Memphis BBQ sauce is a tangy, slightly sweet sauce that complements the rich flavors of grilled and smoked meats. It’s the perfect condiment for pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches.
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Unlike the thicker, sweeter Kansas City BBQ sauce, Memphis BBQ sauce has a tangier flavor that accentuates the rich, smoky flavor of smoked meats.
Memphis original BBQ sauce is a staple of Southern BBQ culture. It accentuates the meat’s natural flavors with just the right amount of sweetness and heat.
Whether you slather your sandwiches with our tangy Memphis BBQ sauce or use it as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders or French fries, I promise you’ll be going back for more!
If you enjoy making homemade BBQ sauce, try our Alabama White Sauce and Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce recipes.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients needed to make our Memphis BBQ Sauce recipe. Culinary professionals call this the Mise en Place, which means “Everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I adjust the recipe?
Absolutely. To make the sauce sweeter, add a little more brown sugar or honey to the mixture. To add an earthy, sweet flavor, add molasses.
If you like heat, add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. For a smoky flavor, add liquid smoke to the mixture.
You can also make the recipe using tomato paste instead of ketchup. However, using tomato paste will reduce the sweetness of the sauce.
How to make Memphis BBQ Sauce
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to see how to make our Memphis BBQ sauce in your home kitchen.
- Add the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, and honey to a small sauce pan over medium heat.
- Whisk to combine and let the sauce cook for two minutes.
- Add the brown sugar, kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, sweet paprika, chili powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (optional) to the sauce, whisking to combine.
- Bring the sauce to a light boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
The best part about making homemade barbecue sauce is that you get to control the ingredients. You won’t find any ingredients you can’t pronounce, high fructose corn syrup, or modified food starch in our Memphis sauce recipe.
Remove the Memphis BBQ Sauce from the heat and allow it to cool for 30 minutes before refrigerating.
Refrigerating the sauce for 24 hours before using it will improve the overall flavor.
Made with simple pantry ingredients, this tangy, sweet, and spicy barbecue sauce is guaranteed to impress your friends and family with its unique flavor.
Any leftover Memphis BBQ sauce should be stored refrigerated in an airtight container or mason jar for 5-7 days. It can also be frozen in a ziplock bag for up to two months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before using.
Recipe FAQ’s
Memphis barbecue sauce is known for its balance of sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors. This tomato-based sauce is made with brown sugar, honey, yellow mustard, vinegar, and a blend of spices. And unlike other regional sauces, it’s not overly thick or too vinegary.
It pairs perfectly with pork or beef ribs, pulled pork, grilled or roasted chicken, and beef brisket. It’s also great as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders and french fries and makes an excellent condiment for burgers.
Absolutely! Thin out the sauce with a bit of water and use it as a marinade for pork, chicken, and beef. But since it contains sugar, be careful when grilling to avoid burning the meat.
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Memphis BBQ Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar for a thinner version use ¾ cup of vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Add the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, and honey to a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk to combine and let the sauce cook for two minutes.
- Add the brown sugar, kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, sweet paprika, chili powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (optional) to the sauce, whisking to combine.
- Bring the sauce to a light boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and allow the sauce to cool for 30 minutes before refrigerating. Letting the sauce sit for 24 hours will improve the overall flavor.Store in an airtight container or Mason jar refrigerated for 5-7 days.
Henry T says
My go to sauce when my family comes up from the south in the summer! Great Flavors!
Chef Dennis Littley says
That’s what I like to hear!