From our friends at Napoleon!
Here in Canada, we know good BBQ when we see (and smell) it, and no grill session is complete without the right sauce. The most ubiquitous sauce on the shelves is Kansas City style, a sweet and tangy, tomato-based classic made with ketchup and molasses or brown sugar. But there’s a whole world of flavour beyond that bottle. From coast to coast and across the globe, every pitmaster and home cook has their own take on the perfect BBQ sauce. Whether you’re sticking with a store-bought favourite or experimenting with your own recipe, these top 10 sauces are worth adding to your grilling lineup.
A Brief History of BBQ Sauce in North America
Back before BBQ was a national pastime, BBQ sauces used to be butter and vinegar-based with little to no sweetness. It didn’t start evolving until the American Civil War, and they were used as bastes and dips instead of finishing sauces. When recipes began to be written instead of being verbally passed down around 1913, along with the addition of Tomato paste and ketchup, and mustard.
The Top 10 BBQ Sauces
BBQ sauce isn’t just a United States phenomenon—you can find it in kitchens and backyards around the globe. From tangy vinegars to sweet, smoky blends, each region and culture brings its own unique twist. Here’s a look at ten of the most popular BBQ sauces and styles worldwide.
1. Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce
Perhaps the most familiar sauce available, this thick and sticky, sweet, smoky, and tangy sauce blends ketchup and brown sugar with vinegar and spices. It doesn’t soak into meat, so it needs to be painted on for full coverage, making Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce ideal as a finishing sauce rather than used for the entire cook. Its dark red hue, finger-licking consistency, and often-added liquid smoke make it a versatile all-purpose BBQ companion, pairing especially well with pork.
3-2-1 Smoked Ribs
Ribs and Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce that’s been upgraded with some bourbon and honey is the perfect BBQ meal. Try this recipe tonight.
2. Korean-Style BBQ Sauce
Designed for foods that cook quickly and are often shared in an interactive dining experience. Korean-style BBQ Sauce is typically soy sauce-based, and includes rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and onions, with sweetness from grated Asian pear, honey, or brown sugar. Gochujang, the Korean chili paste, can add heat and thickness. Thinner versions are perfect as a marinade or dip, while thicker versions can be brushed on at the end of cooking.
Korean-Style Steak & Shrimp
Quick cooking Korean-style BBQ marinated steak served on a bed of rice with a delicious slaw and spicy cream makes for a fast and mouthwatering meal.
3. Memphis-Style BBQ Sauce
Beginning with a tomato paste and molasses or brown sugar base, then adding vinegar and spices for balance. Thinner than Kansas City sauce, Memphis Style caramelizes nicely and is perfect for dipping and drizzling. Memphis BBQ more often than not, relies on dry rubs, so the sauce is applied more as a complement than a main attraction.
Rotisserie Smoked Ribs
Try these delicious ribs with a Memphis-style BBQ Sauce glaze
4. Argentinian BBQ Sauce
Unlike anything most are used to. Instead of a traditional sauce, Argentinian BBQ features large cuts of meat served with Chimichurri. This vibrant mix of parsley, cilantro, oregano, vinegar, garlic, and oil, Chimichurri can be mild or spicy and is used as a marinade, dipping sauce, or finishing for delicious steaks. Gaining popularity, many BBQ aficionados and trendy restaurants are topping their steaks with Chimichurri.
Marinated & Smoked Tri-Tip with Chimichurri
Delightfully smoky and easy to make, this Argentinian-style BBQ Tri-Tip recipe makes Chimichurri the star of the show.
5. Alabama-Style White BBQ Sauce
A mayonnaise-based creation with a tangy punch from cider vinegar and lemon juice, Alabama Style White BBQ Sauce is spiced with horseradish and gets a touch of sweetness from some sugar. Ideal for dipping smoky grilled chicken, it also works well on turkey, and as a dressing for potato salad, pasta salad, or coleslaw.
Chicken Breast with Alabama White BBQ Sauce
Smoky and char-grilled chicken is beautiful when dipped in this tangy and creamy Alabama-Style White BBQ Sauce.
Cuban Mojo Smoked Ribs
Usually reserved for pork shoulders, these unique Mojo Sauced ribs are a lip-smacking treat. Try this distinctive take on Cuban BBQ today.
6. Japanese-Style BBQ Sauce
This sauce is thinner than Kansas City-style but features an umami-rich tang. Soy sauce is the base with added mirin, sugar, garlic, ginger, and green onions. Optional miso or oyster sauce increases the depth of this sauce. Japanese-style BBQ Sauce can be used for cooking, but it shines as a finishing sauce for grilled meats like yakitori.
7. Cuban-Style BBQ Sauce
Cuban barbecue is known for low and slow cooking of large cuts, mostly pork. Their meats are often times marinated in Mojo (Mo-Ho), a bold, garlicky sauce that uses bitter or sour oranges in place of vinegar. Similar to a Carolina-style sauce, it includes spicy onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and sometimes chili for heat. Its vibrant flavour profile makes it perfect for marinating, basting, and dipping pork and chicken.
8. The Carolinas
No one does BBQ like the Carolinas, to the fact that there are three recognized regional styles of BBQ sauce.
South Carolina BBQ Sauce – Carolina Gold
The most famous Carolina BBQ Sauce, this mustard-based sauce is often called Carolina Gold, and there’s no ketchup or tomato here, only plain yellow mustard as the base with vinegar and cane sugar. This sauce is on the thinner side and is sometimes used as a marinade, and is an effective mop and dip.
Northeast Carolina BBQ Sauce
This liquid sauce is heavy on the cider vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Super tangy and fairly spicy, this sauce was made famous on pulled pork, but a pleasingly pungent partner for chicken, too.
Northwest Carolina BBQ Sauce
Also known as Lexington Style BBQ Sauce uses ketchup and brown sugar to mellow the tangy sourness of Northeast Carolina’s vinegar-based sauces. It’s a little thicker, a bit sweeter, but definitely still quite vinegar-forward.
9. Texas-Style BBQ Sauce
Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes the state itself. Texans prefer barbecuing beef. Across the state, they usually begin with salt, pepper, and garlic for seasoning, and mesquite or oak for smoke. Though, naturally, in a state this big, there will be regional differences between BBQ sauce preferences.
Central Texas BBQ Sauce
Central Texas favours a runny tomato-based sauce with cumin and chili powder, served on the side for dipping. Central Texas BBQ Sauce is usually served on the side for dipping instead of being used as a marinade or mop.
East Texas BBQ Sauce
East Texas uses a slightly thin ketchup-based sauce with vinegar, Worcestershire, cumin, and chili, typically ladled onto meat during cooking.
Northeast Texas BBQ Sauce
Here, brisket drippings are thickened like gravy with additional spices added. The flavour is deepened by Worcestershire and hot sauce, and it is used to dip the final delicious results.
Charcoal-Smoked Brisket
Charcoal-smoked brisket can be served dry or with any of the sauces and rubs that tickle your Texas-fancy.
10. Brazilian BBQ
Brazilian BBQ, also known as Churrasco, keeps things simple yet theatrical. Meats are grilled on large skewers and carved tableside, seasoned mainly with salt. They’re served with a fresh, acidic vinaigrette dip made from diced tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, vinegar, and fresh herbs, sometimes with chili heat. Another option is Molho de Alho, a rich, creamy garlic sauce made with a butter-and-flour roux, milk, mayonnaise, and seasonings like garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano.
Rotisserie Smoked Picanha
Imagine pulling the rotisserie spit off your grill and carving directly at the table. Top those shreds of delicious picanha with this Brazilian Vinaigrette for a bright and savory meal.
People Also Asked:
Can You Re-Use Marinade?
No. As a rule, you should never reuse marinade once it has touched meat. If you feel that you may want those flavours later to be used as a dip or sauce, it is recommended that you double the mixture and reserve half for later use.
Can You Use BBQ Sauce as a Marinade?
Thick, off-the-shelf, store-bought BBQ Sauces don’t make great marinades. They tend to be high in sugar, which will cause meat to burn when it is cooked on a grill. A better alternative would be a short marinade in some of the vinegar-heavy BBQ Sauces like Cuban Mojo or Northeast Carolina. Better yet, marinades are easy to make at home using a ratio of 3 parts oil to 1 part acid, with a sprinkle of your favourite herbs, spices, and a healthy pinch of salt.
What is the Most Eaten Meat in the World?
Pork is the #1 most eaten meat across the globe. It accounts for about 36% of the world’s total meat consumption. And little wonder that it is! Pork is very versatile and tasty. It’s easy to prepare in a multitude of ways and especially wonderful on the grill.
How Do You Make Store-Bought BBQ Sauce Better?
Depending on the sauce and your intended outcome, there are a few easy things you can do to enhance store-bought BBQ Sauces:
- Add honey or maple syrup – this will sweeten up sauces and provide a very glossy and glassy finish. Be aware that the addition of this sugar will increase your BBQ Sauce’s chances of burning, so use it sparingly during the cook and more like a finishing sauce.
- Add juice or alcohol – Fruit juices will lighten and add a refreshing brightness to sauces, while alcohols like bourbon will deepen the flavours of your store-bought sauce. These liquids also thin the sauce, which can make it easier to work with.
- Add hot sauce – Spice is the spice of life, and if you find your BBQ Sauce lacking, add some hot sauce or diced chilis. This can balance flavours in the sauce or just up the excitement of your typical off-the-shelf sauces.
- Add butter – Whisking in some melted butter will coat your tongue and create a pleasant mouthfeel within the sauce.
- Add Dark Chocolate or Coffee – deepen and darken the flavours of your boring sauce with the addition of dark chocolate or coffee. These can contrast the sweetness and balance a boring sauce’s sweetness.
To read the details please check out the Napoleon blog post here!