Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Sauces BBQ Sauce Recipes 24 Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipes That Are Better Than Store-Bought By Melanie Fincher Melanie Fincher Melanie Fincher is a Birmingham, Alabama–based food writer who covers everything from cooking techniques to gadget reviews. She has nearly 7 years experience writing news and lifestyle content. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Published on February 3, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: lutzflcat BBQ sauce is a matter of personal preference, and folks can be a tad touchy about what ingredients should or shouldn't be included. Making your own BBQ sauce ensures you have complete control over what goes in it, unlike what you'll find at the store. No matter what regional barbeque camp you fall into, here you're sure to find a homemade BBQ sauce that suits your taste. 01 of 25 Big Al's K.C. Bar-B-Q Sauce View Recipe As one of just two cities that can claim their own unique barbeque style (the other being Memphis), Kansas City knows a thing or two about BBQ sauce. This classic KC-style sauce gets its sweetness from molasses and ketchup, and liquid smoke gives it its signature smoky flavor. BBQ Nation 02 of 25 A Very Popular BBQ Sauce View Recipe LYNNINMA This sauce is just the right balance of sweet and spicy, thanks to the brown sugar, ketchup, and hot pepper sauce. Reviewer DMB4LIFE says, "It would be foolish to ever buy the store bought kind again. You just can't compare them." 03 of 25 Kathy's Award Winning Barbeque Sauce View Recipe "This is a thick and spicy barbeque chicken recipe that has won several cooking contests," says recipe creator Kathy. "The sauce consists of molasses, brown sugar, tomato juice and spices all pureed together in a blender." 04 of 25 Buzzsaw's BBQ Sauce View Recipe Use this sauce on the side or as marinade for beef, pork, or chicken. "I used this sauce for chicken thighs and it was sooo good!" says reviewer Tami H. "It doesn't even come close to store bought BBQ sauce. Next time I will try it on ribs!" 05 of 25 Korean BBQ Sauce View Recipe Reviewers say this sauce — which includes soy sauce, Sriracha, fresh ginger, and sesame oil — is great served over grilled salmon, spare ribs, chicken thighs, and more. 06 of 25 Mustard Based BBQ Sauce View Recipe Many BBQ sauces are ketchup-based, but mustard-based sauces reign supreme in South Carolina's "Mustard Belt." This traditional recipe features just five pantry staple ingredients. 20 South Carolina Foods the Palmetto State Is Known For 07 of 25 Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce View Recipe Vinegar gives this sweet sauce a bit of kick. You'll want to keep some in the fridge for all your summer grilling. 08 of 25 Smokin' Jack BBQ Sauce View Recipe Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add fiery flavor to this top-rated BBQ sauce. Recipe creator BIG CHAD suggests trying it on a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw. 09 of 25 Alabama-Style White Barbecue Sauce View Recipe Chef John Alabama's signature BBQ sauce was created in 1925 at Big Bob Gibson's in Decatur. It's a peppery mayonnaise-based sauce that can be used as a marinade, basting sauce, or serving sauce. 17 Alabama Foods the Yellowhammer State Is Known For 10 of 25 Easy Barbecue Sauce View Recipe "I came up with this recipe via trial and error after running out of barbecue sauce one too many times. Now my family will not have any other kind," says recipe creator joyce. "I make it in double batches and store it in a mason jar in the refrigerator." Ketchup, brown sugar, onion, teriyaki sauce, hot sauce, and liquid smoke are all you need to make this easy BBQ sauce. 11 of 25 Raspberry Hot Barbecue Sauce View Recipe Before you toss your jar of pickles, be sure to save the juice for this unique sauce. The acidity of the pickle juice helps to balance the sweetness of the raspberry preserves and the spice of the hot pepper sauce. 12 of 25 Costa del Sol Barbeque Sauce View Recipe This sauce, straight from the Spanish Costas, gets a kick from red chile peppers and cayenne pepper. 13 of 25 Guava Barbeque Sauce View Recipe Guava's tropical, tangy flavor is an excellent pairing for savory meats, particularly pork. 14 of 25 Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce with a West Coast Twist View Recipe Chef John's take on East North Carolina-style sauce uses honey in place of sugar. 15 of 25 Easy BBQ Sauce View Recipe Fennel seeds and soy sauce add non-traditional flavor to this sauce. "I think this would be outstanding on ribs or even grilled pork chops," says Allrecipes Allstar lutzflcat. 16 of 25 Blackberry Habanero BBQ Sauce View Recipe If you're looking for an out-of-the-box BBQ sauce, your search ends with this sweet-heat blackberry sauce. 17 of 25 Pomegranate Molasses Barbecue Sauce View Recipe The fruity, tart flavor of this sauce plays well with meats like pork, chicken, and lamb. 18 of 25 Vegan Barbeque Sauce View Recipe Danielle K Try serving this vegan sauce with another vegan barbeque alternative: jackfruit! 19 of 25 Peach-Jalapeno Barbeque Sauce View Recipe Say hello to summer grilling with this seasonal sauce! Peaches complement a variety of meats, including chicken, pork, and beef. 14 Best Savory Main Dish Recipes Starring Sweet Peaches & Plums 20 of 25 Caribbean BBQ Sauce II View Recipe Spiced rum adds Caribbean flair to this tangy, island-style sauce. 21 of 25 Bacon and Onion Barbecue Sauce View Recipe For added texture, try crumbling the bacon and adding it back to the sauce, as Allrecipes Allstar lutzflcat suggests. 22 of 25 Pacific Rim Barbeque Sauce View Recipe Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and Chinese 5-spice powder add Asian-inspired flavor to this East-West fusion sauce. 23 of 25 Tahini BBQ Sauce View Recipe Tahini is responsible for the unique, nutty flavor of this BBQ sauce. "It goes wonderful with chicken!" says recipe creator Reima. 18 Tasty Recipes Starring Tahini 24 of 25 Maple Whiskey BBQ Sauce View Recipe Recipe creator France C suggests making this sauce a day ahead of time to give the flavors time to marry. 25 of 25 More BBQ Recipes: RainbowJewels Pictured: Baby Back Ribs Top-Rated Recipes for Your Barbeque Menu The Best Barbeque Side Dishes Browse our entire collection of BBQ & Grilling Recipes. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit