10 Award-Winning Southern BBQ Sauce Recipes

Sweet-and-Spicy Barbecue Sauce
Photo: Hector Sanchez

Take it from our Test Kitchen, there are more than just a few ways to make a delicious homemade BBQ sauce and depending on your protein, or even your postal code, your BBQ sauce craving might incorporate a variety of flavors. For those of us who love poultry, North Alabama's famous vinegary white BBQ sauce can't be beat when drizzled over freshly smoked chicken. If your favorite smoked meat happens to be tender pulled pork, we suggest eating it like a South Carolinian by putting it on a bun with a generous serving of spicy mustard-based sauce. And if you can't get enough of ribs and brisket, try our thick tomatoey Kansas City style barbecue that's robust enough even for beef. Whatever your preference, you're sure to find a BBQ sauce recipe you'll love right here. Take ribs, wings, and pork to the next level with these easy and delicious homemade barbecue sauce recipes.

01 of 10

South Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce

South Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee Montiel

Recipe: South Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce

This simple sauce has only 6 ingredients and is super easy to make. It's slightly sweet from the brown sugar and honey, almost like honey-mustard, and just a touch spicy from the cayenne and black pepper.

02 of 10

Eastern North Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce

Eastern North Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee Montiel

Recipe: Eastern North Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce

This sauce is made with only four ingredients and truth be told, is mostly vinegar. It requires no cooking and just a little patience while it sits for at least four hours so that the spices can infuse.

03 of 10

Texas-Style BBQ Sauce

Texas-Style Barbecue Sauce
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee Montiel

Recipe: Texas-Style BBQ Sauce

Texas barbecue is in a league of its own. The state has its own take on ribs and of course, brisket, but it also has its own formula for barbecue sauce as well. Ketchup-forward and slightly spicy, this Texas-style sauce is full of savory flavor thanks to the Worcestershire sauce and cumin.

04 of 10

Honey Barbecue Sauce

Honey Barbecue Sauce
Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele

Recipe: Honey Barbecue Sauce

If you like your 'cue sweet, then this is the sauce for you. This quick Honey Barbecue Sauce also includes lemon for acidity and freshness.

05 of 10

Melting Pot BBQ Sauce

Deep South Barbecue Ribs
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: MindI Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Melting Pot BBQ Sauce

This recipe combines several regional BBQ sauce components to make one melt-in-your-mouth sauce.

06 of 10

Alabama White BBQ Sauce

White BBQ Sauce
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: White BBQ Sauce

Use this vinegary, piquant North Alabama specialty as both a basting and finishing sauce on smoked or grilled chicken.

07 of 10

Fancy Barbecue Sauce

Fancy Barbecue Sauce
Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Recipe: Fancy Barbecue Sauce

Upgrade your bottled BBQ sauce with just a few extra ingredients to make this Fancy Barbecue Sauce.

08 of 10

Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce

Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce
Southern Living

Recipe: Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce

Your favorite sugary soft drink is the secret ingredient to this multi-dimensional BBQ sauce.

09 of 10

Kansas City BBQ Sauce

Kansas City BBQ Sauce
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee Montiel

Recipe: Kansas City BBQ Sauce

This sauce is thick and spicy with dynamic layers of flavor from the chili powder and cayenne pepper. It's also a pretty rusty orange color that glazes anything from brisket to ribs beautifully.

10 of 10

Sweet-and-Spicy Barbecue Sauce

Sweet-and-Spicy Barbecue Sauce
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Sweet-and-Spicy Barbecue Sauce

With spice from jalapeño and crushed red pepper, plus sweetness from honey and dark brown sugar, this Sweet-and-Spicy BBQ sauce hits all the right notes.

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