How do you make BBQ sauce more flavorful?

Add smoky, spicy, or tangy flavors for a semi-homemade bbq sauce that tastes just like it's from scratch. You can spice up bbq sauce and add some texture and flavor to store-bought bbq sauce with chopped kimchi, bacon bits, sautéed onions, or jalapeños, fresh herbs, or fruit like pineapple and peaches.

What makes BBQ sauce better?

Adding garlic or onion powder are standard flavors for barbecue, but get a little creative and try out different chile powders, peppers, cumin, or dried herbs to add body to the sauce.

How to make homemade barbecue sauce thicker?

You can use either flour or cornstarch to thicken BBQ sauce. Just mix together 2 tbsp (16 g) of flour and ¼ cup (62.5 mL) of water, or combine 1 tbsp (9 g) of cornstarch with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of water. Continue mixing the thickener until there are no lumps of flour or cornstarch.

What can I do with too much rhubarb?

4 Ways To Use Leftover Rhubarb Candied. Simply bake rhubarb pieces with sugar and lemon in the oven to obtain a candied version that you can spread on toast or pour over a scoop of ice cream. In co*cktails. Rhubarb and summer drinks go hand in hand. ... Homemade syrup. You don't even need a recipe to make rhubarb syrup. ... Compote.

What gives a sauce more flavor?

Pungent fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and marjoram can liven up tomato sauce with their bold, distinctive flavors. Add 1 to 2 sprigs of one or more of them to your favorite sauce, cover, and simmer at least 5 minutes to allow them to infuse in the sauce. Remove the sprigs before serving.

How do you add depth to BBQ sauce?

Create depth by adding dark chocolate and coffee to your barbecue sauce. These two, feature a bitter-sweet combo that can truly enhance the blend of spices and flavors present in your bottled barbecue sauce. Enhance your Barbecue Sauce using almost anything, including your favorite beer.

What is the most common ingredient in BBQ sauce?

The base ingredients of barbecue sauce usually include tomato sauce or ketchup, vinegar, and sweeteners, such as molasses or brown sugar . Other common ingredients include Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, onion powder, and various spices, which can include paprika, cumin, and chili powder.

What thickens BBQ sauce?

Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Stir and mix well while cooking over medium heat a few more minutes, as it thickens.

How do I make plain barbecue sauce better?

There are many ways to add more heat to a BBQ sauce. The easiest way is to add a splash or two of your favorite hot sauce . Other options include adding more cayenne pepper, some chili oil, or red pepper flakes. (We wouldn't recommend adding red pepper flakes to a smooth, uncooked sauce like our Easy BBQ Sauce, though.)

What gives BBQ Flavour?

Once the surface is dry, the heat causes the proteins and sugars on the outside of the meat to undergo a reaction called the Maillard Reaction . This reaction produces a complex mixture of molecules that make food taste more savory or “meaty” and adds depth to scents and flavors.

What can I add to BBQ sauce to make it less tangy?

If you went a little heavy handed on the vinegar, your best bet is to balance its flavor with something sweet. Brown sugar, molasses, dark corn syrup, agave nectar or plain old white sugar will do the trick. Don't use maple syrup though. Nothing but raisins are more disgusting than maple syrup in bbq sauce.

What makes barbecue taste good?

A: The science behind BBQ is the combination of heat, smoke, and the Maillard reaction . Heat helps to break down the proteins and fats in the meat, while smoke adds flavor and aroma. The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that creates the delicious flavor and aroma of BBQ.

Rhubarb bbq sauce recipe - Rhubarbarians (2024)

Published: Jun 7, 2015 · Modified: Mar 5, 2024 by Trish Bozeman · This post may contain affiliate links · 30 Comments

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Smoky rhubarb bbq sauce recipe! Tangy, sweet, and savory bbq sauce made with fresh rhubarb and chipotle peppers.

Rhubarb bbq sauce recipe - Rhubarbarians (1)

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Happy Sunday friends! Know what today is? The PERFECT day to get your bbq on. The sun is shining, the temps are high, the beer is being guzzled. Le sigh....... life is good. It's also rhubarb season, and even you newbie readers should know how much that rules my world (because, blog name!). So, let's make some smoky rhubarb barbecue sauce mmmmmkay?

I've been really wanting to unlock the savory side of rhubarb this year. Every year I go for the sweet approach, using WAY too much refined sugar to mask the extreme tartness of the rhubarb. Here's the thing though..... I love that tartness. It's bitter without being sour, bright without being acidic, and breaks down in a sauce so beautifully, you'll wonder why you aren't using it in ERRRRRYTHING. This vegetable, cut down into little comma (or apostrophe) shaped tart bombs, should be your next foodie obsession.

More sauce recipes to try:

Peanut butter chocolate sauce
Grapefruit vinaigrette recipe
Easy recipes with cranberry sauce
Whole berry cranberry sauce recipe

Did you make this recipe? Leave us a review and star rating in the comments below! We read every single review and appreciate your feedback.

Recipe

Rhubarb bbq sauce recipe

Trish Bozeman

Smoky rhubarb bbq sauce recipe! Tangy, sweet, and savory bbq sauce made with fresh rhubarb and chipotle peppers.

4.50 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Sauce

Cuisine American

Servings 3 cups

Calories 232 kcal

Ingredients

5 cups 1" pieces of rhubarb About 4 medium stalks
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2-3 medium chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped About 1- 1½ heaping Tablespoons, depending on how smoky you prefer
1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 Tablespoon finely minced ginger
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients except the salt in a large saucepan. Stir well to combine.
5 cups 1" pieces of rhubarb, 4 Tablespoons brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons maple syrup, ½ cup ketchup, 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 2-3 medium chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, 1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon finely minced ginger
Heat the pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbling.
Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the rhubarb is broken down and very soft, stirring often, about 15 minutes.
Remove the sauce from the heat and puree the sauce with an immersion blender, or in a regular blender.
Stir the salt into the sauce. Taste and add more salt if desired. Let the sauce cool completely.
1 teaspoon salt
Once cooled, store the sauce in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to a month, or freeze or can.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 1918mgPotassium: 870mgFiber: 5gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 419IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 234mgIron: 2mg

Keyword barbecue sauce, vegan, vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Comments and questions

Jan
December 05, 2022 at 9:28 am
Could you use frozen packaged rhubarb for this recipe instead of fresh?
Reply
- Trish Bozeman
  December 06, 2022 at 9:35 am
  Absolutely!
  Reply
Lamb
June 30, 2018 at 5:58 am
I just made this sauce, and I dig it:). I didn’t have chipotle in adobo, but rather, on hand I had dehydrated chipotles, which I soaked overnight (2), and chopped from there:). I also added a touch of fresh lemon juice, maybe half a lemon, to tone the heat a touch, not because it was too kicky for me, but I’m not the only human in the house;).
My only question - what should the consistency be? It seems a little jammy, but DELICIOUS, don’t get me wrong!:)
Thanks for this! (Also, I found a no-sugar version if you’re interested:))
Reply
- Patricia Bozeman
  July 02, 2018 at 1:22 pm
  Hey there! The consistency shouldn't really be jammy. It should be like normal bbq sauce, so should slowly pour from a spoon. Hmmm... did you use really large rhubarb stalks?
  Reply
Elli
June 20, 2018 at 2:00 pm
Do you use sweet cecily with your rhubarb? Really cuts the need for sugar down.
Reply
- Patricia Bozeman
  June 21, 2018 at 11:39 am
  I've never heard of sweet cecily! Is it a sugar substitute? A plant?
  Reply
  - Elli
    June 21, 2018 at 10:36 pm
    It is a herb. The leaves or seeds added to sharp fruit like rhubarb or cooking apples takes away the hard edge of the sharpness. I can half my sugar if i use a tablespoon or two of it. It smells slightly aniseedy but i don't notice that so much (and i am not an aniseed fan).
    Reply
    - Elli
      July 02, 2018 at 1:24 pm
      So i made it with half the sugar and 1 tbsp less syrup and a generous helping of sweet cecily. I also used passata not ketchup (because it was open) and smoked paprika as i didn't have the chilli (hard to find in the uk) all worked well except i would use chilli paste next time. The allotment bbq crowd are hard to please and it went down a treat!
      Reply
Sherry Brunette
June 18, 2018 at 10:03 pm
Hi! I finally made a double batch of this yesterday because I've been dyin to make this sauce! We grilled up some chicken tonight seasoned with only the juice of 1 lemon and a little herb de providence. Brushed this beautiful sauce on at the tail end and enjoyed..this sauce is AMAZING!! Perfect amount of tang, smokey chipotle flavor without it being over kill and definitely not to sweet! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. We think it will go great on baby back ribs! Glad I gave a point to my brother, cant wsit to hear what he thinks!
Reply
See Also
10 Quick Tips & Recipes for Storing Bell Peppers
- Patricia Bozeman
  June 21, 2018 at 11:39 am
  Oh, so glad you loved it! I need to to make myself a batch this year. Thanks for trying out the recipe!
  Reply
Holly
May 22, 2018 at 10:51 am
Hi!
I grow and sell rhubarb on my farm and am making your sauce right now. I stuck my finger in and it tastes delish, even though I was missing a few things lol.
Question: do you think I could make more and can this? I know there's all those weird things about following special recipes or risk dying ? And I've seen recipes for canning..but just from reading the ingredient list I think that yours sounds better.
Reply
- Patricia Bozeman
  May 24, 2018 at 9:35 am
  Hi Holly! Honestly, I'm not totally sure about the canning. I'm assuming that if you seal the jars, you should be fine. But, I'm not 100% sure! Let me know if you find out the right answer!
  Reply
  - Kendra N
    June 27, 2018 at 10:30 am
    I just made a double batch of this and I canned/jarred mine. I did a water bath, boiled jars for 15 minutes, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove jars from water and leave undisturbed for 25 minutes. Refrigerate and use any jars that did not seal or reprocess/reseal jars/
    Reply
    - Patricia Bozeman
      July 02, 2018 at 1:18 pm
      Sounds awesome! So glad you liked it! I wish we had some jarred, so we could eat it all year. 🙂
      Reply
  - Quilter
    May 23, 2019 at 3:20 pm
    It is safe to water bath can this recipe because of the vinegar and tomato ketchup involved. I teach canning and am familiar with Ball canning safety standards.
    Reply
    - Patricia Bozeman
      May 30, 2019 at 10:20 am
      Hi! I honestly have never tried canning this, so I'd hate to give you advice about food safety. If you're concerned maybe use the boiling method just to be safe.
      Reply
- Christine
  May 25, 2018 at 8:30 am
  Barbeque sauce freezes really well!
  Reply
  - Patricia Bozeman
    June 14, 2018 at 10:51 am
    So good to know! Thank you!
    Reply
- Donna
  July 07, 2019 at 4:33 pm
  I canned mine in a water bath for 10 minutes and it turned out great.
  Reply
  - Patricia Bozeman
    July 08, 2019 at 8:01 am
    I'm so glad it worked!
    Reply
Brad
May 21, 2018 at 6:15 pm
Hi,
I don't think this is a vegan BBQ sauce due to the fact that anchovy is a key ingredient in Worcestershire sauce.
Reply
- Patricia Bozeman
  May 21, 2018 at 7:42 pm
  You are right! I used vegan worcestershire sauce. Do you have that at your grocery store?
  Reply
Danielle P
July 06, 2017 at 11:15 am
Excellent sauce! I didn't have enough ketchup so I used only 1/4 cup and added some extra chipotles. But, do they add a kick! I added maybe half a teaspoon of salt... It just needed a bit of salt to finish nicely.
Planning to grill chicken and baste them with the sauce tonight!
Reply
- Patricia Bozeman
  September 21, 2017 at 3:19 pm
  YUM! So glad it worked out for you! Yeah, you don't need much chipotle to get that kick. ?
  Reply
Brenda
June 06, 2017 at 8:48 am
want to make a big batch in my instant pot. Do you think it would work?
Reply
- Patricia Bozeman
  September 21, 2017 at 3:17 pm
  Hi Brenda! I haven't used the instant pot, but I don't see why not! Let me know if you try it and it works! 🙂
  Reply
Jenna@recipe-diaries.com
June 08, 2015 at 5:05 pm
I'm so trying this! Got plenty of rhubarb to use up.
Reply
- Patricia Bozeman
  June 09, 2015 at 9:28 am
  YES! Let me know what you think!
  Reply
Heather - Butter & Burlap
June 08, 2015 at 7:12 am
A rhubarb bbq sauce?? I'm intrigued!
Reply
- Patricia Bozeman
  June 08, 2015 at 8:51 am
  YES! Totally delicious stuff!
  Reply