I rarely use store-bought barbecue sauce. Save for Sweet Baby Ray’s, most of the stuff on the shelf pales in comparison to the deep, tangy flavors you can achieve by whipping it up at home. And yes, there are a million recipes out there, but I wanted to narrow it down by asking five pro chefs and pitmasters for their favorite recipes to make at home and in their restaurants. If you’re ready to take your outdoor cooking routine to the next level, these homemade barbecue sauce recipes deserve a place in your rotation.

You can’t go wrong with a bourbon barbecue sauce, and this version — courtesy of Sonny’s BBQ pitmaster Shannon Snell — is kind of a perfect recipe. Brown sugar adds that much-needed barbecue sauce sweetness, while grainy mustard and Tabasco lend a satisfying tang.
Try on: wings, pulled pork, ribs
Sonny’s Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Servings: About 1.5 cups
Ingredients
- .75 cup bourbon
- .75 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. grainy mustard
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 1 Tbsp. Tabasco Sauce
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
Directions
-
-
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the brown sugar and bourbon. Reduce the bourbon down until the alcohol is gone.
-
Whisk in mustard, tabasco, honey, salt and black pepper. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir for 15 more minutes until thick.
-

Though Korean barbecue contains different flavors than its American brethren, the basic elements are the same: grilled meat and typically some sort of sauce to go with it. At Eileen Andrade’s Miami restaurants Amelia’s 1931 and Finka Table & Tap, she uses her signature Korean BBQ sauce on filet mignon skewers and a smashburger with kimchi and fried onions, respectively.
Try on: Beef kebabs, burgers
Korean BBQ Sauce by Eileen Andrade
Servings: About 1 cup
Ingredients
- .5 cup soy sauce
- .5 cup gochujang paste
- 1 Asian pear, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp. fresh chopped ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp. honey
- 1 Tbsp. gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes or 1 spicy red pepper, minced
Directions
-
-
Puree all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth.
-
Transfer the barbecue sauce mixture to a small sauce pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Use immediately or transfer to a sealable container and refrigerate until ready to use.
-
The Ultimate Guide to Regional Barbecue Sauces in the United States
When it comes to ribs, brisket and wings, you’ve got options
Situated right in front of Albert Hotel in Fredericksburg, Texas, Junebug‘s BBQ is a smoked meat newcomer built on award-winning recipes. Their all-purpose sauce is about to become the hero of every summer cookout this season. “I like it because it is tangy, a little sweet and packs a little bit of heat to balance it out,” says Junebug’s pitmaster Justin Spencer. “It goes well with everything.”
Try it on: brisket, ribs, turkey
Junebug's All-Purpose BBQ Sauce
Servings: 1.5 quarts
Ingredients
- 495 grams ketchup
- 120 grams yellow mustard
- 320 grams seasoned rice vinegar
- 120 grams apple cider vinegar
- 260 grams apple juice
- 410 grams brown sugar
- 145 grams Worcestershire sauce
- 100 grams soy sauce
- 21 grams garlic powder
- 252 grams honey
- 1 gram cayenne pepper
Directions
-
-
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and bring to a boil on the stove. Lower heat to a simmer and reduce the sauce by about half or to the consistency you would like.
-

“Whenever I have pints of leftover salsa lying around, which happened a lot during the making of this book, I dump them on chicken as a marinade for grilling or roasting,” writes Rick Martinez in his latest cookbook, Salsa Daddy. “This one, with dried apricots, reminded me of my favorite barbecue sauces in Texas, which always seem to begin with a store-bought sauce and then get doctored up into something entirely new, and sometimes, a li’l sweet. I also love that all the ingredients in this recipe are pantry staples, so I usually don’t have to shop for it. The smoky chipotle counters the sugar and complements any food with burnt ends or char marks. Ribs? Genius.”
Try it on: grilled chicken, brisket, ribs, charred vegetables
Salsa “BBQ” de Albaricoque y Chipotle
Servings: 3 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried apricots (5.8 oz/165 g)
- 5 chipotle chiles in adobo plus 2 Tbsp. adobo sauce (or 5 chiles moritas)
- 1 garlic clove, peeled but whole
- 1 fresh thyme sprig or .5 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 whole cloves
- 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
Directions
-
-
In a medium saucepan, combine 2.5 cups water, the apricots, chipotles, adobo sauce, garlic, thyme, cloves and salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let sit for 10 minutes, until the apricots are plump, very soft and ready to blend.
-
Transfer the apricot mixture, cooking liquid and vinegar to a blender and purée until smooth. It should be the consistency of pourable yogurt, so thin with water if necessary and season with more salt if desired.
-
Do ahead: The salsa can be made up to 1 week ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 1 month.
-
Reprinted with permission from Salsa Daddy: Dip Your Way into Mexican Cooking by Rick Martínez, copyright © 2025. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
You’ve likely heard of Alabama white sauce, which is a tangy mayonnaise-based sauce I love drizzled on smoked dry-rub wings. But Charles Williams, the executive chef of Ella’s by Christian Petroni, gave the traditional recipe a spicy, Italian twist. “The Calabrian aioli is a versatile sauce that goes extremely well with almost anything,” he says. “It has a decent level of spice and a tangy finish.”
Try it on: wings, roasted potatoes, chicken sandwich
Calabrian Aioli
Servings: About 4 cups
Ingredients
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- .5 cup garlic confit
- .5 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup Calabrian chilis
Directions
-
-
Blend all components in a Robot Coupe or blender.
-
Every Thursday, our resident experts see to it that you’re up to date on the latest from the world of drinks. Trend reports, bottle reviews, cocktail recipes and more. Sign up for THE SPILL now.