While you probably grew up enjoying one or two kinds of barbecue sauce in your life, there is a whole wide world of flavors and varieties to enjoy. From the sticky sweet sauce of the Kansas City region to that white chicken sauce you’ll only find in Alabama, the time to explore what the U.S. has to offer is now.
Get the scoop on how each of your favorite sauces is made, and learn about some tasty new sauces to add to your barbecue repertoire.
Tomato-Based Barbecue Sauces
Sauces made from ketchup or tomato paste are the ones familiar to most people, and they are the type you’ll see on your grocer’s shelves. Tomato-based barbecue sauce is surprisingly easy to make, and a batch of homemade sauce can be simmered and served in under 40 minutes. The next time you want to give your barbecue a kick, consider these classic recipes.
Traeger ‘Que BBQ Sauce
If you’re a fan of the classics, consider the Traeger ‘Que BBQ Sauce, which pairs with any meat, including ribs, pork, chicken, and salmon. It offers a sweet and smoky flavor with its notes of brown sugar and tangy vinegar. Use it with hickory wood pellets for an even deeper taste.
Bourbon BBQ Sauce
When only a grown-up grill flavor will do, create this Bourbon BBQ Sauce and use it on everything you cook this season. Made with several ingredients you likely have on hand (including your favorite bourbon), the directions are simple. You’ll need:
1/2 onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 fluid ounces bourbon whiskey 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 tablespoon salt 2 cups ketchup 1/4 cup tomato paste 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/3 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- Combine the onion, garlic, and bourbon in a skillet and simmer on a 350-degree Fahrenheit Traeger for 20 minutes.
- Add the pepper, salt, ketchup, tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and hot pepper sauce. Bring the entire mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to 225 degrees and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
- Strain and use in place of your typical barbecue sauce. It’s ideal for ribs, pork, or wings.
Traeger Apricot BBQ Sauce
With all the luscious flavor of fresh-picked fruit, the Traeger Apricot BBQ Sauce gives you a spicy new take for your next grill out. It goes well with chicken, pork, and even veggies – any time you want that perfect pairing of sweet and heat. It’s ideal for glazing, so don’t forget the wings.
Vinegar-Based Barbecue Sauces
With a hint of tomato and a bit more tang than you'd expect with ketchup-based sauces, the vinegar sauce family works well with heavy meats including briskets and ribs. With unique spice profiles, these last-minute glazes aren't your candy-sweet sauces.
Mop Sauce
Used to cover the meat in the final moments before serving (but while still on the grill), mop sauce can come in various flavors. Our own version has a vinegar and mustard base that’s sure to bring out the best in any cut of beef. Simply mix these ingredients and brush on meats.
1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1/3 cup vegetable oil 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Traeger Texas Spicy BBQ Sauce
When you want a little more heat, check out the Traeger Texas Spicy BBQ Sauce, loaded with peppery bursts of flavor and a thinner consistency that makes it perfect for marinating. Use it with wings, fish, meat, or anything you want to feature with some kick.
Paleo BBQ Sauce
Serve this low-carb sauce with your choice of meat including pulled pork. The Paleo Vinegar BBQ Sauce is loaded with flavor and can be made up to two days before you use it and stored in the fridge. Combine the following ingredients and drizzle over your favorite dish.
2 cups apple cider vinegar 4 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon Frank’s RedHot Sauce 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Mustard-Based Barbecue Sauces
A departure from your super-sweet and sticky sauces, these mustard-based gems are waiting for you to use in a bold, new way. With a rich yellow color and a tang that comes from mustard, give your favorite dishes a bold upgrade with these easy recipes.
Mustard Barbecue Sauce
This Taste of Home sauce recipe is loaded with ingredients but can be whipped up in minutes. The beef or chicken stock gives it a deep, savory flavor. Combine these ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes for it to all come together.
1 cup chicken or beef broth 1 cup prepared mustard 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 3 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons molasses 1 tablespoon garlic 1 tablespoon onion powder 1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Traeger Liquid Gold
For a quality Carolina-style sauce without the mess or fuss, this mustard-based Traeger Liquid Gold sauce is hard to beat. It features apple cider vinegar, sugar, and the magic ingredient – mustard. Use it on favorite meats of any kind including pulled pork, beef, and chicken wings. It’s especially perfect with these Chicken Thigh Sliders and Weeknight Pork Chops.
Georgia Mustard Barbecue Sauce
This simple sauce hails from the land of Georgia and offers a velvety texture and a hint of Tabasco. Simply mix up the following ingredients and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, or until super smooth.
1 cup mustard 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon celery seed 1 teaspoon Tabasco
Mayonnaise-Based Barbecue Sauces
While not enjoyed everywhere, there’s something unique about a barbecue sauce that’s mostly mayo. Creamy, decadent, and full of flavor, you may find this category of sauces as an excellent dip for chicken fingers, wings, or riblets. It’s excellent as a glaze for poultry, too.
Alabama White Sauce
This traditional sauce is more mayo than anything else. Mix the ingredients and serve it alongside fried chicken cutlets, ribs, or smoked wings.
1 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 3 teaspoons water 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
Traeger Special Sauce
This quick recipe requires no cooking and is made easier with the addition of our own bottled sauce. Mix it up and drizzle over pulled pork sliders, pork nachos, or your favorite chicken wing dish.
2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon ketchup 1 tablespoon Traeger Apricot BBQ Sauce 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish 1 teaspoon yellow mustard 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
How Are the Most Popular Types of Barbecue Sauce Made?
Every region in the U.S. has its own flavor and style, and that is obvious when you sit down to try that region’s barbecue. While regional barbecue has just as much to do with preparation and cooking style, the sauce gives you a good idea of how each region’s style stands out. Here are some of the most popular barbecue sauce versions in the U.S. today.
What Is North Carolina Vinegar Sauce Made Of?
Credited as possibly one of the original North American barbecue sauces, the North Carolina sauce is a vinegar-heavy recipe ideal for basting and dipping. If you like things a little spicy, you won’t be disappointed. Most versions have their share of hot peppers and work well with the acidity to turn fatty pork cuts into the buttery, moist, pulled dishes we love today.
What Is Eastern Carolina Sauce Made Of?
A thinner sauce than you’ll find in the grocery store, Eastern Carolina barbecue sauce is made mostly from cider vinegar and comes from the uppermost region of North Carolina. It features a kick from red pepper flakes and black pepper, as well as the sweetness of brown sugar most people crave in a sauce.
What Is South Carolina Mustard Sauce Made Of?
Enjoyed most commonly in the Columbia to Charleston beltway of South Carolina, the sauce here has a yellow hue from the yellow mustard used in the recipe. The tangy sauce is also made with sugar, vinegar, and added spices and is typically brushed on the meat or veggie, and cooked into the dish rather than used as a dipping sauce. Where did the mustard inspiration come from? It’s said that German immigrants are to get the credit, although ancestry for this kicky sauce is also found in Spain, Africa, and Native America.
What Is Kansas City Barbecue Sauce Made Of?
The barbecue sauce you find in most commercial grocers is modeled after KC barbecue sauce, a thick, red-brown sauce made from vinegar and a tomato base. It is inspired by the Western Caroline and Memphis sauces and features a sticky texture and lots of sugar. Because it’s so thick, BBQ-ers are more likely to brush it on as a glaze toward the end of cooking (since it’s unlikely to penetrate the meat).
If you aren’t big on spicy foods and are just cutting your teeth on barbecue, the Kansas City sauce won’t disappoint. Its super-sweet profile makes it a hit with veteran BBQ-ers and first-timers alike.
What Is Memphis Barbecue Sauce Made Of?
It can be hard to tell Memphis barbecue sauce from Western Carolina-style sauce, since they are both made with a tomato base, sweetener, vinegar, and spices. Where Memphis style stands out is in how it gets its sweetness; its secret is molasses which develops a deep flavor and adds some rich color to the sauce. Homemade sauces might benefit from a little liquid smoke.
Just be sure you serve it appropriately; Memphis diners are accustomed to getting their sauce in a little cup for dipping and drizzling. The meat is typically served naked.
What Is Florida Barbecue Sauce Made Of?
Florida barbecue sauce is eclectic since it technically doesn't have its own style. Inspired by South Carolina and Cuban influences, you may find it as a sweet vinegar base with notes of citrus and zest.
What Is Texas Barbecue Sauce Made Of?
Texas sauce is a riff on Memphis flavors but seasoned with cumin, chili powders, peppers, and onions. Because of this, Texas barbecue sauce can offer more of a Tex-Mex flavor than the tomato and sugar notes you’d find in other regional sauces. It’s thinner than sauces used as a glaze and can marinate the meat while cooking in the dish. Authentic Texas sauce may also be made with meat juices, although this type of sauce isn’t usually offered commercially.
What Is Alabama White Sauce Made Of?
Lacking very little (if any) tomatoes, the North Alabama white sauce is a mayo-based sauce used on chicken and pork rather than beef. This unique sauce has a little sweetness and spice and a whole lot of vinegar. You won’t find anything like it elsewhere.
What Is Korean BBQ Sauce Made Of?
Korean street food is the unique inspiration for some of today’s modern barbecue recipes, and the sauce profile usually includes soy sauce, brown sugar, and Korean spices. Used for a glaze or a marinade, this sauce is excellent on short ribs or wings.
What Is Chinese BBQ Sauce Made Of?
With a blend of hoisin sauce, brown sugar, and eastern spices, the Chinese barbecue sauce can be prepared in a variety of ways including one that mimics the sweet and sour Americanized flavors found at modern buffets. This sticky sauce is ideal for Chinese BBQ pork and short ribs.