bottling.