BBQ Sauce Library
Every major American style, plus the sweet, the hot, and the unexpected.
Sauce Styles Explained
23 sauces
Kansas City Classic
Tomato · Kansas City
The thick, sweet, molasses-rich sauce most Americans picture when they hear "BBQ sauce."
Memphis Tangy Tomato
Tomato · Memphis
Thinner and tangier than Kansas City. In Memphis, ribs usually come dry and this goes on the side.
St. Louis Sweet and Tangy
Tomato · St. Louis
Thinner than KC, sweet and sharp, with no smoke flavor added. The sauce does the tang and the pit does the smoke.
Central Texas Beef Sauce
Tomato · Central Texas
Thin, savory, and peppery. Texas brisket joints serve it on the side, and plenty of pitmasters won't serve it at all.
Texas Mop Sauce
Vinegar · Texas
Not a finishing sauce. It's a thin baste mopped on during the cook to add moisture and build flavor in the bark.
Chipotle Honey
Tomato · Modern
Smoky heat from chipotles balanced by honey. It's one of the most requested styles on any sauce menu.
Bourbon Brown Sugar
Tomato · Kentucky-inspired
Deep caramel sweetness with an oaky backbone from the bourbon.
Coffee Chili
Tomato · Modern
Bitter coffee and earthy ancho make this a sauce built for beef.
Eastern North Carolina Vinegar Pepper
Vinegar · Eastern North Carolina
The oldest style of American barbecue sauce. No tomato at all, just vinegar and pepper cutting through rich pork.
Lexington Dip
Vinegar · Western North Carolina (Piedmont)
Eastern-style vinegar sauce with a touch of ketchup. Lexington folks call it "dip."
Carolina Gold
Mustard · South Carolina Midlands
The mustard sauce of South Carolina. Tangy, sweet, and bright yellow.
Habanero Gold
Mustard · Modern
Carolina Gold's hot-headed cousin. Fruity habanero heat riding on sharp mustard.
Alabama White Sauce
Mayo · North Alabama
Created in Decatur, Alabama, for smoked chicken. Creamy, peppery, and sharp with horseradish.
Kentucky Black Dip
Worcestershire · Owensboro, Kentucky
A thin, dark, savory dip built for smoked mutton. One of the least known regional sauces in America.
Huli Huli
Asian-Fusion · Hawaii
Hawaii's rotisserie chicken sauce. Pineapple, soy, and ginger.
Gochujang Pit Sauce
Asian-Fusion · Korean-American
An American pit sauce built on Korean chili paste. Sweet, funky, and sticky.
Mango Habanero
Fruit · Caribbean-inspired
Tropical sweetness up front, habanero heat on the finish.
Raspberry Chipotle
Fruit · Modern
Tart berry and smoky chipotle. It's a crowd favorite on smoked cream cheese as an appetizer.
Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce
Soda · Texas
A Texas favorite. The soda's cherry-vanilla notes turn into a glossy, complex glaze.
Reaper's Revenge
Tomato · Modern
The library's hottest sauce. Built for chiliheads and dares.
No Sugar Added BBQ Sauce
Tomato · Modern
For guild members cutting sugar. A classic smoky tomato profile sweetened with a sugar substitute.
Smoky Maple
Tomato · Northern
Real maple syrup with a hint of chipotle. A northern answer to southern molasses sauces.
Competition Rib Glaze
Tomato · Competition circuit
The shiny, lacquered finish judges look for. It builds on a sauce you already have.