How to Brush on BBQ Sauce Safely
First, and most importantly, let’s talk food safety. Separate portions of your BBQ sauce for brushing onto raw meat and for serving at the table so you don’t cross-contaminate. To avoid any mix-ups, we recommend using different colors or sizes of bowls for each. Use a BBQ sauce brush to apply the sauce to the meat and then wash the brush thoroughly before using it again.
Classic BBQ Sauce Ingredients
Stock up on these pantry staples so you don’t have to make a special supermarket run the next time you’re craving a sauced-up BBQ recipe.
White or brown sugarLiquid sweetener (honey, molasses, corn syrup, maple syrup)Jam, preserves, or spreadable fruitFruit (dates, fresh berries)Fruit juiceSodaLiquor (tequila, bourbon, rum)Tomato sauceKetchup
How to Thicken BBQ Sauce
If you find that your homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce is too thin to stick to your meat or mix well into your recipe, mix 1 cup of BBQ sauce with one of these two quick-fix thickeners:
1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water2 tablespoons flour + ¼ cup water
Either should increase the viscosity of your BBQ sauce without affecting the flavor. Curious how to thicken BBQ sauce while making the flavor richer? Add a splash of heavy cream or melt a pat of butter into your sauce.
How to Thin BBQ Sauce
On the flip side, if you can’t brush on BBQ sauce or use it in recipes because it’s too thick, mix 1 cup of BBQ sauce with one of these easy thinning agents:
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar1 tablespoon citrus juice1 tablespoon broth or stock1 teaspoon tequila, bourbon, or rum¼ cup ketchup
When and How to Brush on BBQ Sauce
Sauces high in sugar (many are since they feature molasses, honey, or brown sugar) can cause a sauce to burn on the meat’s exterior before the meat is fully cooked. Sugar burns quickly, at about 275°F and higher, and may impart a bitter flavor to a sauce if this occurs. So if you’re curious about when to put BBQ sauce on steak, when to add BBQ sauce to chicken, or when to slather ribs with sauce, our general rule is to wait until the final 10 minutes of grilling to get saucy. This allows enough time for the sauce to infuse into the meat and plenty of time for layers of sauce to be applied to build up a glaze, but it is not enough time for the sugars to scorch.
How Long Does BBQ Sauce Last?
Unopened store-bought BBQ sauce can be used until the best by date. Once you’ve opened purchased BBQ sauce, store it in the refrigerator and use it within four months (many additives are added to bottled varieties to preserve it and keep it safe longer than DIY recipes). How long does homemade BBQ sauce last? About a week to 10 days, although we find it challenging to make a batch last that long because we work with such delicious BBQ sauce recipes!
10 Bonus Uses for BBQ Sauces, Beyond Brushing on Meat
Think beyond pork chops and petite filets with these unique recipe ideas using BBQ sauce.
Use as pizza or spaghetti sauce (we currently have this slow cooker BBQ-Chicken Pineapple Pizza recipe on repeat). Use in place of ketchup for burgers, fries, hot dogs, and meatloaf. Mix with ground meats, cheese, and sour cream to use as a taco or potato filling Spice up tomato juice or Bloody Mary cocktails Blend with sour cream or cream cheese to use as a vegetable or chip dip Use as a dressing for potato, corn, and bean salad Add smoky flavor to chili or shepherd’s pie Combine with your favorite protein for a quesadilla filling Spike baked beans or bean dip Drizzle it over pulled meat-topped nachos
Never let another BBQ go by without an enticing BBQ sauce. These pointers give you everything you need to make and adjust sauces for any recipe.
