MyTastr

Best barbecue sauce, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Christopher Prieto, Jess Pryles, Cara Nicoletti, Mike Lang and 8 more. Recommendations come from chowhound.com, simplyrecipes.com, allrecipes.com and today.com and 1 other sources.

Condiments · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Blues Hog Original Barbecue Sauce

    Chosen by
    The competition circuit’s sauce, from Tennessee. Pryles uses it on pork ribs: “It gives a super glossy, super sticky finish,” sweet and rich enough to serve as a base for your own tweaks. Prieto calls Blues Hog Original his competition “secret weapon,” for basting and for mixing into pulled pork.
    Where to buy · amazon.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: chowhound.com ↗
  2. 2

    Lillie’s Q Barbecue Sauce

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Lang on No. 22 Smoky: “The ideal balance of sweet and smoky… can fool you into thinking it just came off the stovetop.” Nicoletti, who hates liquid smoke, likes the vinegary ENC: “really good!”
    Where to buy · lilliesq.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: simplyrecipes.com ↗
  3. 3

    Sweet Baby Ray’s Original

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    The cheap bottle won both Allrecipes panels, pitmasters and chefs. Akorede: “Sweet, sticky, and dependable.” Babberl brushes it on ribs for the last 15 minutes: “The sauce caramelizes beautifully.”
    Where to buy · sweetbabyrays.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: allrecipes.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best barbecue sauce, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Blues Hog Original Barbecue Sauce, chosen by Jess Pryles (Prime Cuts; Pitmasters judge); Christopher Prieto (Prime Barbecue). The competition circuit’s sauce, from Tennessee. Pryles uses it on pork ribs: “It gives a super glossy, super sticky finish,” sweet and rich enough to serve as a base for your own tweaks. Prieto calls Blues Hog Original his competition “secret weapon,” for basting and for mixing into pulled pork. Source: chowhound.com ↗
What are the other top picks for barbecue sauce?
No. 2 is Lillie’s Q Barbecue Sauce, chosen by Cara Nicoletti (butcher, author); Mike Lang (author, One Beer Grilling). No. 3 is Sweet Baby Ray’s Original, chosen by Kell Phelps (Barbecue News); Paul Babberl (Whatcha Smokin BBQ + Brew); Dakari Akorede (Chicageaux BBQ). Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

More condiments

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