20 Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes

By Southern Living
Photo: Hector Sanchez

Take ribs, wings, and pork to the next level with these easy and delicious homemade barbecue sauce recipes. 

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.

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Cola-and-Coffee BBQ Sauce

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: MindI Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Cola-and-Coffee BBQ Sauce

Two caffeine sources in one BBQ sauce? Sounds great. Pair this slightly sweet, bitter, and nutty sauce with smoked beef ribs.

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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.

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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.

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Alabama White BBQ Sauce

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: White BBQ Sauce

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

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Melting Pot BBQ Sauce

Photo: 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.

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Fancy Barbecue Sauce

Photo: 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.

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Texas Red Sauce

Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Texas Red Sauce

This classic BBQ sauce is heavy on the ketchup and vinegar, with cumin, allspice, and chili added for that warm barbecue flavor.

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Tamarind Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Recipe: Tamarind Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Forget honey: tamarind, a fruit used frequently in Asian and Mexican cuisine, is the key to this unique BBQ sauce's tart, tangy flavor. The fruit's sweetness complements the spice of chipotle to make a well-rounded sauce.

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El Sancho Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Greg Dupree

Recipe: El Sancho Barbecue Sauce

Turn up the Texas on this sweet and spicy barbecue sauce by stirring in 1/4 cup of reserved brisket drippings just before serving.

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Tangy Strawberry Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Greg DuPree

Recipe: Tangy Strawberry Barbecue Sauce

This sweet and tangy sauce brings a unique flavor combo to the table that we know you'll love. Our recipe makes three cups and only takes 10 minutes to whip together. Just process four cups of strawberries with remaining ingredients until smooth. Serve on grilled chicken, drizzle over salad, or serve anytime as your go-to spring condiment. 

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Sweet Pepper-Peanut Sauce

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Sweet Pepper-Peanut Sauce

This Asian-inspired sauce delivers a sweet-hot punch with a bit of crunch. We serve the dipping sauce with Barbecue-Peach Summer Rolls.

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Mole Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Mole Barbecue Sauce

Mole Barbecue Sauce is the perfect accompaniment to any Mexican dish. Top on your favorite tostadas, enchiladas, or tacos for a delicious meal.

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Sweet-and-Tangy Tomato Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Sweet-and-Tangy Tomato Barbecue Sauce

Bring pit-barbecue flavor to the backyard.

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Curry-Apricot Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Curry Apricot Barbecue Sauce

The combination of kick from the curry and sweetness from the apricot preserves is perfect. 

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Spicy Honey-Lime Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Photo: Spicy Honey-Lime Barbecue Sauce

The citrus and spice in this sauce is enough to win any guest over. 

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Thick-and-Robust Barbecue Sauce

Recipe: Thick-and-Robust Barbecue Sauce

The first nationally-branded barbecue sauces were likely based on a Kansas City-style sauce like this one—thick, tomatoey, and sweet, with just a hint of hot.

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Sticky Stout Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Sticky Stout Barbecue Sauce

"Sticky" is a Kansas City barbecue (and Asian) term for thick and sweet sauces. We use it for our Smoked Paprika Pork Roast.

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Peach Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Brown Sugar Pork Chops with Peach Barbecue Sauce

The peach barbecue sauce with fragrant fresh ginger is a perfect match for pork.

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Sweet Tomato BBQ Sauce

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Sweet Tomato BBQ Sauce

This sweet homemade barbecue sauce is the perfect gift for a grillmaster. This sweet-and-stick sauce makes 3 (8-ounce) containers, so keep one for yourself.

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Sweet-and-Spicy Barbecue Sauce

Photo: 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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