How to Thin BBQ Sauce 

Barbecue sauce is such an important part of so many summer recipes. But sometimes you don’t need or want a thick bbq sauce. Whether you’re looking to highlight a certain flavor or you just need just a little more than the bottle offers to cover everything, stretch your BBQ sauce without sacrificing any flavor. Inside this post you’ll find a great compilation of tips and tricks on how to thin BBQ sauce.

Thinner barbecue sauce is not a bad thing. There, I said it. 

Sure I like a thicker sauce for brushing on finished meats and grilled chicken and such. But I love thinner sauces for marinades and basting, or just highlighting a certain bold flavor.

If you’re looking to stretch your homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce just a little more or you’re looking to boost a particular flavor profile, I’ve got some great ideas on how to thin your BBQ sauce with more than just water. Bonus: I’ve included my favorite homemade BBQ sauce to get you started. 

Whether you’re using homemade or bottled BBQ, read on for some tasty ideas, from broths to beers, for the best way for thinning out your sauce without skimping out on flavor. 

Best Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe

This easy BBQ sauce recipe has an absolute PERFECT combination of spicy, sweet and tangy flavor that I literally cannot resist. The consistency is perfect and it only takes a few minutes and a handful of ingredients to make!

I like to slather this delicious bbq sauce all over chicken, burgers, brats and so, so much more. 

Recipes Using BBQ Sauce

These are just a few of my all-time favorite BBQ recipes using homemade or bottled BBQ sauce. 

• Grilled Barbecue Chicken
• Pineapple BBQ Chicken
• Instant Pot Pulled Pork
• Easy Instant Pot Ribs
• Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Lil Smokies

How to Thin BBQ Sauce

Whether you are just looking to stretch your sauce a little or you’re looking to highlight a particular flavor profile in it, here are a few of my favorite ways.

Ideas For Thinning Barbecue Sauce

If you’re just looking to make your sauce go a little further, add 2 tablespoons of water or chicken broth (or vegetable or beef broth) to the “empty” jar and swirl it around, then mix it with the rest of the sauce.

To thin sauce even more, add water or broth in 1-tablespoon increments. Stir with each addition to see the viscosity of the sauce.

Ideas For Adding Flavor While Thinning Your BBQ Sauce 

Adding some extra, simple ingredients can boost a certain flavor of the sauce profile you might want to add to your recipe. Start with small measurements and perform taste tests as you go and increase as needed until you get to the right consistency.

Stir in any liquid ingredients, depending on which flavors you’d like to highlight in small increments. If you are using herbs or spices to add flavor, mix them with a little water or broth so you’re not thickening your sauce as well.

Options: 

• A little bit of Worcestershire sauce adds a bold dash of umami to your barbecue sauce. Great with fish and red meat
• Beer. From a light pilsner to a bold brown or stout, beer can really add a depth of flavor to a wide variety of dishes. 
• To bring forth a bit of sweet tanginess to your sauce, try some apple juice or cider. 
• You can also make extra tangy bbq sauces using a small amount of vinegar. Using apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar make a great tangy barbecue sauce.
• A splash of citrus juice (orange, lemon or lime juice, or a combination) is a great addition to any barbecue chicken or fish dish.
• Other fruit juice like mango or peach nectar is a fantastic flavor addition.
• Ketchup is a quick and simple addition that can mellow bbq sauce with a little sweetness.
• Yellow mustard gives bbq sauce a little touch of that  North Carolina BBQ
• For a sweet sauce, try a little honey, agave, maple syrup, or brown sugar mixed with a little water.
• If you’re looking for more heat, add some of your favorite hot sauce or cayenne pepper for a spicy sauce.
• Use a little liquid smoke or smoked paprika for a deeper smoky flavor to your sauce.

Tips & Tricks

• Add extra liquid in smaller increments. I like to use 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir the sauce after each addition to check where the thinness level is. Repeat until you reach your desired consistency.
• A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar adds an amazing tanginess
• You may need to lightly heat your sauce on the stove over low heat for the ingredients to mix fully

Uses for BBQ Sauce

Barbecue sauce is great for so much more than just putting on grilled meat. Here are a few more great ides

• Drizzle a little over your morning eggs or hash browns
• Use it as a topping for your next batch of meatloaf!
• Drizzle it over your next salad as a flavorful dressing
• Throw some into your slow cooker along with meatballs.
• Use it as a dipping sauce for French fries or pierogi.
• Replace pizza sauce with BBQ sauce on your next homemade pizza! It goes great with shredded chicken and thin red onion.

How to Store BBQ Sauce

Homemade bbq sauce lasts in the fridge for up to two weeks with proper storage and refrigeration. Store-bought sauces will last six months in the refrigerator, even after opening.

After making and cooling your homemade barbecue sauce, there are a few storage tips that will help to extend the shelf life of bbq sauce to help it last longer.

1. Refrigerate it! The first step is to secure the lid tightly on the jar or transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge at all times.
2. Keep it out of the door! Food items stored in the refrigerator door are subjected to warmer temps, especially with frequent openings. This can decrease the shelf life. Instead, store on a shelf and push it toward the back of the fridge so it stays fresh for a few extra days.
3. Keep at the same temp! Moisture can collect inside the sealed container when temperature change occurs. Another reason to keep it off the door. Keep the temp of the entire jar as consistent as possible to avoid early spoilage and always keep out of direct sunlight.
4. Go glass! Transfer the mixture from the original container (if plastic) to a glass jar ( a glass mason jar works well) for the best quality and to add a little bit of time to its life.
5. Avoid cross contamination! Always be sure to use clean spoons when scooping this sauce into other containers in order to avoid cross-contamination. A clean spoon should be used every time you dip into the jar.

How to Freeze Barbecue Sauce

1. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bags. Use double bags in order to avoid leakage. Consider freezing small portions in small mason jars, an ice cube tray or a small air-tight container so you can thaw a little bit at a time.
2. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months for best results and to avoid freezer burn.

FAQs

More Homemade Sauce Recipes

These are just a few of my favorite homemade sauces. You can find an even more complete listing of homemade sauces here.

• This Enchilada Sauce comes together quickly and is easier to make at home than spend the time getting to and from the store. And you’re going to love the flavor.
• Homemade Alfredo Sauce tastes better than anything I can find in the store and it’s super easy to make! This is one of those sauces that I won’t pick up in a jar ever again.
• Arby’s Sauce is perfect for those beef sandwiches you make yourself and then want a delicious homemade sauce to go on it! And it’s great with fries too.
• Sometimes an unplanned pizza night calls for Pizza Sauce on the quick! You can easily do that with this recipe!
• Pasta Sauce takes pasta night up a notch with this tasty homemade sauce. Once you try it, you’ll always want it prepared this way!

Taco Sauce is the bomb! Perfect for nachos, tacos and dipping taquitos in, you’ll enjoy this version you create yourself.