Get Ready for Cookout Season With These BBQ Sauce Brands

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It's that time of year! Warm weather means more backyard cookouts, picnics, and all the grilling recipes you can fit on the grates. And if there's one type of food to put on repeat, it's definitely barbecue. Whether you're making grilled chicken, steak, or pulled pork, no recipe would be complete without a really great barbecue sauce. Sure, you make your own homemade barbecue sauce like Ree Drummond. But if you're in a time crunch, there are tons of store-bought brands worth trying. Just like with any condiment, there's a big variety of BBQ sauces—and, the options can get overwhelming. That's why we're here to help you shop for the best barbecue sauce brands on the market.

Here, you'll find options for every kind of barbecue lover, including vinegary Carolina barbecue sauces, a classic Alabama white sauce, a sweet-and-smoky Memphis-style sauce, and more. The best part is these barbecue sauce brands deliver sticky, tangy flavor without the time or effort. "Delicious store-bought barbecue sauces are available everywhere," Ree says. "I tend to think it's one of those convenience foods that's often just as good as something you can make at home." Read on to find your favorite bbq sauce, then use it to make your own marinade recipes, grilled ribs, or barbecue chicken sandwiches. Heck, you can even use it as a topping for burgers! So, what are you waiting for? Summer is calling, and it's time to fire up the grill.

Head Country The Original Bar-B-Q Sauce

This Oklahoma-based barbecue sauce is the most popular in the state, so it's no surprise that Ree keeps a bottle of it in her pantry. The original flavor is a classic mix of ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, spices, and Worcestershire sauce. Variations include hickory smoke and apple habanero.

Rufus Teague Sweet BBQ Sauce

This award-winning barbecue sauce is cooked down to create a thick, rich texture. Plus, it's made with real honey for that sticky-sweet flavor you know and love. They recommend it for grilling just about anything (seriously, the directions say "eat on meat"), dipping, and even sipping it straight from the bottle! 😂

Bone Suckin' Sauce

This Western North Carolina-style tomato-based sauce is sweet and vinegary, made with molasses and horseradish for a perfectly balanced flavor that's great on ribs. You'll want to grab some wet wipes for this finger-licking sauce!

Capital City

Sweet-and-tangy mambo sauce (also called mumbo sauce) has been a staple of D.C. carryout restaurants and the area's go-to wing sauce for decades. Capital City's version is the best-selling barbecue sauce on Amazon and has thousands of five-star reviews!

Stubb's Original BBQ Sauce

You can't go wrong with Stubb's sauces, which are a tangy mix of tomato, vinegar, molasses, and spices. The late C.B. "Stubb" Stubblefield made each batch by hand using a 60-gallon cooker until the demand became too big and he had to ramp up production in the '90s. Today the brand sells nine flavors including smoky mesquite and spicy.

Bachan's

Justin Gill named his authentic Japanese barbecue sauce brand for his grandmother (Bachan means "granny" in Japanese). Based on a recipe that's been passed down in his family for generations, the "teriyaki-ish" sauce is made with quality ingredients like real mirin, fresh green onion, garlic, and ginger (no preservatives!).

Lillie’s Q

Lillie's Q founder Charlie McKenna is a two-time World BBQ Champion, and the sauces in his line are inspired by regional variations he encountered on the competition circuit. This variety pack includes a smoky Memphis-style sauce, a mustard-based South Carolina gold sauce, and a tomato and vinegar-based sauce with hints of apple to represent Western Carolina. Perfect for sampling!

Sweet Baby Ray's

It doesn't get more classic than Sweet Baby Ray's, which is the best-selling barbecue sauce in the country. The original flavor is on the sweeter side (as the name suggests) and partially owes its unique tanginess to a hint of pineapple juice.

Big Bob Gibson Original White Sauce

Popularized by Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Northern Alabama, white barbecue sauce is mayonnaise-based with a kick of horseradish and cayenne pepper. You can't go wrong with the original if you want to try it out for yourself!

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