‘Tis the time for grilling, barbecuing, and smoking outside in the open. With the onset of summer heat and charcoal aromas, there is one ingredient that can make your outdoor cooking stand out: the ideal barbecue sauce. It’s more than a condiment, it’s the essence of your smoked meats and grilled food, elevating plain meals to hosting events. With countless options crowding grocery shelves from North Carolina’s vinegary tang to Kansas City’s sweet richness choosing the right sauce can feel daunting. To simplify your decision, we taste tested 14 store bought BBQ sauces from top brands, evaluating them for balanced ingredients, authentic flavor, and versatility. Using chicken nuggets as a neutral testing base, we narrowed the field to the top 10, ranked for their ability to elevate any barbecue.
1. Bone Suckin’ Sauce Thick Sweet Southern
The title “Bone Suckin’ Sauce” guarantees bold, meat stick in the pan flavor, inspired by a family recipe so good it stripped bones bare. Its rich, reddish brown color and heavy texture, sprinkled with mustard seeds or spices, imply a big, bold profile. The sauce begins with a friendly sweetness but turns savory and tomato forward in flavor, recalling a spiced soup. Not a traditional BBQ sauce, its distinctive flavor is ideal on baked or grilled chicken, as recommended by the “Bone Suckin’ Chicken” recipe accompanying the jar. Non GMO, gluten free, and kosher, this sauce at $14.99 for an 18 ounce jar provides a certain flexibility for flavor fans, although its bold profile puts it lower for use in traditional barbecue applications.
2. Sticky Fingers Smokehouse Memphis Style Sweet & Smokey
Sticky Fingers, born in a beloved South Carolina smokehouse, brings authentic barbecue flavor to grocery shelves. Its Memphis Style Sweet & Smokey variant, with a mocha brown shade, has a thinner, runnier consistency that spreads quickly on the plate. The taste begins with a soft sweetness, then some peppery heat and a mild suggestion of spice, although the smokiness is milder than anticipated. More effective as a glaze for ribs than a dip, its subtle character is enhanced by the heat of grilling to get it across. Found everywhere, it has the messy good fun of backyard barbecues.
3. Jack Daniel’s Original
Famous for whiskey, Jack Daniel’s also produces BBQ sauces in old fashioned kettle cooking fashion. The Original combines brown sugar, juicy tomato, apple cider vinegar, and a hint of their own famous whiskey, contained in a modern glass bottle. Its thick, deep russet color clings nicely with a rich, creamy mouthfeel. The taste provides a traditional barbecue flavor with an initial tartness, although it finishes mild in all. America’s Test Kitchen complimented its “woodsy” campfire flavor but said some considered it “artificial” or unsweet. It’s a good buy at $18.76 for 10.25 ounces, although it doesn’t quite live up to the high expectations from the brand.
4. Open Pit Original
With more than 70 years of heritage, Open Pit boasts to be the “secret sauce of BBQ pit masters.” For only $1, its Original version leads in price affordability. It has a vivid, clear red color with a purplish hue that imitates ketchup, and the texture is light and shiny. The taste catches everyone off guard with a full bodied tomato foundation and a mild spicy undertone, similar to a robust hot sauce. Though not smoky and rich like typical sauces, the tangy distinction makes it a home favourite on spicy meatballs. The sauce is a cost cutting option for those wishing to go beyond traditional barbecue flavors.
5. Montgomery Inn Sweet & Tangy Original
Cincinnati dining landmark Montgomery Inn puts its signature sauce in bottles for use at home. Sold at Walmart for a reasonable price, the Original uses a family secrets only recipe passed down by the founder. Its deep caramel hue and textured body, studded with spices, give it a homemade appearance. The taste, dominated by fresh tomato concentrate, provides a honeyed sweetness with undertones of umami, a nice middle ground that is neither overly rich nor too hot. It accommodates a broad spectrum of palates. Gluten free and fat free, this 28 ounce bottle ($28.99 for a three pack) is a crowd pleasing sure thing.
Discovering the Crème de la Crème
These five sauces, as impressive as they are, pave the way for the best of the best. Ahead, we explore the top five, where balance and complexity abound, along with one of a kind flavor, informed by America’s Test Kitchen insights.
6. Sweet Baby Ray’s Original
Sweet Baby Ray’s overwhelms shelves with its signature logo and award winning Original. Its chocolate brown hue and thick consistency allude to richness. The taste is a balance of sweetness and subtle acidity with smoky depth, finishing with a soft bite. America’s Test Kitchen described it as “pleasantly sugary” and “robust,” perfect for dipping because of its “ketchupy” consistency. Sold for $12.10 in two 5 ounce bottles, its gluten free composition upgrades everything from nuggets to parties.
7. Heinz Original Sweet & Thick
Condiment powerhouse Heinz comes as a surprise with its Original Sweet & Thick BBQ sauce. Dark brown and ultra thick, it mounts high and is ideal for covering meats. The taste begins sweet and eschews over the topless, combining snappy vinegar, pepper, and garlic with a subtle heat. America’s Test Kitchen described its “bold” and “peppery” taste, with a “smooth” texture that becomes more addictive by the bite. For its gel like stickiness, it’s a great all around addition to any barbecue.
8. Stubb’s Original
Coming from an Austin, Texas barbecue restaurant, Stubb’s Original is a strong regional take. Its maroon color and pourable consistency are like taco sauce, with chili powder propelling a smoky, peppery flavor. Sour instead of sweet, it breaks with Kansas City conventions. America’s Test Kitchen sampled it as “not sweet at all” but lauded its Texas style vinegar kick for certain tastes. Perfect for grilling, its distinctive profile is highlighted when heat brings out its strong notes.
9. Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Smokin’ Hickory
Guy Fieri’s Smokin’ Hickory sauce, in a practical squeeze bottle, promises a trip to Flavortown. Its near black, gloopy texture hints at intensity. The flavor blends Worcestershire, molasses, brown sugar, and pineapple juice for a savory sweet depth, with smokiness emerging subtly. Its sticky consistency coats wings or pulled pork perfectly, delivering a complex, spice free experience that lives up to Fieri’s bold reputation.
10. Rufus Teague Honey Sweet
Rufus Teague’s Honey Sweet, in a bottle that looks like spirits, oozes high end appeal. Its rich copper color and syrupy consistency make it seem luxurious. The honey flavored taste is rich and persistent, rounded out by tomato puree, vinegar, soy sauce, and spice. Anything but one note, its robust depth elevates plain foods. Sold to turn “bad barbecue good and good barbecue better,” this sauce offers “sweet liquid gold” for any grill experience.
Final Thoughts
Our taste test uncovers the luscious variety of off the shelf BBQ sauces, from Sweet Baby Ray’s well balanced classic to Stubb’s zesty Texas kick and Rufus Teague’s honeyed bliss. Each presents a different experience, demonstrating there is a sauce for every taste. Kansas City style sweetness can be overwhelming, but mastery comes from bringing sweet, smoky, tangy, and spicy into harmony. Equipped with this guide, your next barbecue session can turn good food into culinary artistry, making each bite unforgettable.
