All American BBQ Sauces

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All American BBQ Sauces

By The Paula Deen Test Kitchen

Paula LOVES barbecue sauce on everything from ribs to potatoes! Like her, we all have our favorite sauces. From Kansas City to North Carolina, here are our top four. Try a sauce from a different region this summer grilling season. Or, host a backyard barbecue making all four sauces available for your guests and let them judge which one they like best. You might find that you have a new favorite!

No Cook Eastern North Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce
In eastern North Carolina, they call their barbecue sauce a “finishing sauce”, as it is served after roasting the meat. Generally served in a squirt bottle on the side. Just make sure to shake it up well before you put it on the meat!

Ingredients:
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce, we use Paula Deen Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:
In a large canning jar with a tight fitting lid add all the ingredients and shake. Place in the refrigerator for two days prior to using. Shaking occasionally. Shake well before using.

Traditional Memphis-Style Barbecue Sauce
Memphis, Tennessee is not only the home of Elvis Presley and rock and roll; it is also one of America’s barbecue capitals. In the Bluff City, ribs and pulled pork are topped with a variation of tangy vinegar and tomato-based sauce. In a barbecue town like Memphis, a sauce recipe can be akin to a family heirloom, passed down through the generations.

Ingredients
2 cups light brown sugar
3 tablespoons ground dry mustard
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
4 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup ketchup
1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup grape juice
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 lemons, washed, quartered, and seeded

Directions
To an unheated, large saucepan or stockpot add dry ingredients. Slowly add vinegar, whisking all of the dry into a paste. Add all other ingredients. Put pan over medium-high heat. Stirring frequently, bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for at least two hours.

Move sauce from heat. Remove lemons with a slotted spoon. Let sauce cool for 5-10. Pour warm sauce into a blender or food processor. Pulse on for about 30 seconds. This will keep your sauce from breaking in the refrigerator.

Pour the finished sauce into containers and store in refrigerator until you are ready to use. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to six months.

Cook time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Makes 1 liter of sauce
Cook’s Tip: The longer the sauce cooks, the more it will reduce. If a thicker sauce is desired, an additional 1-3 hours is recommended.

Traditional Kansas City-Style Barbecue Sauce
Because of its long history of being a major trailhead for cattle drives moving from the Southwest to their eastern markets, Kansas City barbecue is considered the epicenter of American barbecue. Kansas City barbecue sauce gets its flavor from a sweet tomato sauce, herbs and mustard mix.

Ingredients:
2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon onion salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 ½ teaspoon cumin, ground
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons mustard
4 tablespoons butter

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients except the butter. Bring to a simmer and cook over a low heat for 30 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the butter and allow it to melt through the sauce.

South Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce
Not all barbecue sauces are a rich red! In fact, if you have ever had barbecue in South Carolina you know it comes with a flavorful bright yellow, mustard-based sweet sauce.

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1/2 sweet onion, grated
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Sauté the onions in the butter until translucent, but not brown. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Yields: 2 cups

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Reader Comments:

Hey Paula Deens I love your show cooking and you was the best I have ever watch you all the time cooking and I did try some of what you teach how to cooking . I have 4 cookbooks of you and your sons too ya'll so wonderfully Ya'll my favorite fans of paula deens . I never stop watching you in the show on tv foodnetworks.

By Angela Battles on March 05, 2013

Paula can these bbq sauces be canned? You are the most amazing woman there is! Thank you for your shows! Thank you, One of your favorite fans! Terri

By Terri on February 14, 2013

Chef Boy R Me, I totally agree...

By Anonymous on October 09, 2012

I have to wholeheartedly agree with Brenda when she asked why there are no Texas BBQ Sauce recipes listed here on your website. I've tasted and made BBQ Sauces from all over the USA and the world and nothing, to me, beats the taste and texture of good ol' Texas BBQ and BBQ Sauce. Give it a try, ya'll!

By Chef Boy R Me on August 21, 2012

I LOVE YOU AND YOUR COOKING.

By Natasha Saka on July 11, 2012

My father and I my our own BBQ sauce.

By Karen A Ford on July 08, 2012

I IOVE YOUR SHOWS & RECIPES BUT I CAN NOT LOG IN AND SAVE THEM, CAN YOU TELL ME WHY OR HOW I CAN DO THIS?

By DARRELL McGUIGAN on July 08, 2012

Dear Paula, With all the fresh veggies coming in to our home, my husband wants to can salsa.this brings to mind a show food network has not tapped. A canning show! Teaching proper procedures. What a price saving for all. A lot of churchs can for fall craft shows to sell. they can be quite expensive. I would love a show on canning to encourage me. Men like to can especially salsa, it's sort of like a "grilling thing". Thanks, Love your shows. Karen

By Karen Vernon on July 08, 2012

love my georgia girl done good

By rebecca campbell on July 08, 2012

Dear Mrs. Dean, I love all if you cooking shows and the good from scratch cooking, I am also a scratch cook. My daddy was from Louinsian and my grandmother was from the West Indines, so how could I not be a scratch cook. My mother who was a very good cook, started me cooking at the age of eight years old and I am now 68 years old, as of May 21. I love to good and enjoy cooking. I do everthing from scratch, and love it. My friends have tryed me get me to open my own resteraunt. However, working 60 years of the 68, I do not want to work full time again. I enjoyed my retiement very much. I was a State Social Worker and School Social Worker. I also a Commumity Activist as well. Rise my son after leaving my x-huusband when he was 3 years. It was Jesus Moma and me. Moma died when my son was 8 years old. It leve Jesus and Me. I did get him out of college. He is Civil Engeener looking for a job. It has not be a bed of roses, but I still press on, with the help of the Dear Lord. Thanks to him I am keeping on. Best to you as you continue on in your good work. God be with you and your family Edith Marie Haney-Galvin

By Edith Haney-Galvin on June 05, 2012

I love Paula's recipes, her chicken and dumplings, lasagna...you name it. But I have to warn people about the Memphis style barbecue sauce -do not do it!!!!! I was up all night (and I mean all) making this sauce for memorial day. It was EXTREMELY oily and smelled of vegetable oil as it was cooking. I scooped out some of the oil after it cooked and added a little water thinking that it would make it better, it didn't. It tasted oily and disgusting. I gagged several times as I was pouring it from the processor. And the lemon taste was WAY over the top. 5 hours later, My house smells like lemon and oil... The fan is currently on and the BBQ sauce outside for the trash. I am disappointed to say the least. I have a hard time believing that this is Paula's own recipe :-(

By Dennette on May 28, 2012

If you like a peppery hot - not sweet - sauce, go to the website for McClard's Barbecue in Hot Springs, Arkansas. You can order sauce from them. Better yet, go there and eat some of their fabulous ribs and coleslaw!

By Kay B on May 02, 2012

I LOVE YOU AND THE BOYS. I wan to get some more diabetic recipes for the family. Maybe Bobby has some good ones to share on his show by converting some of your fantastic recipes. I would love to have you visit in the Utah state an spend the time sharing your smile and energy. HOW DO YOU DO IT? I consider myself a good cook and use to have dinners every December for the older people at church. I started with 9 people and the lst dinner was 29 people. Now since I have moved I really miss those times. KEEP THE SHOWS GOING AS I DO NOT MISS ANY OF THEM an have my 9 year old son hooked on Paula's shows. Thank you for being so willing to share with the public.. WE LOVE YOU

By colleen robbins on May 02, 2012

I LOVE YOU AND THE RECIPIES

By colleen robbins on May 02, 2012

My favorite sauce has to be Hoosier Daddy out of Dyer Indiana. Paula, I would love to send you some. Where can I send it to?

By brian good on May 02, 2012

I have made up my own BBQ recipe and its really simple to make. all you do is use brown sugar, ketchup and some pepsi. you use was much as you want depending on what you are cooking and how much you are cooking. i dont measure. you just mix the brown sugar and ketchup together and then you pour the pepsi in till it tastes like bbq sauce. my new hubby loves it and it is good on lots of things.

By kandice jackson on October 20, 2011

can i process these in a water bath and store them in the pantry?

By stephanie on September 03, 2011

I had the good fortune to attend a Trade Show in Orange County about 5 years ago and received a Recipe Magazine of Paula Deanes Recipes. Two years ago I opened a Coffee Shop and used Paula's recipe for Chocolate Lateyerd Irish Cream Cheese Cake. It is so popular and I have modified it to take the Amarula liqueur made in this country instead of the Bailey's. I have also spent time watching Paula's shows on TV and love not only the recipes but her infectious personality. What a lovely woman she is. Thank you for helping make my Coffee Salon a great success. Kinf Regards Donna Barnes

By DONNA BARNES on July 22, 2011

Hello Lindas, Here is the video you're looking for: http://www.pauladeen.com/videos/single/boil_the_perfect_egg/

By Jonathan Able on July 12, 2011

could you please run the video of your son boiling hard boiled eggs? Thank You, Linda

By llindas on June 30, 2011

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TYVM you’ve solved all my prlobems

By Boston on November 03, 2011

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By Cartier love earrings on November 01, 2011

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By Cartier love jewelry on October 18, 2011

Hi Paula;
I am looking for a homemade Honey-mustard sause.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Ondra Corley

By Ondra Corley on December 07, 2010

Hi Paula,
My wife and I love your show. So, you say you love BBQ sauce? Well, my wife and I produce our own line of specialty BBQ sauces and we would absolutely love for you to have an opportunity to taste one of America’s best sauces. We make Country Style, Sweet Brown Sugar and Spicy. We are sure you would love them. Please check us out at http://www.whittakersbbq.com. Thanks a lot.

By Ernest Whittaker on July 02, 2010

Hey Paula,
Ever since I started watching your shows several years ago, you have truly inspired me to cook more. Every recipe of yours I have tried my husband loves and that’s saying alot. I am one of your biggest fans. I made my husband take me to your restaurant when we were vacationing in Charleston, S.C. a couple years ago and we both loved the food and visiting Savannah.
Love that southern cooking.

By Joyce Davis on July 01, 2010

My future mother-in-law introduced me to you Paula about 7 years ago. Well, tomorrow is my 6th wedding anniversary and apparently I learned how to cook southern. My hubby and I have both gained over 50 pounds.

By Elaine on July 01, 2010

Hey Paula,
I sure hope you received my bar-b-q-sauce receipe from here in cranberry country that I wrote in an e-mail to you. It is really excellant on pork ribs.

By Catherine Bielmeier on June 29, 2010

hey paula,I just wanted to tell you i love your show and all your wounderful recipes i hope one day i will learn how to cook as good as you but for now i will just stick to your recipes the family loves them

By cortney on June 26, 2010

I just want to say I love your show I cook alot of your recipes and my husband loves the recipes too.

By Tammy Ballard on June 25, 2010

Hey Paula, Would you be interested in talking about southern food for my Southern Cultral class. We seem to have lost site of the south. The literture we have to read does not always represent the real south. I am in Tech school in Henderson, NC. The summer section will be over August 3, 2010. Linda Matthews

By Linda Matthews on June 24, 2010

Just a note to thank you and hope all is well. I make my daughters sit with me while I watch your show and we have cooked together a lot of your recipes. When friends travel to Sav Ga, of course I tell them to visit your restaurant. Love ya!

By Tim Swope on June 24, 2010

We love Johnny Harris BBQ sauce in the original flavor. It’s made in Savannah.

By Gussie on June 23, 2010

All of these sound great and some of them I have tried, but have you ever had “Yankee Chicken”? I brought this with me 28 yrs ago from Upstate NY and my friends here in the south enjoy the different flavor. 1c. salad oil, 2c.cider vinegar, 2 eggs, 3 Tbsp salt, 1 Tbsp poultry seasoning, 1 Tbsp black pepper 2 whole chicken washed and quartered. Combine oil, vinegar, eggs, salt, pepper and poultry seasonings in a blender and blend well. Pour over prepared chicken and refrigerate overnight. Remove chicken from marinade and place over med. hot charcoals. Baste and turn every 15 min. until the juices run clear. This will take approx 1 hour + depending on the weight of the chicken. It will be a wonderful golden brown

By linda davenport on June 23, 2010

How come u can’t print these for the sauces out? It will print the 1st/ top one and half of the second, then doesn’t print the other 2.

By Mariebk on June 22, 2010

HEY PAULA YOU ARE WONDERFUL. I WASGOING TO ASK ABOUT CANNING THE SAUCES BUT THE QUESTION WAS ALREADY ANSWERED. I LOVE TO WATCH YOU AND ALL YOUR BOYS ON YOUR COOKING SHOW. BUT WE HAVENT SEEN JACK IN AWHILE. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR RECIPES. I HAVENT TRIED 1 THAT I HAVENT LOVED YET. I HAVE EVEN GOT MY HUSBAND WATCHING YOUR COOKING SHOW.

By PAM HARDING on June 22, 2010

Here is our top four? Here ARE our top four.

By buddy on June 22, 2010

Hello All! In the Paula Deen Test Kitchen, we canned these various sauces like any tomato based recipe. We used a hot water bath. If sealed correctly, the sauce should be good for 1 year.

Libbie Summers, Senior Food Editor for Paula Deen

By Libbie Summers on June 21, 2010

This is great information. Where was it last weekend when we made pulled pork. I’m looking for a recipe for the sauce they use at the Whistling Pig near Callaway Garden’s in Pine Mountain Georgia. Anyone who is familiar with it please let me know how to make it!

By Sandy on June 21, 2010

What?? No TEXAS BBQ sauce? BBQ isn’t BBQ if it isn’t from Texas. Just sayin…..

By Brenda on June 21, 2010

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All American BBQ Sauces