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Barbecue Sauce Recipes (19 Recipes, 3 Articles)

Published On: 5/3/2019 Last Modified: 6/16/2025

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There are several regions which have evolved their own unique barbecue and sauce styles, often influenced by the available meats and their ethnic origins.They are not all sweet and red! Their flavors and history are fascinating. They are also the subject of much controversy and villification between regions, each claiming authenticity. Some break down regional styles into microcosms reminiscent of wine appellations, claiming “authenticity” in one state and fraud in another.

In his 1993 book “Why We Eat What We Eat: How Columbus Changed the Way the World Eats“, Raymond Sokolov, has a superb essay on authenticity focused on regional styles. Some highlights: “Unfortunately authenticity is as slippery a notion as happiness… Texan chiliheads abhor beans; New Mexicans routinely put them in their version of chili. Similarly, each village along the French Mediterranean coast has its own ‘authentic’ mixture of fish for its own ‘authentic’ bouillabaisse. Aren’t these really distinct regional variations, each authentic for its town or state? If so, to what size must we whittle down our definition of region…? There is, in fact, no limit to this. In my family people disagree about the authentic way to make dishes handed down from the same older relative.” Then he nails it “Publication leads to codification… Cookbooks not only preserve, they overdefine and delimit cooking when they set forth a single version of a dish and, explicitly or implicitly, suggest that other versions are spurious.”

Click here to read a summary of each of the different types of barbecue sauce, what makes them unique, and some of my favorite benchmark examples.

The articles below have more detail and recipes.

uncle sam pouring sauce over images of the US states

Benchmark Barbecue Sauces And How To Make Them

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

The US has several distinct barbecue sauce styles. Here is a description of them, and links to buy them, and recipes.
variety of barbecue sauce

How Long Can You Keep A Barbecue Sauce?

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

When storing sauces, we have two concerns: Safety and flavor. We don't want microbes in our sauce, and we want the flavors to stay fresh.
Kansas City BBQ Sauce

This Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce Is The Real Deal

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

Say so long to bottled BBQ sauce and hello to amped up homemade Kansas City-style sauce with this step-by-step recipe.
Pot with barbecue sauce

Tennessee Hollerin’ Whiskey BBQ Sauce Recipe

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

Tennessee whiskey is the key to this delicious BBQ sauce recipe, a perfect complement to countless BBQ and grilling main dishes.
East Carolina BBQ Sauce

East Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce and Mop Recipe

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

Create your own amazing East Carolina vinegar BBQ sauce and mop with this simple to follow recipe. Click here to learn all about it.
NC Lexington Dip BBQ Sauce

North Carolina Lexington Dip BBQ Sauce Recipe

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

Lexington BBQ sauce recipe is mostly vinegar with a touch of ketchup and pepper. Here's how to make authentic NC Dip BBQ sauce and mop baste.
mustard BBQ sauce in a jar

Columbia Gold, A South Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce Recipe

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

In Mid-South Carolina, from Columbia to Charleston, BBQ sauce is yellow. Here is a quick and easy South Carolina mustard BBQ sauce recipe.
mustard barbecue sauce on burger

The Best Darn Mustard BBQ Sauce Ever

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

In South Carolina BBQ sauces feature mustard. Here's a mustard BBQ sauce recipe that amps up the flavor with herbs.
prime rib in texas smoker

The Perfect Mop Sauce For True Texas Beef Barbecue

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

The traditional Texas mop sauce recipe is usually more like a tomato soup, thin and spicy, it penetrates the meat.
chile chocolate barbecue sauce on ribs

Chocolate Chile BBQ Sauce Recipe. Yes, You Read That Right.

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

This delicious sauce has the classic profile of any great BBQ sauce, sweet, tart, spicy, but with a wonderful twist: The taste of chocolate.
Chickens dunked in Alabama white BBQ sauce at Big Bob Gibsons

Big Bob Gibson’s Bama Birds With White BBQ Sauce Recipe

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

Packed full of flavor, this recipe for Alabama white BBQ sauce is the perfect addition to grilled and smoked chicken.
lamb chops in kentucky black sauce

Sunlite Kentucky Black BBQ Sauce And Dip Recipe For Lamb and Mutton

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

Here's a recipe for black BBQ sauce inspired by Moonlite Bar-B-Q Sauce & Dip. This thin tart sauce cuts the rich fat.
red bell pdepper

Bayou Bite Louisiana BBQ Sauce Recipe

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

This Louisiana BBQ sauce recipe is spicy and sweet with Chipotle Tabasco, roasted jalapenos, red peppers, and Steen's Cane Syrup.
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ribs with apple butter bbq sauce

The Ultimate Apple Butter BBQ Sauce

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

Take your smoked ribs over the top with this recipe for apple butter enhanced Kansas City-style BBQ sauce.
Asian barbecue sauce in a jar

Asian Style BBQ Sauce

By:

Clint Cantwell, AmazingRibs.com President And BBQ Personality

This simple Asian BBQ sauce recipe brings the heat and the sweet to enhance the flavors of your favorite foods.
yakitori turkey breast

Want A Happy Mouth? Paint This Japanese Yakitori Sauce On Any Grilled Meat

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

Try my recipe for Japanese Happy Mouth Yakitori Sauce on grilled chunks of meat. It is also great on ribs!
ssam jang on Korean grilled pork belly

Ssam Jang: The Secret Sauce of Korean Grilling

By:

Dave Joachim, AmazingRibs.com Editorial Director

This savory, slightly sweet and spicy ssam jang recipe includes doenjang (Korean miso), gochujang, green onions, garlic, and sesame oil.
Jazzy Hog BBQ sauce glazed pork chops

Jazzy Hog Competition Barbecue Glaze

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

This sweet, slightly spicy glaze will jazz up your barbecue and is a nod to the much loved Blues Hog sauce.
ham on a grill bring brushed with glaze

The Ultimate Brown Sugar And Mustard Glaze Recipe

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

Danny Gaulden's recipe for a barbecue sauce glaze with brown sugar and mustard is simple and wonderful on barbecue or ham.
Brushing glaze onto a smoked ham

Chris Lilly’s Spiced Apricot Sauce

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

Made by one of the world's top pitmasters, Chris Lilly, this spiced apricot sauce recipe is sure to be an instant hit with your guests.
guy fieri

Guy Fieri’s Cuban Mojo Sauce Recipe For Ribs

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

Here is a recipe for a flavorful Caribbean style mojo sauce. Mojo sauce is extremely popular in Cuba and Puerto Rico.
smoked mullet at starfish

The Best Tartar Sauce For Fish And Other Seafood

By:

Meathead, AmazingRibs.com Founder And BBQ Hall of Famer

While many store bought tartar sauces can be bland, this home made version is sure to become your go-to side sauce for fish dishes.

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