5 Best Sauce Recipes For Barbecuing

Barbecue season is well and truly here. Having people round and want to make sure the grill will be packed with big, bold flavours? We’ll let you in on a secret: sauces. Whether you’re barbecuing burgers, chicken, steaks or veggies, the secret to a really flavourful barbecue is a punchy, vibrant sauce. From bold and smoky red wine sauce to umami-packed Japanese miso sauce, we’ve rounded up our best five barbecue sauce recipes.

1.  Red wine barbecue sauce

Making the most of cumin and crushed chipotle peppers, this red wine barbecue sauce has a deliciously tangy, earthy and smoky flavour. Red wine gives it a bold, rounded flavour and the chipotle peppers add a sweet and spicy punch. If you want it extra smoky, you can even add liquid smoke!

2.  Chimichurri sauce

This chimichurri recipe from Great British Chefs is a classic Argentinian and Uruguayan sauce used both as a cooking ingredient and table condiment for grilled meats. With fresh parsley, garlic, lemon, oregano, red wine vinegar and olive oil, it’s a bright and fresh sauce which is incredibly versatile. Add a pinch of sweet smoked paprika for a smoky, tangy hint.

3.  Thai Isaan style meat dipping sauce

If you fancy a taste of Thailand, this Isaan style dipping sauce recipe from Siam Sizzles is a fiery dip which pairs deliciously with grilled pork and chicken. Roasted rice gives the sauce a rich, umami flavour, while ingredients like fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar add a sweet and tangy element. The recipe calls for half a tablespoon of red chilli flakes, but we say add in as much as you can handle!

4.  Texas style espresso BBQ sauce

Need a pick-me-up in the form of a sauce? This Texas style espresso barbecue sauce from BBC Food uses brewed espresso for those who like their coffee strong. There are also plenty of spices that go into this sauce, including black pepper, roasted garlic powder, mustard powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and chilli powder.

5.  Japanese style spicy miso BBQ sauce

Also from BBC Food is this Japanese style spicy miso barbecue sauce. This one will give your grilled meats a strong umami hit with the combination of miso paste and Korean gochujang, which is a fermented chilli paste. Don’t worry about it being too spicy, as caster sugar, honey and grated apple give a sweetness to the sauce.