Chefs reveal their best easy barbecue sauce recipes to up your grilling game

Grilling season is upon us, and we’re stocking the pantry with things like dry rubs for barbecue and seasoning salts. And while we always love a good homemade meat glaze, there is no shame in going out and buying a bottle of barbecue sauce when you’re strapped for time. Or maybe you’re simply feeling a little bit lazy. Don’t worry, we’re not judging. There are plenty of top-notch bottled barbecue sauces on the market these days, many of which are made without high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors. But making a grilling sauce from scratch doesn’t have to be a big production.

We turned to three chefs across the country to get their easy barbecue sauce recipes that don’t require a lot of time to put together. Though the ingredient lists can look a little daunting at first, it’s likely you have most of the components in your pantry already. Plus, after stocking up on the rest of the ingredients, you can make these delicious meat glazes all season long. Whip up these big batch recipes, store them in the fridge, and reach for them anytime you break out the grill.

South Texas Mustard Base BBQ Sauce

(By Jason Dady, owner of Tre Trattoria, Two Bros. BBQ Market, Range, and Jardin at the Garden)

“This is a classic South Texas mustard base barbecue sauce,” Dady says. “It is the Texan staple, from brisket to ribs, turkey to cabrito. It’s a tried and true Texas barbecue sauce. I love using the Maille mustards because of their finesse and sharp flavors.”

Ingredients

• 3 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 1 pound fresh peaches, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup Maille dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup Maille Old Style
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/8 cup Worcestershire
• 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup coarse black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Cholula hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard

Method

1.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sweat onions, garlic, and peaches until soft.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour over low heat, being careful not to scorch.
3. Puree and strain. Chill immediately and use as needed.

Cherry BBQ Sauce

(By Justin Cucci, owner of Root Down, Linger, El Five, Ophelia’s, and Vital Root)

“Cherries are life-changing moments for me, especially Rainer,” Cucci says. “To add them to a smoky barbecue sauce, it’s a whole new thing. Tart, sweet, and fleshy, they change barbecue to a more refined flavor and really make grilling meats, chicken, and even veggies into a true seasonal summer event.”

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds fresh Bing or Rainier cherries
• 1 pound brown sugar
• 5 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
• 8 ounces organic ketchup
• 8 ounces tamari soy sauce
• 8 ounces tomato paste
• 8 ounces Cholula hot sauce
• 6 ounces apple cider vinegar
• 4 ounces yellow onion
• 4 ounces Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika powder
• 1 tablespoon hickory liquid smoke seasoning
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne chili
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Method

1. Pit the cherries and blend in a blender until smooth.
2. In a large saucepan, sweat the onion and garlic until translucent in color.
3. Add the tomato paste and ketchup and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add all the remaining ingredients, including the cherry puree, and cook for 30 minutes.
5. Cool the sauce and then blend until very smooth in a blender.
6. Check and adjust seasoning.

Korean Rib Glaze

(By Brandon Kirksey of Great Gold)

“This is the perfect sauce for glazing baby back ribs hot off the grill,” Kirksey says. “It also works great for barbecue chicken or grilled tofu!”

Note: If you can’t find Makgeolli (Korean unfiltered rice beer), you can substitute sake.

Ingredients

• 6 sliced scallions
• 1 cup pear juice
• 1 cup hot pepper paste (gochujang)
• 1/2 cup Makgeolli
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup toasted white sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon black pepper

Method

1. Sweat the sliced scallions, garlic, and ginger together with cooking oil.
2. Add the Makgeolli and mirin. Let the liquid reduce by half then add the remaining ingredients.
3. Stir well and make sure all ingredients are combined, then simmer for 10 minutes.

What else can I mix into barbecue sauce?

There are countless barbecue sauce recipes, differentiated by region, ingredients, and more. That means you could spend an entire lifetime experimenting with different versions and tweaks here and there.

Some ingredients simply work better than others in a good grilling sauce. In addition to what’s listed above, try playing around with various fruit juices, brewed coffee, and different kinds of honey to add a little sweetness and balance out the spice. If and when possible, use fresh herbs and consider infusing with a bit of alcohol. Just as vodka tends to improve a red sauce, so too does bourbon or a good rye whiskey to a delectable barbecue sauce.