Barbecue Sauce Recipes

Seven regional styles. One set of instructions for all of them.

The universal instructions — applies to every recipe below:

Gather the ingredients.
Throw 'em all together in a bowl.
Mix 'em around real good.
Let 'em sit for at least an hour to get to know each other.
Slop the sauces. Dip the dips.
Refrigerate the rest and throw out after it goes bad.

The Recipes

Basic Western NC Sauce

1½ cups ketchup • ¼ cup yellow mustard • 3 tbsp brown sugar • 1½ tsp salt • 1 tsp onion flakes • 1 tsp cayenne powder • ¾ tsp black pepper • ½ tsp garlic powder

Basic Eastern NC Sauce (dip)

1½ cups cider vinegar • 2 tsp salt • 2 tsp brown sugar • 1½ tsp red pepper flakes • 1 tsp cayenne pepper (or hot pepper sauce)

Basic Kansas City Sauce

1½ cups ketchup • ⅓ cup brown sugar • ¼ cup white vinegar • 2 tbsp oil • 1 tbsp paprika • 1 tbsp chili powder • ½ tsp cayenne pepper • ¼ tsp garlic powder

Basic SC Mustard Sauce

¾ cup yellow mustard • ¾ cup honey • ⅓ cup white vinegar • 2 tsp black pepper • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp cayenne pepper (or hot pepper sauce)

Basic Memphis Sauce (dip)

1½ cups ketchup • 1 cup chopped onion • ¾ cup white vinegar • ⅓ cup brown sugar • ¼ tsp garlic powder • ¼ cup yellow mustard • ½ tsp hot pepper sauce

Basic Texas Sauce (dip)

1½ cups ketchup • ½ cup chopped onion • ⅛ cup brown sugar • 2½ tbsp cider vinegar • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 1 tsp red pepper flakes • 1 tsp chili powder

Basic White Sauce (Alabama style)

1 cup mayonnaise • ¼ cup white vinegar • 2 tbsp lemon juice • 2 tbsp white sugar • 2 tsp black pepper • 2 tsp salt

Want to know which regional style we think wins? We already told you on the BBQ Sauce page. (Spoiler: the sauce is boss, and Kansas City knows what it's doing.)

🧁 Great Sweet BBQ Sauces on Amazon — for when you'd rather not mix (Amazon affiliate link)

BBQ Sauce — The Debate → Best BBQ Sauce Guide → Dry Rub Recipes → Smoking Pork Ribs →