12 BBQ Sauce Ideas
The BBQ has come to an end. Your guests have departed. A lot of BBQ sauce was consumed. There’s still a bit left in the last bottle—not nearly enough for a rack of ribs or a batch of pulled pork, but it’s more than you want to waste. After all, any quantity of BBQ sauce is too much to get rid of. Now you have to ask yourself what can be made to make use of that last little bit of delicious BBQ sauce.
WHAT CAN BE MADE WITH BBQ SAUCE?
A bottle of BBQ sauce is likely one of the most popular items in your pantry, and it’s no doubt a crowd-pleaser. It’s both flexible and distinctive. It can be used on its own for classic BBQ dishes like ribs and chicken, but it also stands alone as a foundation for other sauces—especially pizza sauce, dips, and even salad.
You can also use BBQ sauce in the slow cooker. It’s an easy method to batch-cook poultry and pulled pork for use in meals throughout the week—and you don’t need a whole bottle to get that distinct, comforting taste reminiscent of a home BBQ.
The potential of a great sauce is not limited to low and slow cooking. The flavour of BBQ sauce is versatile so it may be used for a wide range of BBQ recipes. Need to liven up a simple supper on a weeknight? Use the last bit of BBQ sauce in the bottle as a glaze over your meatloaf, or add to it to make a new kind of dip!
There are loads of different types of sauce, a couple of the most popular being sticky bbq sauce or jerk BBQ sauce, but nearly all classic BBQ sauces can be used used in our suggestions below.
BBQ SALAD DRESSING
Fresh salads are calling out for the sweet and tangy flavour of BBQ sauce. You can use a small amount, straight up, on whatever salad you have going on, or consider pairing it with ranch or blue cheese dressing for a twist. You can also incorporate it into side salads like pasta salad or potato salad.
Your best bet is a light BBQ sauce, something that won’t be too sticky nor weighs your salad down but something with a whole bunch of flavour packed into it to enhance your BBQ salad dressing.
If you’re looking to test some BBQ salad dressing out before creating your own, there are loads of great options from stores you can try. A great light BBQ-style salad dressing is the M&S Soy, Chilli & Lime Dressing!
BBQ PIZZA AND BBQ PIZZA SAUCE
Have you tried combining tomato-based pizza sauce and BBQ sauce? It’s fantastic. You may make a 50/50 combination as a foundation for any of your favourite pizza tastes, but the sauce can also be used as the sole basis for a pizza on its own.
Not only this, but Texas BBQ pizza and other types of BBQ pizza are a new and popular addition to the Pizza roster of many franchises, including Dominoes. If you want a different style of pizza for your Friday night constant meat feast, give it a try!
If you’re still unsure, check out this great review from the Pizza Lads!
BBQ MEATLOAF
Instead of ketchup as a glaze on your next meatloaf, try BBQ sauce instead. You may use The Original with just about any meatloaf recipe. Alternatively, you might go in a different direction and add some heat, smokiness, or sweetness to the mix. BBQ meatloaf is a delicious meal already, and BBQ sauce is such a great combination for meatloaf, especially with specially flavoured sauces, such as jerk BBQ sauce.
If you are looking to try your hand at a delicious BBQ meatloaf but don’t know where to start, then look no further! We recommend following this amazing recipe from Happy Foods Tube!
BBQ QUESADILLAS
Would you like to take your quesadillas to the next level? Before adding your favourite ingredients, place BBQ sauce on a tortilla. Serve BBQ sauce as a star dip with your favourite quesadilla combination. You may also drizzle it over when serving it—combine it with a spoonful of sour cream for a fantastic finish. Our favourite style of quesadillas is the BBQ chicken quesadillas. Chicken is the perfect meat for quesadillas because it is great at absorbing the mixed flavours of the BBQ and sour cream.
Why not check out this great recipe so that you can create your own BBQ Chicken Quesadillas?
BBQ Sauce DIP
To make a simple dip to go with chips, combine your favourite BBQ sauce with sour cream. We also like to add fresh herbs such as chives or parsley for some brightness. Serve with your favourite crisps or vegetables.
A great BBQ sauce dip can also be customised with other flavourings if you want! There are loads of homemade bbq sauces you can try making, but as a general rule of thumb, add in brown sugar, soy sauce, and ginger to create a whole new flavour of BBQ sauce dip.
There are loads of different types of BBQ sauce, with varied flavours, textures and consistency. We recommend you check what kind of BBQ sauce you want before anything else. Check out this great blog that explains all the American BBQ sauces for you to emulate!
BBQ NACHOS
There are several ways to use BBQ sauce on your favourite nacho platter. Toss your cooked meat in the sauce before serving it on the chips. Alternatively, you may just drizzle some of it over the entire dish. Or, for a dip or to mix up your standard nacho topping, try mixing it with sour cream. You could serve your BBQ nachos with various BBQ sauces on the side to add subtle flavouring differences!
Check out this great recipe that shows you how to make the most delicious loaded BBQ Chicken Nachos you’ve ever had!
BBQ Bratwursts, Hotdogs and Burgers
You’re missing out if you don’t use BBQ sauce on your bratwursts, hot dogs, and burgers. A few drops make a huge difference. You may also brush your burgers with the BBQ sauce in the last few minutes of grilling for an added rich crustiness. It’s not just this, but the extras that you have on your burgers can be enhanced with BBQ sauce. Caramelised onions are a great example of what can be made so much better, especially if you add them during cooking.
BBQ TACOS
Instead of traditional taco seasoning, add some BBQ sauce to the meat. Simply toss the cooked meat in the sauce or simmer it with the meat before spooning it over tortillas or taco shells. We suggest experimenting with unique and powerful taste profiles for this dish. It is also a great idea to add the sauce at the end just on top to make the BBQ flavour really stand out and turn your tacos into BBQ Tacos.
A good first-time BBQ Tacos recipe can be found here on BBC Good Food.
BBQ SANDWICHES
For a long time, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches were considered the standard. However, did you know that barbecue sauce tastes wonderful on a variety of sandwiches?
There are an infinite number of possibilities when it comes to grilled cheese, or turkey melts. BBQ Chicken Sandwiches are some of the best because chicken is so good at absorbing the amazing BBQ flavours.
If you are looking for a quick and easy way to enjoy some delicious BBQ Sandwiches, you should definitely try out this recipe!
And Relax…
There are so many options to choose from that will help you make the most of your all-important BBQ sauce. From classic burgers to delicious Mexican style, even simple sandwiches, BBQ sauce can be used to make it all that much more delicious!
So next time you have that little bit of that delicious BBQ sauce left, put it to good use with one of these excellent ideas. You’ll be glad you did!