Barbecue sauce
When it comes to barbecue sauce, there are as many recipes as there are stars in the sky. Every family has their own secret ingredient or method that they swear by, and woe to the person who dares to mess with tradition. However, if we step back and look at the history of this ubiquitous condiment, we can see that change has been a constant, and that the sauce we enjoy today is a far cry from its earliest incarnation.
The earliest recorded recipe for barbecue sauce comes from The Virginia Housewife, published in 1824. This early version was little more than a vinegar-based slather, with no hint of the sweet, smoky, or spicy flavors we associate with barbecue sauce today. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that ketchup started making its way into recipes, and it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that Worcestershire sauce, molasses, and other flavorings became commonplace.
Today, there are as many barbecue sauce recipes as there are cooks, and each one is unique. Whether you prefer your sauce thick or thin, sweet or savory, there’s a recipe out there that will suit your taste. So fire up the grill and get
Jump to: Ingredient Breakdown Insights
Recipes
Simple Barbecue Sauce
- black pepper
- cumin
- salt
- apple cider vinegar
- brown sugar
- pimentón
- ketchup
Big Daddy's Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce
- yellow mustard
- liquid smoke
- black pepper
- soy sauce
- white pepper
- sugar
- cayenne pepper
- light brown sugar
- water
- chili powder
- butter
- apple cider vinegar
Spicy-Sweet Korean Barbecue Sauce (Ssamjang)
- sesame seed
- sugar
- garlic
- green onion
- fermented soybean paste
- korean red chile paste
- sesame oil
Jack Daniel's Barbecue Sauce
- onion
- liquid smoke
- salt
- brown sugar
- jack daniel' tennessee whiskey
- pepper
- tabasco sauce
- vinegar
- tomato paste
- ketchup
- worcestershire sauce
- molasses
- garlic
Memphis Barbecue Sauce
- ketchup
- mustard
- thyme
- chili powder
- paprika
- worcestershire sauce
- apple cider vinegar
- water
- salt
- onion
- brown sugar
- garlic
- molasses
- butter
- oregano
Texas Barbecue Sauce
- ketchup
- water
- paprika
- beef bouillon
- apple cider vinegar
- onion
- butter
- garlic
- honey
- mustard
- celery
- black pepper
- salt
Jim Beam Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
- brown sugar
- jim beam kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
- cayenne pepper
- ketchup
- mustard
- worcestershire sauce
- apple cider vinegar
- soy sauce
- liquid smoke
St. Louis Barbecue Sauce
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- water
- cayenne pepper
- apple cider vinegar
- brown sugar
- salt
- ketchup
- yellow mustard
Kansas City Barbecue Sauce
- water
- black pepper
- cayenne pepper
- celery salt
- allspice
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- ketchup
- apple cider vinegar
- dark brown sugar
- molasses
Apple Barbecue Sauce
- ketchup
- garlic powder
- white pepper
- apple
- apple cider vinegar
- apple juice
- onion
- soy sauce
- brown sugar
- bell pepper
Piedmont Barbecue Sauce
- sugar
- salt
- cider
- ketchup
- water
- red pepper flake
Southern Barbecue Sauce
- garlic
- paprika
- bay leaf
- ketchup
- water
- cayenne pepper
- tabasco sauce
- sugar
- butter
- worcestershire sauce
- lemon juice
- vegetable oil
- apple cider vinegar
Georgia Mustard Barbecue Sauce
- mustard
- black pepper
- celery seed
- salt
- tabasco
- brown sugar
- apple cider vinegar
- butter
- worcestershire sauce
Southern Vinegar Barbecue Sauce
- butter
- honey
- black pepper
- white vinegar
- lemon juice
- salt
- worcestershire sauce
Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce
- butter
- paprika
- dr pepper
- brown sugar
- apple cider vinegar
- ketchup
- chili powder
- onion powder
- liquid smoke
- pepper
- salt
Cranberry Barbecue Sauce
- worcestershire sauce
- salt
- apple cider vinegar
- cranberry sauce
- ketchup
- hot sauce
- brown sugar
- orange juice
- water
- dijon mustard
Hickory Barbecue Sauce Recipe
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- salt
- liquid hickory smoke
- red pepper
- beer
- red wine vinegar
- brown sugar
- vegetable oil
- ketchup
Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce
- onion
- black pepper
- chili powder
- salt
- brown sugar
- white vinegar
- coca cola
- ketchup
Maple Syrup Barbecue Sauce
- ketchup
- onion
- coriander
- salt
- brown sugar
- lemon juice
- water
- garlic
- worcestershire sauce
- lemon zest
- maple syrup
Southern-Style Molasses Barbecue Sauce
- tomato sauce
- garlic
- salt
- chili powder
- black pepper
- molasses
Spicy Honey and Bourbon Barbecue Sauce Recipe
- cayenne pepper
- dijon mustard
- garlic powder
- tomato paste
- dark brown sugar
- jerk seasoning
- hot sauce
- honey
- bourbon
Gluten-Free Barbecue Sauce
- onion
- apple cider vinegar
- brown sugar
- ketchup
- pineapple juice
- tomato sauce
- paprika
- water
- worcestershire sauce
- celery powder
Thai Barbecue Sauce
- honey
- lime juice
- ginger
- chili pepper
- fish sauce
- molasses
- ketchup
- garlic
- oyster sauce
St. Louis-Style Barbecue Sauce
- hot sauce
- apple cider vinegar
- brown sugar
- onion
- brown mustard
- garlic
- soy sauce
- worcestershire sauce
- ketchup
Best Odds Pulled Pork Barbecue Sauce
- paprika
- cayenne pepper
- black pepper
- salt
- apple cider vinegar
- water
- brown sugar
Best Barbecued Meat and Homemade Barbecue Sauce
- rosemary
- lemon thyme
- salt
- garlic
- cumin seed
- orange
- bay leaf
- ketchup
- range
- fennel seed
- sweet smoked paprika
- clove
- balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
Big, Bold, and Spicy Texas Barbecue Sauce
- chili powder
- cumin
- ketchup
- apple cider vinegar
- sugar
- water
- cayenne pepper
- worcestershire sauce
Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
- worcestershire sauce
- onion
- water
- celery salt
- black pepper
- brown sugar
- chipotle
- garlic
- apple cider vinegar
- oil
- ketchup
Char Siu: Chinese Barbecue Sauce
- chinese 5-spice powder
- sugar
- sherry
- black bean paste
- hoisin sauce
- soy sauce
- garlic
- salt
Cajun Barbecue Sauce
- orange
- lemon
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- salt
- tabasco
- pecan
- stock
- bacon
- honey
- chili sauce
- onion
- garlic
- lemon juice
- butter
- black pepper
- cayenne pepper
- white pepper
- orange juice
Chunky Ginger-Mango Barbecue Sauce with Mixed Grill
- basil
- hot sauce
- salt
- chicken stock
- arugula
- olive oil
- lime
- onion
- orange
- red pepper
- ginger
- honey
- tamari sauce
- worcestershire sauce
- mango
- loin lamb chop
- chicken breast
Beer Barbecue Sauce
- beer
- onion
- vegetable oil
- garlic powder
- black pepper
- salt
- brown sugar
- cayenne pepper
- ketchup
- molasses
- red wine vinegar
- worcestershire sauce
Barbecue Sauce Recipe
- black pepper
- chili powder
- salt
- paprika
- smoked paprika
- worcestershire sauce
- water
- white vinegar
- liquid smoke
- ketchup
- molasses
Basic Doctored Barbecue Sauce
- barbecue sauce
- hot sauce
- onion powder
- apple cider vinegar
- brown sugar
- ketchup
- molasses
Low-Sugar Texas-Style Barbecue Sauce
- agave syrup
- apple cider vinegar
- liquid smoke
- sugar ketchup
- garlic
- salt
- worcestershire sauce
- tomato paste
- onion powder
- cayenne pepper
White Barbecue Sauce
- salt
- mayonnaise
- lemon juice
- hot sauce
- worcestershire sauce
- garlic powder
- hickory smoke powder
- onion powder
- apple cider vinegar
- sugar
Honey Mustard Barbecue Sauce Recipe
- dark honey
- dijon mustard
- vegetable oil
- apple cider vinegar
- mustard
- shallot
- water
Peach-Mustard Barbecue Sauce
- light brown sugar
- black pepper
- salt
- ketchup
- peach
- dijon mustard
Barbecue Sauce
- cinnamon
- apple cider vinegar
- brown sugar
- black pepper
- mustard
- chili powder
- hot sauce
- salt
- tomato sauce
- peanut oil
Barbecue Sauce
- onion
- worcestershire sauce
- molasses
- apple cider vinegar
- english mustard
- honey
- butter
- chili powder
- garlic salt
- paprika
- ketchup
Cherry Bomb Barbecue Sauce
- salt
- cherry juice concentrate
- red wine vinegar
- sour cherry preserve
- paprika
- onion
- red pepper
- bourbon whisky
- sugar
- tomato paste
- vegetable oil
- chipotle
- sour cherry
- pickled cherry pepper
- garlic
Old-Time Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce Recipe
- apple cider vinegar
- red pepper
- salt
- black pepper
Owensboro Mutton Barbecue Sauce
- black pepper
- brown sugar
- lemon juice
- salt
- allspice
- garlic
- onion salt
- worcestershire sauce
- vinegar
- water
Easy All-Purpose Barbecue Rub and Barbecue Sauce Recipe
- Sauce
- chicken broth
- brown mustard
- liquid smoke
- onion
- ketchup
- dark molasses
- spice rub
- apple cider vinegar
- worcestershire sauce
- hot sauce
- Rub
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- oregano
- dark brown sugar
- paprika
- salt
- black pepper
- coriander seed
- mustard
Espresso Barbecue Sauce
- espresso
- ketchup
- butter
- vegetable oil
- salt
- sugar
- serrano chile
- onion
- white vinegar
- worcestershire sauce
- chile powder
- molasses
- garlic
Eastern North Carolina Vinegar-and-Pepper Barbecue Sauce Recipe
- ketchup
- red pepper flake
- dark
- apple cider vinegar
- black pepper
- hot sauce
- salt
Basic Barbecue Sauce
- onion
- black pepper
- hot red pepper sauce
- paprika
- apple cider vinegar
- tomato sauce
- mustard
- lemon juice
- garlic
- butter
Tahini Barbecue Sauce
- garlic powder
- salt
- smoked paprika
- ice water
- black pepper
- chili powder
- apple cider vinegar
- silan date syrup
- ketchup
- tahini
Coffee-Ginger Barbecue Sauce Recipe
- salt
- ketchup
- molasses
- worcestershire sauce
- ginger
- coffee
- dark chocolate
- smoked paprika
Ingredient Breakdown
Insights
Correlated with Higher Ratings
- molasses
- sugar
- chili powder
- brown sugar
- worcestershire sauce
- ketchup
Staple Ingredients
- salt 65%
- ketchup 61%
- apple cider vinegar 55%
Common Ingredients
- worcestershire sauce 43%
- black pepper 41%
- brown sugar 41%
- garlic 35%
- onion 33%
- water 33%
Usual Ingredients
- cayenne pepper 22%
- butter 20%
- chili powder 20%
- garlic powder 20%
- molasses 20%
- paprika 20%
- hot sauce 18%
- onion powder 18%
- sugar 18%
- honey 14%
- liquid smoke 14%
- mustard 14%
- lemon juice 12%
- vegetable oil 12%
Rarey Ingredients
- soy sauce 10%