Texas Style BBQ Sauce Recipe: A Simple Table Sauce

While Texas-style barbecue isn’t big on using sauce in general, it’s still not uncommon to see a table sauce offered for dipping.

My sauce is slightly sweet with a peppery kick – perfect for complimenting the savory rub used for most Texas-style barbecue rubs.

Ingredients for Texas Style Barbecue Sauce

I’ve messed with these ingredients a lot to suit my own taste preferences, be sure to adjust for yours:

• 1 Cup Water
• 2/3 Cup Distilled White Vinegar
• 3 oz Tomato Paste
• 1/4 Cup Molasses
• 2 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Tabasco or similar hot sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp 16 Mesh Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Dry Mustard
• 1 Tbsp Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Corn Starch + 1/2 Tbsp water in a Slurry
• 1/2 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Morton Kosher Salt

Optional:

• 1/2 Tablespoon liquid smoke

Ingredient Explanations and Possible Substitutes for this Recipe

Tomato Paste

This type of barbecue sauce is tomato-based and I prefer to use tomato paste and water.

If you don’t have tomato paste, you can use ketchup instead. If you opt to use ketchup, don’t use vinegar and just use water.

Water

This is just tap water that’s used to thin the sauce out.

A stereotypical Texas-style barbecue sauce isn’t super thick and is slightly thin.

Vinegar

This sauce is typically vinegary/tangy and peppery. I prefer to use distilled white vinegar and find apple cider vinegar to be too strong for most people.

If you like more tartness, you can add 1 tbsp of cider vinegar to this recipe.

Dark Brown Sugar

While this style of sauce isn’t super sweet, it does have a slight sweetness.

2 Tablespoons of dark brown sugar is what I would suggest starting with and adjusting as you go.

The molasses is also used to add sweetness, it darkens the sauce, and adds a shine.

Worcestershire Sauce

Worcestershire sauce compliments the typical savory/peppery dry rub that’s used for Texas-style barbecue.

Other Ingredients Because They Taste Good

Aside from the above ingredients, other ingredients that tend to compliment Texas-style barbecue are a mixture of savory ingredients and heat from chili peppers and hot sauce.

Making the Sauce

In a medium sauce pan, combine water, distilled white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco sauce. Then add your dark brown sugar and molasses.

Ensure both of these ingredients are well combined and dissolved in the liquids.

Once combined, add your tomato paste and ensure it’s also well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Once combined, add to your sauce.

Then add your remaining dry ingredients to the sauce and whisk together.

Your sauce should look like this:

Set your burner to medium heat.

Bring the mixture to a slight boil, whisking the mixture as you do.

Once at a slight boil, lower the heat to low/simmer and simmer for 15 minutes or until at your desired consistency.

Again, a Texas-style barbecue sauce is typically thinner.

After simmering for 15 minutes, allow the sauce to cool.

Once cooled, transfer to a mason jar or similar container. You can then keep in your refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

Note: This sauce is usually served warm. I’d suggest warming in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before serving.

Print Pin Recipe

Texas Style BBQ Sauce Recipe

A Simple Table Sauce

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Active Time10 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Condiments

Equipment

• Medium Sauce Pan
• Whisk

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 Cup Water
• ▢ 2/3 Cup Distilled White Vinegar
• ▢ 3 oz Tomato Paste
• ▢ 1/4 Cup Molasses
• ▢ 2 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
• ▢ 1/2 Tsp Tabasco
• ▢ 1/2 Tbsp 16 Mesh Black Pepper
• ▢ 1/2 Tsp Dry Mustard
• ▢ 1 Tbsp Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
• ▢ 1 Tsp New Mexico Chili Powder
• ▢ 1/2 Tsp Dry Mustard
• ▢ 1/2 Tbsp Onion Powder
• ▢ 1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• ▢ 1/2 Tsp Morton Kosher Salt

Cornstarch Slurry

• ▢ 2 tbsp Corn Starch
• ▢ 1/2 tbsp Water

Optional Ingredients

• ▢ 1/2 Tbsp Liquid Smoke

Instructions

• In a medium sauce pan, combine water, distilled white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco sauce. Then add dark brown sugar and molasses and ensure they're dissolved and combined.
• Add tomato paste and ensure it's well combined.
• In a separate bowl combine 2 tbsp cornstarch and 1/2 tbsp water to form a slurry. Then add to sauce.
• Then add your remaining dry ingredients and whisk together.
• Set burner to medium heat and get sauce to a slight boil. Once at a slight boil, lower heat to low/simmer and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Once at your consistency, take off heat to cool. Once cooled transfer to a mason jar or similar container.

Notes

If you want some smoke flavor, add 1/2 tablespoon of liquid smoke.