According to common usage, barbecue is a social event centered around food that’s cooked outdoors. The food doesn’t have to include meat.
This versatile sauce won over our tasters for its “balanced sweetness,” “tomatoey” flavor, and subtle smoke — without any of the flavors overwhelming each other. It’s also affordable and available in many stores. Click https://www.tomsbbq.com/ to learn more.
Original barbecue sauce is the foundation for any signature barbecue sauce you may want to create, providing the best cling and coverage of any base. This barbecue sauce includes a thick tomato paste that delivers legendary BBQ flavor and is crafted with no fillers or starches to prevent burning on contact with direct heat. The high quality ingredients include a hint of molasses for a sweet flavor and liquid smoke that enhances the rich taste of meat. This barbecue sauce is perfect for basting or glazing during the final stages of cooking a steak, chicken, or pork loin. It also works well as a dip for fries or other side dishes.
Traditional barbecue sauce recipes were usually thin and used a variety of peppers as the main flavoring ingredient. The addition of sugar to the sauce was a relatively new development and did not become common in many of the country’s barbecue regions until around the 1920s. By then, the bottled sauce business had blossomed and a number of regional variations began to develop.
Today’s barbecue lovers can choose from dozens of different brands and regional varieties of BBQ sauce. The bottled BBQ sauce industry can be divided into distinct zones, with each region boasting a unique sauce recipe that can be traced back to its historical roots. For instance, the vinegar-based sauces of eastern North Carolina differ greatly from the mustard-based sauces of central South Carolina and the molasses-and-tomato sauces of Kansas City.
This classic, sweet, and tangy barbecue sauce can be used for basting, glazing, and dipping and can be used with beef, pork, chicken, or seafood. Its savory and complex Texas flavor features a touch of molasses for sweetness, red chili pepper for spice, and hints of smoke. The recipe for this BBQ sauce hasn’t changed since it was created in 1976 and is a great alternative to plain old ketchup!
This barbecue sauce features a blend of tomatoes, molasses, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce (water, salt, anchovy oil, tamarind extract, caramel color, dehydrated celery, clove, natural flavor, sodium benzoate as a preservative), and spices. The low-sugar formulation of this BBQ sauce is ideal for baste cooking meats because it will not burn when brushed onto the surface while the food is being cooked.
Sweet Sauces
Whether it’s for dipping or as part of a marinade, a top-notch sauce can elevate any meal. There are all sorts of different barbecue sauces, many inspired by the barbecue traditions of various cultures. Teriyaki, for example, is a sweet sauce with lots of citrus and pineapple. Hawaiian barbecue sauce is often very sweet as well, with a combination of citrus, honey and soy sauce. And Korean barbecue sauce is a little spicy, with green onions, ginger and black pepper.
There are also some savory sauces, like Memphis-style BBQ sauce with its irresistible umami flavor. The key to a great savory sauce is the balance of sweet and sour, salty and spicy, and earthy or nutty flavors. And the best way to balance these flavors is to make your own homemade sauce. You can control exactly how much sugar (and hi-fructose corn syrup – yech!) you put in the sauce as well as what other ingredients you include.
This recipe is simple, quick and really hits the spot. It includes the classic ketchup base, but adds honey and molasses as well for a delicious depth of flavor. You’ll also want to include apple cider vinegar and dijon mustard for a tangy punch and paprika for that wonderful, smoky depth (sweet or smoked works). Finally, cayenne pepper is added for just a touch of heat.
To make this sauce, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until smooth. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer, then cook for about 20 minutes or until thickened to your liking. Then remove from the heat, allow to cool and enjoy!
This simple, tasty homemade sweet BBQ sauce is easy to make and will quickly become your go-to for all kinds of proteins and veggies. You can adjust the sweetness to suit your taste, and if you don’t have molasses on hand, dark brown sugar will work just fine too. Store the sauce in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It’s the perfect condiment for ribs, chicken, burgers, sandwiches and more!
Spicy Sauces
There are so many different types of barbecue sauce, and some of them can be quite spicy. The spicy sauces are perfect for people who like a little extra heat on their meat or even as a dipping sauce. These include southwestern BBQ sauces with chili powder and other spices, anchovy-based BBQ sauces with a hint of smokiness, and other hot sauces made with peppers like cayenne and chipotle.
The southwestern BBQ sauce is a favorite for people who love to use their sauces as dips for vegetables and fries, but it’s also great for slathering onto ribs or grilled chicken. The southwestern sauce has a lot of flavors going on including chili powder, garlic, and red pepper flakes and it’s packed with a lot of flavor without being too heavy in the sugar department.
Other types of spicy sauces include the teriyaki style, which has a high concentration of sugar and often includes pineapple and citrus and sometimes soy sauce and ginger. There are also Korean barbecue sauces that tend to have a very high concentration of sugar and are loaded with green onion, ginger, and black pepper.
These kinds of BBQ sauces can be a bit overwhelming for those who aren’t used to them, but they can be an awesome way to add an element of spice that’s not usually in the traditional barbecue sauce.
This spicy sauce is one of the best in our taste test and it’s a great way to add a kick to your burgers or chicken. The recipe calls for just a touch of cayenne, but if you’re a fan of more spice feel free to increase the amount.
This spicy sauce is super easy to make and it tastes just as good as the store-bought variety. I recommend making it at least a day in advance, so that the flavors have time to meld together and the sauce will be more cohesive. Then store it in an airtight container in the fridge so that it doesn’t take on any other refrigerator flavors or odors and it stays fresh.
Sauces for Combinations
Unlike condiments like ketchup or mayonnaise that tend to maintain fairly consistent tastes and consistencies, barbecue sauce is a hugely versatile food. From the tangy vinegar-forward Eastern Carolina style, to the sweet and savory tomato-based sauces of Kansas City, there are many different styles and regional variations across the country.
As a result, the perfect BBQ sauce should complement and enhance the flavor of your meat, rather than overpower it. The best way to find your ideal flavor is to mix and match different types of BBQ sauces to create complex and unique flavor profiles.
For example, a balanced tomato-based sauce with molasses, Worcestershire and liquid smoke adds richness and complexity. It is perfect for ribs, pulled pork or chicken, and can even be used as a marinade.
If you prefer a more mild barbecue sauce, a ketchup-based recipe is a simple but delicious option. By adding a touch of brown sugar and spices, it can be elevated to the next level. Similarly, a mustard-based sauce with some fruit added can be turned into a classic BBQ sauce by adding a touch of honey and a pinch of cayenne.
Other barbecue sauces can be a bit more exotic, such as the Korean-inspired CJ Korean BBQ Original Sauce. With a sweet, tangy umami flavor, this sauce is the perfect accompaniment to grilled or slow-cooked kalbi (marinated beef short ribs) and can be served as a dipping sauce with sesame seeds.
Regardless of your preferred flavor, you should have a few bottles of the perfect BBQ sauce in the pantry at all times. This way, you will be prepared for anything your grill can throw at it. And with the right rub and a little advance planning, you can also prepare your own homemade BBQ sauce from scratch and take your cooking to the next level. It will keep in the fridge for months, and can be used as a condiment to spruce up any meal.