10 Tasty BBQ Sauce Recipes for Pork Ribs

Learning how to make your own homemade BBQ sauce is so easy, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it yourself all these years. Even if you’re a beginner at smoking ribs , making a sauce at home is a simple process. If you’ve ever bought a sauce from the store and wished it had a little more sweet, or a little more spice, or,…(you get the idea) then here are 10 tasty BBQ sauce recipes to try when you cook pork ribs on your Pit Boss Grill.

THE BEST HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE RECIPES FOR RIBS

Sauces come in all different flavors and styles, but here are the 10 Best for Pork Ribs:

TEQUILA BBQ SAUCE

This sauce has elements of sweet and heat with a dash of tequila and lime to give it a nice flavorful kick.

Ingredients:

 

• 1 cup Ketchup
• 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp Molasses
• 3 tbsp Honey
• 1/4 cup Tequila Blanco
• 1/2 of a Lime, squeezed
• 1 tbsp Pit Boss Sweet Heat Rub

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, add the ketchup, brown sugar, garlic cloves, molasses, honey, tequila, lime, and 1 tbsp of the Pit Boss Sweet Heat Rub. Mix the ingredients well until the glaze is blended together. Add to your ribs during the last hour of smoking in order to caramelize on top of the meat.

CAROLINA MUSTARD

Carolina style barbecue is famous for its mustard based sauce. This sauce incorporates the tanginess of mustard with vinegar, sweet brown sugar, and spicy hot sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Honey
• 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
• 2 tbsp Ketchup
• 1 tbsp Pit Boss Sweet Heat Rub
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 cups, Prepared Yellow Mustard

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the yellow mustard, cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, honey, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and 1 tablespoon of the Sweet Rib Rub. This sauce can be served when the ribs are taken off the grill, or up to 1 hour before so it has a chance to caramelize onto the ribs.

THAI PEANUT SAUCE

If your palette desires something different from the typical barbecue sauce, Thai Peanut Sauce is an excellent way to enhance your pork ribs.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
• 1/2 cup Ketchup
• 1/3 cup Creamy Peanut Butter, melted
• 1/4 cup Sweet Chili Sauce
• 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
• 2 tsp Thai Red Curry Paste
• 1 tbsp Chinese Five-Spice
• 1 tsp Coriander, ground
• 1 Lime, juiced

Instructions:

In a large glass mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, ketchup, warm/melted peanut butter, Sweet Chili sauce, rice vinegar, Thai red curry paste, Chinese five-spice, lime juice, and cilantro.

KANSAS CITY BBQ SAUCE

When you think of the classic American barbecue sauce, unless you’re from the South, you probably think of the sweet ketchup and molasses-based Kansas City style version. This sauce is as traditional as it gets but making it at home can help bring back the authentic flavors missing from the commercial brands.

Ingredients:

• 14 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 cup Ketchup
• ½ cup Molasses
• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• 1 tbsp Ground Mustard
• 1 tbsp Paprika
• 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tbsp Onion Powder
• 1 tbsp Pit Boss Sweet Rib Rub

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, add crushed tomatoes, ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, ground mustard, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and Sweet Rib Rub. Mix together until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

EAST TEXAS BBQ SAUCE

This sauce is an homage to East Texas barbecue which differs from Central Texas Barbecue in that hog is the main protein, not cattle. Regardless of the protein used, sauces are meant to be simple, enhancing the flavor of the meat instead of overpowering it. This sauce contains 3 simple ingredients meant to elevate the flavor of smoked pork.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Whole Grain Mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Instructions:

In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire. If you wrap your ribs during the smoking process, apply the mixture and then wrap and again every 15 to 20 minutes after unwrapping while on the grill.

BOURBON BBQ SAUCE

Classic barbecue flavors are given a nice bourbon kick with strong notes of vanilla, oak and caramel.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1 cup Ketchup
• ¼ cup Molasses
• 1 tbsp Pit Boss Sweet Rib Rub Seasoning
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Instructions:

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, honey, garlic, Worcestershire, and 1 tbsp Sweet Rib Rub. Mix well, add 1 shot of bourbon, mix again until sauce becomes smooth. Transfer sauce into an oven proof saucepan. Heat on grill or stove until the sauce comes to a boil. Apply to ribs at about 15 minutes prior to being done.

ORANGE CHIPOTLE

The smoky flavors from chipotle peppers team up nicely with citrusy orange and the low and slow smoked pork flavors from the ribs.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup of Orange Juice
• 1/3 cup Cilantro Leaves, fresh
• ¼ cup Honey
• ¼ cup Ketchup
• 2 tbsp Lime Juice
• 2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
• 1 tbsp Abodo Sauce
• 1 tbsp Pit Boss Sweet Heat Rub

Instructions:

In a blender, add ¾ cup of orange juice, cilantro, honey, ketchup, lime juice, 2 chipotles in adobo, adobo sauce, and 1 tablespoon of the Sweet Heat Rub. Place the lid on the blender and blend until completely smooth. Baste sauce on ribs every 15 to 20 minutes during the final hour of cooking.

APPLE CIDER AND MAPLE GLAZE

This Apple Cider and Maple Glaze makes a deliciously sticky, savory-sweet topping for your pork ribs.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups Apple Cider
• ½ cup Light Brown Sugar
• ½ cup Pure Maple Syrup
• 3 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3 tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 3 tbsp Yellow Mustard
• 2 tsp Pit Boss Tennessee Apple Butter Rub
• 2 tsp Cornstarch
• ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Ground Cloves
• ¼ tsp Thyme, Dried
• ¼ tsp Chili Powder

Instructions:

1. Make sure your pellet grill is preheated to 400°F
2. Place a cast iron skillet on the grill and add apple cider, maple syrup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon and yellow mustard, cornstarch, Pit Boss Sweet Rib Rub, cinnamon, cloves, thyme and chili powder to the pan. Whisk and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce grill temperature to 300°F and allow the mixture to simmer, stirring every 5 minutes, until thickened and reduced, approximately 15-20 minutes. Add butter to reduction and whisk until melted. Remove from grill (glaze will thicken as it stands).

BROWN SUGAR, GARLIC, AND GINGER SAUCE

A sweet and savory sauce with a tiny bit of Asian flavors.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Ketchup
• 6 tbsp Brown Sugar
• 2 tbsp Garlic Powder
• ½ stick Butter
• 1 tbsp Ginger
• 1 tbsp Chinese Five-Spice

Instructions:

Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and add heat. Stir and mix until it comes to a boil and let it sit.

SPICY BBQ COLA SAUCE

This is a fun sauce because you can take this recipe and make it new just by experimenting with different cola flavors. For instance, you could try Classic, Cherry, or even “Doctor” it up.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Brown Sugar
• ½ tsp Louisiana Hot Sauce
• ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 cup of Cola
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1 cup Ketchup
• ¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce

Instructions:

In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients until nice and smooth. If you wrap your ribs during the smoking process, apply the mixture and then wrap and again every 15 to 20 minutes after unwrapping while on the grill.