7 Best BBQ Sauces, Tested and Reviewed
Our top picks are smoky, tangy and finger-lickin' good.
Photo By: Julia Morlino
Tested by Food Network Kitchen and Shopping Experts
Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned expert, every griller knows that condiments make or break a meal. What good is a rack of ribs without a hit of sticky sweetness? Or how else can you sauce up a dry burger? In a world where sauce surrounds the way we eat, it has become less of an add-on or finishing touch and more of a crucial part of dining. “The right pairing can completely elevate a dish,” says Co-Founder of Smash Kitchen Sean Kane. “Whether it’s sweet, tangy, smoky or spicy, it should complement the food and bring out the best in every bite," adds Smash Kitchen CEO and Co-Founder Sameer Mehta.
With outdoor cooking and backyard soirees in full swing, chances are you’re due for a bold, sweet, sticky and spicy pantry upgrade to elevate your summer menu. And as a staple in grilling culture and casual dining, barbecue sauce can get you there. We tested, compared and ranked a variety of barbecue sauces in an ultimate saucy showdown, and spoke with barbecue experts themselves for tips and tricks to upgrade your backyard cooking game with just one bottle of any of our top picks below.
Our Top BBQ Sauce Picks
Also in This Article
Photo By: Julia Morlino
Photo By: Julia Morlino
Photo By: Julia Morlino
How We Tested
After researching supermarket staples and popular name brands, from regional classics to unique blends, we rounded up a roster of 36 BBQ sauces to try in our Food Network Test Kitchen. We categorized each sauce by region and flavor — such as sweet & spicy profiles, Carolina-style, Texas-style and more — and tried each category one at a time to avoid flavor overlap and ensure our picks were evaluated consistently and fairly.
Each BBQ sauce was ranked based on five important factors: texture, flavor, aroma, overall appearance and how well they enhance or clash with other foods. First, we did the not-so-fun work (you’re welcome) and tasted a spoonful of each sauce on its own. This helped determine if the sauce was thick or runny, strong or weak in flavor and what the overall flavor profile was (smoky, pepper-y, tangy, sweet etc.) Next, our testers had the option to dip each BBQ sauce in bread or roasted chicken to determine if the condiment clashed or paired well with the food. And we can say with confidence that each of our final picks deserves a spot at your next cookout and beyond.
While founders Sameer Mehta, Sean Kane and actor Glen Powell debuted an entire line of Smash Kitchen condiments in April, their American Style BBQ undoubtedly deserves a spot at your barbecue. Beyond the affordability, organic and non-GMO qualities, our panel appreciated this sauce even more because of its homemade flavor. "This one has a little bit of everything: it's sweet and smooth, a little bit smoky and a little tangy," said one of our testers, which is everything (and more) you could want in a well-rounded BBQ sauce. It also complemented the roasted chicken very well in testing, too — one staff member noted that its medium body presents just the right consistency for brushing. And based on the sauce's minimal ingredients and natural sweetener (thanks, pineapple juice), this American Style BBQ didn't give off that artificial, processed taste most store-bought BBQ sauces have. It's filled with delicious, pleasant BBQ flavors, enhances all your proteins with a balance of sweet and tart and has that medium-level thickness that is great for both marinating and dipping. Dare we say Smash Kitchen is our new go-to?
Sometimes, the flavor of a true, old-school sauce is all you need to turn average meals into a crowd-pleaser. Enter: Sweet Baby Ray's. The brand is a renowned, award-winning favorite not for an over-the-top profile, but a classic, traditional flavor that is the epitome of comfort food and even nostalgia, as our testers noted. Sweet Baby Ray's Original presents a sweet and sour background, thick consistency and smoky aroma that one editor said "goes with everything." But more specifically, its sweet punch really shone through in testing compared to the other sauces, adding a flavorful kick to our food pairings that made our testers go back for more. Though some found the sweetness profile to be overwhelming, this sauce is for you if you want every bite to taste like that prevalent "barbecue" flavor, which to most of our testers is completely satisfactory (especially when a bottle is only $3!)
Not to be confused with Texas-Style BBQ, this Traeger Grills Texas Spicy reimagines vinegar-forward Texas sauces with an even greater pepper kick that's pleasantly spicy and tasty on meat. While the other spicy contenders on our list were either not spicy at all or their tang got lost when paired with food, Traeger scored high on both factors. But don't be fooled — while this brand certainly boasts a pepper-forward, fiery flavor, it doesn't overpower your mouth. One tester described this sauce as "nicely spicy, but doesn't burn off your taste buds." We especially liked this pick with bread, as the balance of heat and smoke really came through and even lingered (but not in a bad aftertaste way). Though on the thinner side in terms of consistency, our testers could see this sauce shine when doused on wings, too.
Our testers couldn't resist the hot honey layer of this sweet and spicy sauce. It's welcoming, vibrant and similar to Smash Kitchen's American Style BBQ in the way it tastes the closest to homemade and not so manufactured. "It's sweet but very balanced by the heat and tanginess," said one tester. "It hits a lot of good notes, and is reasonably hot, unlike many 'spicy' BBQ sauces we tried." And according to barbecue experts, a good sauce enhances, not overwhelms, which we also found to be true with this Hot Honey BBQ. Our testers especially enjoyed this pairing with chicken, which according to Kane is a prime meat choice with a tangy or sweet condiment. So, it goes without saying that a combo of both is the ultimate move for coating your chicken skewers this summer.
Made with real tomato, vinegar, molasses and black pepper ingredients, Subb's Original BBQ Sauce delivers the flavors of Texas in every bite. Founder Christopher B. Stubblefield, nicknamed "Stubb," bottled up the recipes from his 1968 Texas-based restaurant to create a line of BBQ sauces that share these legendary flavors to everyone. Texas-Style BBQ is known for its bold smoke and even acidic profiles — so if you prefer savory over sweet, this style BBQ sauce is for you. Our testers appreciated this sauce's deep, smoky kick, especially when paired with the roasted chicken in testing. Knowing how well this balanced sauce enhanced the meat, we could see it pairing well with all kinds of barbecue menu items like wings, ribs, beef and pork.
If you're looking to add a distinctive Southern flair to your summer gatherings, look no further than Lillie's Q. While this brand offers a wide array of unique BBQ sauce flavors, from honey and buffalo to BBQ aioli and hot-smoky, this Carolina Gold variety blew us away. "Carolina BBQ sauce should be peppery and vinegary, and this one delivers that with a little bit of added smokiness," said one tester. Described across our panel as "pure," "bright" and "smooth," it's safe to say you absolutely need this Carolina Gold bottle next to you on the grill — especially because of the easy-use squeeze bottle! According to the Lillie's Q website, the meat of choice for a South Carolina BBQ sauce is chicken or pork, and we couldn't agree more based on the flavors we tasted in testing. It has a nice acidity, not overpowering in sweetness and the strong tang of mustard is deliciously prevalent without leading to a gross aftertaste or taking over the flavor profile of your meal. Plus the bright color and sweet aroma will invite anyone at your backyard party to try what you're whipping up.
Don't let Bachan's unique flavor profile fool you into not leaving room for it at your next barbecue. Based on a family recipe passed down for generations, Bachan's Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce takes traditional Japanese ingredients and reimagines them into a crave-worthy, comfort-food level condiment that transforms the BBQ sauce category. This variety is cold-filled to preserve its real ingredients of soy sauce, cane sugar, ginger, mirin, garlic and organic toasted sesame oil and rice vinegar, in addition to keeping the teriyaki flavor rich. And after trying this sauce ourselves, we couldn't help but brainstorm dozens of ways to use it in the kitchen. "This would be great on a salmon or mixed with mayo for an aioli on a burger;" "Would taste amazing if used as a marindade, paired with char on a grill;" "Would work well as a glaze to finish on the grill," are only some of the ideas our testers came up with. Since this sauce falls on the runnier side, our ultimate suggestion is to use it as a marinade.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a good BBQ sauce?
According to barbecue experts, a good BBQ sauce is based on two things: Wholesome ingredients and well-roundedness. "Stuff that comes from nature, not a science lab," advises Mehta. "Think vine-ripened organic tomatoes, tangy vinegar, real molasses or natural spices — nothing fake like high fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors and colors."
Equally important, a well-rounded BBQ sauce can enhance any meal, even when up against the big, bold flavors, fat content and smoke of a typical barbecue, according to Traeger Senior Culinary Producer Nichole Dailey. Also, it's important to realize that a good BBQ sauce is relative to what you want to use it for. As we know, there are dozens of different regional varieties and flavor profiles in the BBQ sauce category. So the next time you're strolling through the grocery aisle or browsing online for a BBQ sauce to bring to your backyard barbecue, Dailey advises asking yourself the following: "Do you want it to be a light coating or really stick to the food item? Will you use it to baste throughout like a mop sauce? Does the flavor profile go well with the food item it will be paired with?"
How do different regional styles affect BBQ sauce ingredients and flavors?
BBQ sauce variations are based on cultural influences around the country, from Texas and Memphis to Kansas City and the Carolinas, with flavors alluding to their origin and popular dishes. "Each region has its own sauce that is more well-known or used in that area. They may be used in different ways or applied at different times during the cooking process," says Dailey.
Kansas City BBQ is a molasses-based, dark-colored sauce with a thick consistency and sticky-sweet flavor, most notably the sauce Americans think of when a barbecue comes to mind. Alabama is famous for its mayo-based white sauce with a splash of vinegar, and usually used on chicken. Texas-style BBQ is actually divided into four different styles (Central, East, South and West), but, overall, is known for its tomato base and bold, thick and peppery flavor that Dailey says is typically served on the side. Eastern Carolina BBQ is thin and tangy and mostly used as a "mop sauce" for brushing or as a tableside condiment, while Carolina Gold sauce is mustard-based and tastes more acidic.
Are certain sauces better suited for specific meats (ribs, brisket, chicken, etc.)?
Considering the different style sauces and flavor profiles mentioned above, it's easy to shop for BBQ sauce based on personal preference. Yet, there are certain pairings that barbecue experts recommend to get the most out of your meal. "A sweeter, stickier sauce is perfect for ribs because it caramelizes beautifully on the grill," says Kane. "While a more peppery or vinegar-forward sauce cuts through the richness of brisket. And for chicken, something tangy or with a hint of sweetness works really well." Yet the beauty of BBQ sauce is that there are so many variations on the shelves to experiment with and find the one that suits your menu.
Does the cooking method (smoking, grilling, slow cooking) determine which sauce you should use?
Yes, because at the end of the day, the right BBQ sauce "enhances the flavor of your cooking method instead of competing with it," according to Kane. Therefore, you want to shop for sauce based on its intended use. Kane recommends a thicker sauce that caramelizes well for grilling or slow-cooking, while "a thinner sauce with more acidity can balance out that deep, rich smokiness." Kane also pointed out to pay attention to how well the ingredients hold up to heat without burning or breaking down when cooking. The best solution to this — finding a sauce that can multitask. "Something you can slather on ribs, use as a marinade, or dip your fries in," adds Kane.
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Food Network Shopping Experts believe the best method for testing products is based on how our fans are going to use them in the real world. In each of our Tested and Reviewed stories, products are tested in real home kitchens that reflect real world use cases. Our testers follow rigorous testing rubrics designed by our expert editors and take copious notes during the testing process. When choosing the best products, our testers evaluate all of the testing data and take into consideration many factors including ease of use, price, product availability and practicality. The products covered on FoodNetwork.com are chosen completely independently by our editors without any outside influence. Our editors do not accept products in exchange for a positive review or promised coverage.
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