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

5/5 - 2388 votes

• black pepper
• cumin
• salt
• apple cider vinegar
• brown sugar
• pimentón
• ketchup

 

Big Daddy's Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce

4.5/5 - 339 votes

• 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)

5/5 - 201 votes

• sesame seed
• sugar
• garlic
• green onion
• fermented soybean paste
• korean red chile paste
• sesame oil

 

Jack Daniel's Barbecue Sauce

4.5/5 - 113 votes

• onion
• liquid smoke
• salt
• brown sugar
• jack daniel tennessee whiskey
• pepper
• tabasco sauce
• vinegar
• tomato paste
• ketchup
• worcestershire sauce
• molasses
• garlic

 

Memphis Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 113 votes

• ketchup
• mustard
• thyme
• chili powder
• paprika
• worcestershire sauce
• apple cider vinegar
• water
• salt
• onion
• brown sugar
• garlic
• molasses
• butter
• oregano

 

Texas Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 111 votes

• ketchup
• water
• paprika
• beef bouillon
• apple cider vinegar
• onion
• butter
• garlic
• honey
• mustard
• celery
• black pepper
• salt

 

Jim Beam Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

4.5/5 - 62 votes

• 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

4/5 - 88 votes

• garlic powder
• onion powder
• water
• cayenne pepper
• apple cider vinegar
• brown sugar
• salt
• ketchup
• yellow mustard

 

Kansas City Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 79 votes

• water
• black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• celery salt
• allspice
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• ketchup
• apple cider vinegar
• dark brown sugar
• molasses

 

Georgia Mustard Barbecue Sauce

4.5/5 - 48 votes

• mustard
• celery seed
• black pepper
• salt
• tabasco
• brown sugar
• apple cider vinegar
• butter
• worcestershire sauce

 

Apple Barbecue Sauce

4.5/5 - 47 votes

• ketchup
• garlic powder
• white pepper
• apple
• apple cider vinegar
• apple juice
• onion
• soy sauce
• brown sugar
• bell pepper

 

Piedmont Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 74 votes

• sugar
• salt
• cider
• ketchup
• water
• red pepper flake

 

Southern Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 71 votes

• garlic
• paprika
• bay leaf
• ketchup
• water
• cayenne pepper
• tabasco sauce
• sugar
• butter
• worcestershire sauce
• lemon juice
• vegetable oil
• apple cider vinegar

 

Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce

4.5/5 - 36 votes

• butter
• paprika
• dr pepper
• brown sugar
• apple cider vinegar
• ketchup
• chili powder
• onion powder
• liquid smoke
• pepper
• salt

 

Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 45 votes

• onion
• black pepper
• chili powder
• salt
• brown sugar
• white vinegar
• coca cola
• ketchup

 

Hickory Barbecue Sauce Recipe

4.5/5 - 26 votes

• garlic powder
• onion powder
• salt
• liquid hickory smoke
• red pepper
• beer
• red wine vinegar
• brown sugar
• vegetable oil
• ketchup

 

Cranberry Barbecue Sauce

4.5/5 - 23 votes

• worcestershire sauce
• salt
• apple cider vinegar
• cranberry sauce
• ketchup
• hot sauce
• brown sugar
• orange juice
• water
• dijon mustard

 

Maple Syrup Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 35 votes

• ketchup
• onion
• coriander
• salt
• brown sugar
• lemon juice
• water
• garlic
• worcestershire sauce
• lemon zest
• maple syrup

 

Southern-Style Molasses Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 33 votes

• tomato sauce
• garlic
• salt
• chili powder
• black pepper
• molasses

 

Gluten-Free Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 30 votes

• onion
• apple cider vinegar
• brown sugar
• ketchup
• pineapple juice
• tomato sauce
• paprika
• water
• worcestershire sauce
• celery powder

 

Honey and Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 30 votes

• tomato paste
• cayenne pepper
• dijon mustard
• garlic powder
• dark brown sugar
• jerk seasoning
• hot sauce
• honey
• bourbon whiskey

 

Thai Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 30 votes

• honey
• lime juice
• ginger
• chili pepper
• fish sauce
• molasses
• ketchup
• garlic
• oyster sauce

 

Best Odds Pulled Pork Barbecue Sauce

3.5/5 - 64 votes

• paprika
• cayenne pepper
• black pepper
• salt
• apple cider vinegar
• water
• brown sugar

 

St. Louis-Style Barbecue Sauce

4.5/5 - 16 votes

• hot sauce
• apple cider vinegar
• brown sugar
• onion
• brown mustard
• garlic
• soy sauce
• worcestershire sauce
• ketchup

 

Best Barbecued Meat and Homemade Barbecue Sauce

4.7/5 - 13 votes

• rosemary
• 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

4/5 - 26 votes

• chili powder
• cumin
• ketchup
• apple cider vinegar
• sugar
• water
• cayenne pepper
• worcestershire sauce

 

Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 26 votes

• worcestershire sauce
• onion
• water
• celery salt
• black pepper
• brown sugar
• chipotle
• garlic
• apple cider vinegar
• oil
• ketchup

 

Char Siu: Chinese Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 23 votes

• chinese 5-spice powder
• sugar
• sherry
• black bean paste
• hoisin sauce
• soy sauce
• garlic
• salt

 

Cajun Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 20 votes

• 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

 

Beer Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 18 votes

• beer
• onion
• vegetable oil
• garlic powder
• black pepper
• salt
• brown sugar
• cayenne pepper
• ketchup
• molasses
• red wine vinegar
• worcestershire sauce

 

Chunky Ginger-Mango Barbecue Sauce with Mixed Grill

4.8/5 - 8 votes

• 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

 

Basic Doctored Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 12 votes

• barbecue sauce
• hot sauce
• onion powder
• apple cider vinegar
• brown sugar
• ketchup
• molasses

 

Low-Sugar Texas-Style Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 12 votes

• agave syrup
• apple cider vinegar
• liquid smoke
• sugar ketchup
• garlic
• salt
• worcestershire sauce
• tomato paste
• onion powder
• cayenne pepper

 

Barbecue Sauce Recipe

5/5 - 6 votes

• black pepper
• chili powder
• salt
• paprika
• smoked paprika
• worcestershire sauce
• water
• white vinegar
• liquid smoke
• ketchup
• molasses

 

White Barbecue Sauce

5/5 - 4 votes

• salt
• mayonnaise
• lemon juice
• hot sauce
• worcestershire sauce
• garlic powder
• hickory smoke powder
• onion powder
• apple cider vinegar
• sugar

 

Honey Mustard Barbecue Sauce Recipe

3.5/5 - 21 votes

• dark honey
• dijon mustard
• vegetable oil
• apple cider vinegar
• mustard
• shallot
• water

 

Peach-Mustard Barbecue Sauce

5/5 - 3 votes

• light brown sugar
• black pepper
• salt
• ketchup
• peach
• dijon mustard

 

Barbecue Sauce

3.2/5 - 5 votes

• cinnamon
• apple cider vinegar
• brown sugar
• black pepper
• mustard
• chili powder
• hot sauce
• salt
• tomato sauce
• peanut oil

 

Cherry Bomb Barbecue Sauce

5/5 - 2 votes

• salt
• cherry juice concentrate
• red wine vinegar
• sour cherry preserve
• paprika
• onion
• red pepper
• rye
• sugar
• tomato paste
• vegetable oil
• chipotle
• sour cherry
• pickled cherry pepper
• garlic

 

Barbecue Sauce

5/5 - 2 votes

• onion
• worcestershire sauce
• molasses
• apple cider vinegar
• english mustard
• honey
• butter
• chili powder
• garlic salt
• paprika
• ketchup

 

Old-Time Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce Recipe

5/5 - 2 votes

• apple cider vinegar
• red pepper
• salt
• black pepper

 

Easy All-Purpose Barbecue Rub and Barbecue Sauce Recipe

4.3/5 - 3 votes

• 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

5/5 - 1 votes

• 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

4/5 - 1 votes

• ketchup
• red pepper flake
• dark
• apple cider vinegar
• black pepper
• hot sauce
• salt

 

Tahini Barbecue Sauce

4/5 - 0 votes

• garlic powder
• salt
• smoked paprika
• ice water
• black pepper
• chili powder
• apple cider vinegar
• silan date syrup
• ketchup
• tahini

 

Basic Barbecue Sauce

No Rating - 0 votes

• onion
• black pepper
• hot red pepper sauce
• paprika
• apple cider vinegar
• tomato sauce
• mustard
• lemon juice
• garlic
• butter

 

Coffee-Ginger Barbecue Sauce Recipe

No Rating - 0 votes

• salt
• ketchup
• molasses
• worcestershire sauce
• ginger
• coffee
• dark chocolate
• smoked paprika

Ingredient Breakdown