BBQ Sauce FAQ

Although some will list about 4 to 12 or more, the top “tier” of types of barbecue sauces are 2. There are tomato-based and vinegar-based BBQ Sauces. Some will add-in mustard-based BBQ sauces but those are merely vinegar-based as well. Others will convey there are some specific geographical types such as Carolina, Texas, Memphis, etc. But, the top tier of 2 types (tomato and vinegar) remains as the standard and the geographical locations will merely have their regional versions of those 2 types.

Usually, people will trend towards one of those 2 types of barbecue sauces without being aware. Geographically, as an example, people in the Midwest will lean more towards tomato-based BBQ Sauces. While, people in the South will focus on the vinegar-based BBQ Sauces. However, both types are worldwide favorites, as this is a matter of personal preference, and often is based on what was given most frequently when growing up. As we are given choices, some will then be exposed to a variety and our tastes change. There are also some foreign sauces that equate to their acceptance as a “BBQ sauce”. One example is Korean BBQ Beef (or Pork). They use a soy sauce based marinade and adopted a similar reference to our BBQ sauce as they also sometimes brush it on during grilling.

If it’s tomato-based, yes. If it only contains vinegar and dried spices, generally not. Because of all the different ingredients in BBQ Sauces, you have to know the contents. If any of the contents would normally require refrigeration (after being opened), then it’s recommended strongly to refrigerate it. Typically, vinegar does not require refrigeration; however, some Balsamic vinegars recommend refrigeration. Sometimes, refrigeration of a vinegar-based BBQ sauce is recommend for food safety and other times, it’s recommended for food quality reasons. If the BBQ Sauce contents include vinegar and a tomato-based ingredient, you should refrigerate it due to the tomato related ingredient. It’s always a best practice to refrigerate it if you’re unsure.

Here are some of the more popular food items that people enjoy with BBQ sauce: Ribs, Pulled Pork, Chicken, Wings, Brisket, Hamburgers, and Pork Tenderloin. And here are some others: Meatloaf, Salmon, Pizza, Steak, Sloppy Joes, Hot Dogs, Chili, and Kielbasa.

Yes. It generally will last only as long as the shortest life ingredient. That will usually be the tomato-based ingredient, if it’s that type of sauce. So, it would last possibly as long as tomato sauce or ketchup would (opened). However, the ones that last the longest will be the vinegar-based BBQ sauces. They tend to last as long as something like mustard or pickles but they possibly can also last much longer. However, as all food items, they can still acquire some mold on the surface as an indicator. BBQ sauces with sweeteners like brown sugar or honey can accumulate some molding over time. Even some vinegar-based BBQ sauces also but, far less frequently. Store bought BBQ sauces will often have some preservatives to extend the life.

Carolina BBQ Sauce is a term of a regional BBQ sauce that began in South Carolina and migrated into North Carolina as a different type of BBQ sauce. Both are far less sweet than tomato-based BBQ sauces and both contain mustard as a key ingredient. Both states also have their own, specific named sauces. This is an example of a Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce recipe.

Here are some BBQ Sauce Recipes:
·       Simple BBQ Sauce (NY Times)
·       Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe (Add A Pinch)
·       Homemade BBQ Sauce (Gimme Some Oven)
·       The Best Homemade BBQ Sauce (Tastes Better From Scratch)
·       BBQ Sauce (Creme de la Crumb)
·       BBQ Sauce Vinegar Recipe – Ready in 10 Minutes

This is the original Carolina BBQ Sauce. Like all popular sauces, it has evolved over time and North Carolina has their own named sauce but the “Gold” reference is specific to one of the key ingredients being Mustard. It’s a less sweet and more tangy type of vinegar-based BBQ sauces. Here are some recipes of it:
·       South Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce Recipe – aka Columbia Gold (Amazing Ribs)
·       South Carolina’s Best Mustard-based BBQ Sauce Recipe (Destination BBQ)

Here are some popular and highly reviewed vinegar-based BBQ sauce recipes:
·       Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce (A Southern Soul)
·       North Carolina BBQ Sauce (Healthy Recipes)
·       North Carolina BBQ Sauce (Kevin Is Cooking)
·       Homemade BBQ Sauce (Add A Pinch)
·       BBQ Sauce Vinegar Recipe – Ready in 10 Minutes

Here are the most popular additions to BBQ sauces, either tomato-base or vinegar-based. These BBQ sauce additives are: mustard, onion powder, brown sugar, and honey. See Add to BBQ Sauce for adding the correct amounts of each.