Barbecue Sauce Recipes

As the main course is cooking in the barbecue grill, why not whip up one of these barbecue sauce recipes? A quick and easy homemade bbq sauce will add a nice touch to your barbecued ribs, brisket and chicken.

Types of Barbecue Sauces

There are several styles of sauces, each more or less specific to its own region of the United States. Some of these barbecue sauce recipes need to be gently and lovingly cooked on the stove top. Others just need to be mixed together at room temperature, and can be used right away.

Tomato Based Red Sauces

This style of sauce includes the sweet, thick and tangy Kansas City bbq sauce and the Memphis style of sauce. Texas bbq sauces have a Southwestern flair to them, containing various types of peppers along with other spicy flavorings. Yee haw!

These sauces are almost always slow-simmered to help bring out the flavors of the spices and herbs (and peppers!).


Sweet 'n Spicy Barbeque Sauce Recipe
Kansas City Style Barbecue Sauce
Spicy Texas Style BBQ Sauce

Sauces of North and South Carolina

There are several different bbq sauces found in the Carolinas. The most basic is a vinegar sauce containing salt, black pepper, sugar and maybe a bit of red pepper. Mustard based sauce is a regional favorite, too. These are mixed together at room temperature.


Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce
Vinegar Based Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Alabama White Sauce

This sauce is made by combining mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and spices. Originally, raw eggs were used instead of mayonnaise, but food safety and convenience makes mayonnaise the popular choice nowadays. This one is mixed cold, and is tart and smooth on the tongue.


Alabama White Barbecue Sauce

Mopping Sauces

Mopping sauce is a thin liquid containing little if any sugar or tomato. It's basted on smoking or grilling meat throughout the cooking process to add flavor and prevent drying. Many mop sauces contain beer, wine or fruit juice as the main ingredient, along with vinegar, oil, spices and herbs.


Brisket Mopping Sauce Recipe

Customized Barbecue Sauce Recipes

Try any of the above barbecue sauce recipes as is, or change 'em to your liking. If you want a little more zing, add an extra teaspoon or so of cayenne pepper. That should do the trick!

I've been known to add an extra tablespoon or two of molasses and brown sugar to my Kansas City style bbq sauces...I like it sweet!

Experiment and have fun. That's what barbecuin' is all about!