Top 15 Best BBQ Sauce Brands

Think about summertime. It is impossible to not look forward to alfresco BBQ parties with your lovers in the courtyard. And the thing that always goes accompanied with the grilling recipes is a combo of spice, sweetness, and smoky flavor coming from a bottle of BBQ sauce.

This kind of condiment is one of the most regular appearances on the shelves of supermarkets or mini grocery stores. Sad to say, this fact does not make your shopping easier but more headaches.

So, how to figure out exactly what BBQ sauce brand you are looking for? First, let familiarize yourself with the most popular BBQ sauce styles.

Most Popular Types of BBQ Sauce

There is a variety of BBQ sauces corresponding to various regional barbecue styles. Different from BBQ rub, BBQ sauce base on the main ingredient that can usually be grouped into one of four main types.

Tomato-Based Barbecue Sauces

Featuring tomatoes in the form of ketchup, this is the most common type of barbecue sauce and the style of most commercial sauce. This type of sauce is often thicker and offers a sweet and tangy flavor that works well on any meats, whether barbecued or smoked.

One of the most recognizable BBQ sauce of this type is Kansas City barbecue sauce. A bottle of Kansas City BBQ sauce typically combines ketchup base and other ingredients: molasses, brown sugar, vinegar, cayenne pepper, and spices like garlic powder, onion powder, and the like.

It’s especially tasty on smoked spare ribs, chicken, beef brisket, or any other meats.

Some other tomato-based barbecue sauces belong to St. Louis, Texas, or Memphis style, which is thinner and less sweet as they leave out molasses and add some vinegar.

Because of the significant sugar content, this type of sauce is usually added after cooking to reduce the risk of the sugars caramelizing and then burning the meat.

Vinegar-Based Barbecue Sauces

The North Carolina-style barbecue is all about the pork, which needs a thin sauce with the astringent, acidic flavor from the vinegar to balance out the fattier pork. This is the vinegar-based barbecue sauce.

Unlike tomato-based barbecue sauces, the vinegar-based BBQ sauces rely on a tart combination of vinegar (usually apple cider vinegar) and added spices like crushed black pepper, cayenne pepper flakes, and some salt.

Not all vinegar-based sauces are completely tomato-free. A version of this type, the Western Carolina variant, adds some ketchup and brown sugar to mellow out the vinegary flavor. It’s almost identical to its Eastern cousin, albeit slightly pinker.

Both types are perfect to be served with Carolina-style pulled pork. I think it tastes pretty good on chicken, too. With low sugar content (or no sugar), it is used to slather onto the pork as it cooks over the flame.

Mayonnaise-Based Barbecue Sauces

You will easily notice this type of sauce even among hundreds of other sauces on the supermarket shelves: it is white. Mayonnaise-Based Barbecue Sauces is an invention of northern Alabama barbecue pioneer Bob Gibson for his signature hickory-smoked chicken.

This sauce is a pasty mixture of mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, and pepper. Using mayonnaise as the base, it has a creamy flavor and can be used as a dipping sauce, marinade or dressing for smoked chicken or salads.

Mustard-Based Barbecue Sauces

Carolina barbecue tradition gives us a unique BBQ sauce: mustard-based barbecue sauce, an alternative accompaniment to the region’s characteristic pulled pork sandwiches.

This sauce, originating from the South Carolina, aka the mustard belt, is usually made with plain yellow mustard, thinned out with vinegar, and added spices for a zingy flavor.

Without any semblance of sweetness, this thin, spicy, and stringent sauce is great to dress pulled pork and other pork cuts.

What Are the Best BBQ Bauce Brands in US?

To be more sure about your shopping decision, it is wise to start with some popular BBQ sauce brands on the market. Among hundreds of brands, here are the best BBQ sauce brands for you:

Stubb’s – A long-last brand since 1968. Stubb’s BBQ sauce is a part of Stubb’s barbecue restaurant originating from Texa and famous for the authentic, legendary Texas flavor. Stubb always uses quality, gluten-free ingredients and says no to artificial flavors or artificial colors.

Bone Suckin’ – Found by Phil Ford in Raleigh, North Carolina around 1987. Phil Ford created his first sauce based on his mother’s recipe for a western North Carolina-style barbecue sauce.

Since it won the North Carolina Battle of the Sauces in 1994, this brand always makes its way to dinner tables of many American families.

Bull’s Eye – Bull’s Eye started with the original BBQ sauce, in 1985 and now it’s one of the best BBQ sauce brands on the market. The best BBQ sauces of Bull’s Eye have a bold, signature flavor that is distinctive for the South’s traditional BBQ.

Gates – One of the famous and long-last Kansas City barbecue restaurants, Gates introduced its first BBQ sauce recipes to the grocery store in 1975.

Already used as exclusive sauces for the famous Gates Bar-B-Q restaurant chain, Gate Kansas-style BBQ sauce immediately gained popularity with people from all over the United States.

Sweet Baby Ray’s – Found by Chef Larry in 1985 with the first recipe for a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. The brand now has grown the product line to include over 20 flavors.

The peppery, sweet, and tangy flavors from this brand are very familiar to BBQ fans from all over the United States.

Big Bob Gibson – Founded in Decatur, Alabama, in 1925, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q is among the oldest barbecue restaurants in the world. The brand founder, Mr Bob Gibson, is the father of Alabama-style mayonnaise white BBQ sauce.

You might also hear about some other popular brands:

• Daddy Sam’s
• Rufus Teague
• Trader Joe’s
• Dreamland
• Montgomery Inn

What Are The Best BBQ Sauces?

The answer to the best BBQ sauce depends on the cooking method and the taste of each person. Considering my list of 15 sauces with a short description for each below before making up your mind:

• Best Overall: Bone Suckin’ BBQ Sauce
  “A complex combination of flavors with notes of tomato paste, cider vinegar, honey, and molasses.”
• Best For Budget: Bull’s Eye Original BBQ Sauce
  “Full of flavors, Bull’s Eye Original BBQ Sauce is a culinary experience far beyond its cost.”
• Best Dipping: Stubb’s Original BBQ Sauce
  Packed with wholesome, natural ingredients to make a perfectly thick, rich BBQ sauce for any meat.”
• Best Sweet: Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
  “Sweet, peppery and tangy all at once, the sauce is must-try sauce for BBQ fans.”
• Best Tomato-Based: Gates Original Classic BBQ Sauce
  “Mouth-watering, tangy tomato paste with a kick of pepper and an aromatic hint of celery.”
• Best Mayonnaise-Based: Big Bob Gibson Original White BBQ Sauce
  “A creamy, milky mustard-based sauce for an unforgettable flavor from a long-last brand.”
• Best for Ribs: Dreamland BBQ Sauce
  “Tomato paste perfectly seasoned with vinegar and robust spices to level up your ribs.”
• Best for Pulled Pork: Blues Hog Tennessee Red BBQ Sauce
  “A thin, vinegary, peppery sauce from Southern Carolina for a typically regional pulled pork.”
• Best Mustard-Based: The Salt Lick Original Recipe BBQ Sauce
  “The ultimate sauce made from slightly spicy, tangy mustard base for fans of this BBQ sauce style.”
• Best with Molasses: Daddy Sam’s Original BBQ Sauce
  “A delicious blend of traditional ingredients with a kiss of molasses for an irresistible BBQ sauce.”
• Best for Chicken: Trader Joe’s Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
  “Basing on the bold, robust flavor of mustard, the sauce is an awesome combination of sweet and spicy flavor.”
• Best for Brisket: Montgomery Inn Barbecue Sauce
  “Don’t miss the chance to enjoy Montgomery Inn restaurant’s renowned BQQ sauce right at your home.”
• Best Spicy: Rufus Teague: Blazin’ Hot BBQ Sauce
  “An unforgettable fiery sauce with a serious heat to fulfill the wish of spicy food lovers.”
• Best with Smoky: Stubb’s Smoky Mesquite BBQ Sauce
  “A nice lends brown sugar, vinegar, and smokey mesquite flavor for a finger-licking BBQ sauce.”
• Best without Sugar: Primal Kitchen BBQ Sauce Trio
  “This three-in-one combo is the best deal with various tastes and healthy organic recipe.”

Best BBQ Sauce Comparison Chart

Let focus on the outstanding characteristics of each sauce by taking a few minutes on my comparison chart of the top 15 best BBQ sauce brands. Here we go!

Top 15 Best BBQ Sauce Reviews

Now it is time to zoom in detailed specifications of each in the list of best BBQ sauces. To avoid confusion, just go one by one in the same order as in the comparison chart.

1. Bone Suckin’ BBQ Sauce

(Best Overall)

Bone Suckin’ sauce bases on the Kansas City-style recipe to make a complex combination of flavors with notes of tomato paste, cider vinegar, honey, and molasses.

You will find that it is a little bit on the sweet side. However, the sweetness of molasses and honey is well balanced by apples cider vinegar, mustard, and lemon juice, all of which create an irresistible taste.

The sweet-and-sour flavor with a hint of natural hickory smoke is a great accompaniment to cut through the fat of barbecued beef brisket.

Bone Suckin’ contains zero artificial sweeteners, gluten, GMO, and is paleo-friendly, so it is perfect for those seeking a healthy diet.

Key features

• Tomato-based, Kansas City-style
• Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, and no High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Paleo certified

Product specifications

Brand	Bon Suckin’
Container size	16 ounce
Package size	Single
Servings per container	16

2. Bull’s Eye Original BBQ Sauce

(Budget Pick)

The flavor experience that Bull’s Eye Original BBQ Sauce gives you is far beyond its cost: sweetness, vinegar, spice, and other flavors, this sauce satisfies all.

Tomato and molasses give the sauce a sweet, dense consistency while apple cider vinegar and added ingredients like mustard, and spice come together for a bursting flavor. You can enjoy it as pulled pork sauce, salad dressing, or dipping sauce for grilled chicken or seafood.

With a package, you have six 18-ounce squeezable bottles. This unit is the most economical, convenient choice with a very affordable budget.

Key features

• Tomato-based sauce, Texas Style
• Package of six bottles
• Squeezable bottles

Product specifications

Brand	Bull’s Eye
Container size	18 ounce
Package size	Pack of 6
Servings per container	14

Learn more about this sauce by watching this video:

3. Stubb’s Original BBQ Sauce

(Best Dipping)

Stubb’s Orginal BBQ Sauce has proven that a BBQ sauce can be both delicious and healthy. Formulated from tomato, vinegar, and molasses along with black pepper, garlic, and hickory smoke added, it yields a sweet and tangy flavor.

The fact that the sauce contains no high fructose corn syrup, gluten, GMO ingredients makes it suitable for people who have trouble with gluten or concern about artificial food.

For those trying to reduce their sugar intake or following a strict fat-free or low-calorie diet plan, they can hardly find any better choice than this unit. For each serving, Stubb’s sauce delivers only 25 calories and 5g sugars in 6g carbs.

Key features

• Tomato-based, Texas-style
• Kosher and gluten-free; Non-GMO project verified
• No High Fructose Corn Syrup

Product specifications

Brand	Stubb’s
Container size	18 ounce
Package size	6
Servings per container	15

This video will provide you a good review about this product:

4. Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce

(Best Sweet)

Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce, as revealed in the name, is sweeter than its peers. The rich dark texture is packed with tomato paste and vinegar, just sweet and tangy enough to nicely go accompanying BBQ ribs, steaks, chickens, and more.

Its thick texture makes it great for dipping. If you still want to use it as a marinade, add some water to thin out it and simmer in a saucepan.

The unit comes as a twin pack of 40-ounce bottles. With the convenient squeezable bottle, you can dispense the right amount of sauce needed for the meal.

Key features

• Contains High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Tomato-based, Texas-style
• Gluten-free

Product specifications

Brand	Sweet Baby Ray’s
Container size	40 Ounce
Package size	2
Servings per container	31

Take some minutes to watch this video for more Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce tastes:

5. Gates Original Classic BBQ Sauce

(Best Tomato-Based)

This tomato-based sauce has the perfect KC-style taste: A wonderful balance of tangy sour, sweet and spicy all in one bite. It is not a national brand, but it is just delicious – full of flavors.

Almost all tasters reviewed that it is not too sweet, not too hot, and the added celery brings such a subtle flavor that they could drink it out of the bottle.

The consistency is just medium, so it is not ideal for dipping. The best way to enjoy the sauce is to pour it on ribs, chicken, sandwiches, or on anything you can think of.

Key features

• Contains High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Tomato-based, Kansas City style
• Gluten-free

Product specifications

Brand	Gates
Container size	18 ounces
Package size	Single
Servings per container	31

Here is a much more detailed review of Gates BBQ sauce:

6. Big Bob Gibson Original White BBQ Sauce

(Best Mayonnaise-Based)

This tangy mayonnaise-based barbecue sauces of Big Bob Gibson has featured at weekend backyard barbecues in Alabama since 1925. The creamy BBQ sauce brings a unique flavor that comes from the blend of soybean oil, egg yolks, and vinegar.

If you want to experience Alabama style BBQ sauce, give this sauce a try. The sauce by itself doesn’t taste good – some found it a bit bitter and vinegary.

I recommend using it to marinade chicken or turkey before grilling or smoking, the vinegar and oil in the sauce make your meat more tender and moist. The result will be great.

Key features

• Mayonnaise-based, Alabama style
• No high fructose corn syrup

Product specifications

Brand	Big Bob Gibson
Container size	16 ounces
Package size	Single
Servings per container	15

This video shows you how to have the best-grilled chicken wings with Big Bob Gibson Original White BBQ Sauce:

7. Dreamland BBQ Sauce

(Best for Ribs)

This vinegar-based sauce is the secret for famous ribs severed at Dreamland Barbecue since 1958. It is the beautiful blend of flavorful ingredients: tomato paste thinned with vinegar and doctored with robust spices for a tangy, delicious flavor to add on the ribs, chicken, or beef.

The well-balanced ratio of components in the sauce results in a nice texture added with a hint of natural smoke flavor. The sauce is a great deal to level up your barbecue recipes.

With a jar of this sauce in hand, you can enjoy the authentic BBQ ribs like sitting in the Dreamlands Bar-be-cue restaurant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Key features

• Vinegar-based, Carolina style
• Gluten-free
• Contains high fructose corn syrup

Product specifications

Brand	Dreamland
Weight	31 ounces
Package size	Single
Servings per container	32

8. Blues Hog Tennessee Red BBQ Sauce

(Best for Pulled Pork)

Blues Hog uses two main ingredients of vinegar and pepper along with its distinctive spice to create a great dipping sauce for a variety of foods.

It is a bit thinner than average sauces. With a strong vinegar tang of NC-style, the heat of several kinds of pepper, and a touch of sweetness from ketchup, this sauce is a perfect complement to any pork BBQ.

The only thing that makes some buyers hesitate to take a bottle Blues Hog sauce jar is that it contains high fructose corn syrup, an artificial sweetener. For those who don’t mind this point, this is the sauce to have in the kitchen table at all times.

Key features

• Vinegar-based sauce, North Carolina style
• Gluten-free

Product specifications

Brand	Blues Hog
Weight	16 Oz
Package size	Single
Servings per container	16

And here is a short introduction of Blues Hog Tennessee Red BBQ Sauce:

9. The Salt Lick Original Recipe BBQ Sauce

(Best Mustard-Based)

One of the best mustard-based BBQ sauces available on the market, the Salt Lick Original recipe BBQ sauce is 100% natural with no artificial sweetener and preservatives.

It boasts the heavy flavor of mustard, with additional hints of vinegar, sugar, and other seasonings from the American south. Containing nothing close to tomato, this sauce is not for tomato fans.

But for people who are fond of the robust flavor of mustard, once they stumbled onto a jar of the Salt Lick, they will never buy another barbecue sauce. Its strong flavor pair well with pork, beef, chicken, and even seafood.

Key features

• Mustard-based sauce, South Carolina style
• Gluten-free
• No high fructose corn syrup, no preservative

Product specifications

Brand	The Salt
Weight	12 Oz
Package size	3
Servings per container	12

Watch this video to have more reasons to buy this unit:

10. Daddy Sam’s Original BBQ Sauce

(Best with Molasses)

Daddy Sam’s BBQ sauce with its irresistible BBQ flavor has been on the kitchen tables of many Texas families for four generations.

With the original BBQ sauce recipe, the sauce is made of natural ingredients: molasses for the sweetness, vinegar for tangy taste, mustard and pepper for heat, and tomato for a thick consistency.

The right amount of sweet and heat in the sauce makes it great for almost every member of your family. Because it is on the thick side, you can dilute it with some water before dressing it on chicken, ribs, pork, or anything that you want.

Key features

• Molasses and vinegar-based sauce
• No High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Gluten-free and Kosher certificated

Product specifications

Brand	Daddy Sam’s
Container size	19 ounces
Package size	2 jars
Servings per container	14

11. Trader Joe’s Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce

(Best for Chicken)

As a mustard-based barbecue sauce, this Trade Joe’s sauce has a uniquely solid, deep flavor. It has a beautiful balance of sweetness from cane sugar and spiciness from yellow mustard with a hint of added molasses.

Trade Joe’s does not forget to remind you of authentic grilling evidence by adding natural smoke flavor to the sauce. Worcestershire sauce is perfectly seasoned to the sauce to round up the flavor.

This sweet-and-spicy sauce goes well as a marinade or dipping sauce for chicken, pizza, sandwiches or any meat you prefer.

Key features

• Mustard-based sauce
• No High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Contains Worcestershire sauce

Product specifications

Brand	Trader Joe’s
Container size	18 oz
Package size	Single bottle
Servings per container	15

12. Montgomery Inn Barbecue Sauce

(Best for Brisket)

Used to be the exclusive side dish in Cincinnati restaurants, this rich, sweet, and spicy sauce is now available on grocery stores for everyone. It features tomato as the base for additive seasonings: molasses for sweetness, vinegar to balance the texture and spices for hearty flavor.

Many cooks love to enjoy the sauce when it goes on brisket, chicken wings, or pulled pork, but I think it tastes pretty good on baked beans, French fries, and as veggies dressing, too.

Montgomery Inn packages the product in a large-size bottle, which can feed 23 servings, making it a very convenient choice for big parties.

Key features

• Tomato-based
• Gluten-free
• Contains high fructose corn syrup

Product specifications

Brand	Montgomery Inn
Container size	28 oz
Package size	3 bottles
Servings per container	23

13. Rufus Teague: Blazin’ Hot BBQ Sauce

(Best Spicy)

If you are looking for a spicy BBQ sauce, look no further than Rufus Teague BBQ sauce. Must warn you: it is seriously hot.

Packed with wholesome, natural ingredients, the sauce is thick and sweet like a Kansas City BBQ sauce should be. The remarkable thing is the kick of heat from various kinds of peppers and spice, which will burn your mouth and make the meat more appealing.

For those who can eat spicy food, they will never take their eyes to any other product if they have tried this sauce. Thanks to a reasonable amount of tomato and brown sugar, the sauce still tastes sweet and has a nice consistency, making it great for any grilling recipes.

Key features

• Tomato-based, Kasan City style
• Non-GMO
• Gluten-free certificated
• No high fructose corn syrup

Product specifications

Brand	Rufus Teague
Container size	16 oz
Package size	2 bottles
Servings per container	14

This is a quite careful review of by a tester:

14. Stubb’s Smokey Mesquite BBQ Sauce

(Best with Smoky Flavor)

Stubb’s makes my list one more time with its genuine Smokey Mesquite BBQ Sauce. The sauce well blends brown sugar, vinegar, and of course, smokey mesquite flavor to bring the most delicious taste to your barbecue.

In comparison with Stubb’s Original flavor, this unit contains more sugar for more sweetness. Thanks to the added vinegar which mellows out this sugar, the sauce tastes sweet but inoffensive. I love the note of natural smoky mesquite flavor that helps my meats and veggies get a more fantastic taste.

This mouth-watering combination of natural ingredients will make you lick your fingers.

Key features

• Molasses-based
• No High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Gluten-Free

Product specifications

Brand	Stubb’s
Container size	18 oz
Package size	4 bottles
Servings per container	15

Watch this video for more detail:

15. Primal Kitchen BBQ Sauce Trio (Classic BBQ, Golden BBQ, and Steak Sauce)

(Best without Sugar)

Primal Kitchen BBQ Sauce Trio is an all-in-one combo, allowing you to experience three different flavors: Classic BBQ, Golden BBQ, and Steak Sauce.

The Classic and Golden BBQ sauce is totally unsweetened, while the Steak sauce contains only a negligible amount of sugar. All three bottles are WHOLE 30 approved, Paleo and Keto friendly.

You can use each one alone or mix and match all on your ribs, pulled pork, chicken, veggies, and more. That combo of Primal Kitchen is an absolute must.

Key features

• The classic BBQ – Tomato-based sauce; The Golden BBQ – Mustard-based sauce; The Steak Sauce – Vinegar-based sauce
• WHOLE 30 approved
• Paleo and Keto friendly.
• No high fructose corn syrup

Product specifications

Brand	Primal Kitchen
Container size	8.5 ounces
Package size	3 bottles
Servings per container	15

An interesting video about this combo:

What Should You Consider When Buying BBQ Sauce?

The mission of discovering the BBQ sauce that the whole family can agree on is not easy. To be more sure about your shopping decision, it is wise to start with some popular BBQ sauce brands on the market.

Once you already decide a brand to put your trust in, now there is something that you should think about:

Stubb’s – A long-last brand since 1968. Stubb’s BBQ sauce is a part of Stubb’s barbecue restaurant originating from Texas.

Bone Suckin’ – Found by Phil Ford in Raleigh, North Carolina around 1987. Phil Ford create his first sauce based on his mother’s recipe for a western North Carolina-style barbecue sauce.

Bull’s Eye – Bull’s Eye started with the original BBQ sauce, in 1985 and now it’s one of the best BBQ sauce brands on the market.

Gates – One of the famous and long-last Kansas City barbecue restaurants, Gates introduced its first BBQ sauce recipes to grocery store in 1975.

Sweet Baby Ray’s – Found by Chef Larry in 1985 with the first recipe for a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. The brand now has grown the product line to include over 20 flavors.

Big Bob Gibson – Founded in Decatur, Alabama, in 1925, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q is one of the oldest barbecue restaurants in the world. The brand founder, Mr Bob Gibson, is the father of Alabama-style mayonnaise white BBQ sauce.

And some well-known brands:

• Daddy Sam’s
• Rufus Teague
• Trader Joe’s
• Dreamland
• Montgomery Inn

Once you already decide a brand to put your trust in, now there is something that you should think about:

Style

As I mentioned above, there are four main BBQ styles based on their main ingredients and which meat they typically accompany. Do you and your family prefer tomato, vinegar, mustard, or mayonnaise?

Though using the same ingredients, each brand mixes them in different ratios and formulas. Consequently, the flavors may vary considerably.

Sugar Contents

Typically, BBQ sauce will contain sweetness from many sources: molasses, honey, brown sugar, cane sugar, or artificial sweetener such as high fructose corn syrup.

Do not talk about the culinary reasons; the sugar content in BBQ sauce does matter when it comes to your health status.

People who have to cut off sugar intake because of health issues like diabetes or a low-carb diet should study the nutrient label before deciding to take any sauce bottle off the shelves.

Spiciness

There is always someone who will not feel food tastes good when it does not taste spicy. For them, lacking heat makes the food less exciting and attractive.

On the contrary, there are certainly people who shun spicy food. The heat from spicy food makes them feel painful instead of enjoyable.

So, make sure what level of heat you can handle and choose the sauce with suitable spiciness.

FAQs

The following questions and answers will reveal some tips about using the BBQ sauce for better meals. I believe they are worth your time to take a look.

My Top Pick

Finally, my final verdict comes to the Bone Suckin’ BBQ Sauce. I love the way that it harmonizes flavors of tomato, molasses, honey, cider vinegar, and natural hickory smoke to make a complex combination.

With great texture, this sauce proves its versatility when working well with spare ribs, steak, chicken wing, veggies, pizza, or any food you cook.

What is your favorite choice? Let me know your decision by leaving a comment below.