We LOVE a good barbecue around here, from Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken to Texas Smoked Beef Brisket, my family is always open to trying different layers of flavor. Though, Kansas City Style Barbecue Sauce is probably what you’re thinking of when you think of a classic BBQ sauce. This delicious BBQ sauce is tomatoey, tangy, sweet, thick, and delicious on pretty much ANYTHING! Add it to pork ribs on the grill or onto chicken thighs in the slow cooker—this is the best KC BBQ sauce recipe you’ll find! This Kansas City sauce is included in my American Eats collection of recipes, where I explore classic recipes that are traditional to each state in the US. Kansas City actually straddles the state lines of both Kansas and Missouri and this style of barbecue is popular in each. I’ve already explored some of my favorite tastes from Kansas like this Cast Iron Pan Pizza and this Classic Kansas Chili if you’re looking for something a bit different, but as we head into Missouri week I wanted to focus on the barbecue side of things! For more saucey ideas, check out some of my other state signature sauces, like this Alabama White BBQ Sauce, my classic South Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce, or this unique Rhubarb BBQ Sauce.
Why We Love This Recipe
Customizable to your own preference of spiciness, sweetness, or even smokiness.Made with simple ingredients you may already have in your pantry.This easy sauce is ready in just 30 minutes, perfect for last-minute mealtimes!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Oil – Olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil will work well for sauteeing the onion and garlic. You can also use butter if you wish.Onion – A classic savory staple for the base of this sauce.Tomato – Tomato paste and tomato ketchupSpices – We’ll use a mix of spices including smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and ground cinnamon.Seasonings – Use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, as well as dry mustard, and freshly minced garlic cloves.Apple juice and apple cider vinegar – They add a tart sweetness to the sauce that compliments the tomato flavor well.Sugar and molasses – Dark brown sugar and molasses will thicken the sauce while making it irresistibly sweet as well.
How to Make Kansas City-Style BBQ Sauce
Tips for Success
Do not overcook the sauce, as this could burn the sugars and ruin the flavor.You can use Kansas City Style BBQ sauce as a condiment, or as a sauce to brush on meats for recipes like my Easy Beef Kabobs during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Substitutions and Variations
Add in a pinch of cinnamon, 1-2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, and 1-2 teaspoons hickory flavored liquid smoke. Instead of sauteeing the onion and garlic, you can eliminate the oil and replace the onion with 1 teaspoon of onion powder and garlic with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.Substitute the brown sugar or molasses with honey in this recipe at a 1:1 ratio.
More BBQ Recipes
Oven BBQ Beef BrisketBBQ Pulled Pork NachosSmoked Pulled PorkSmoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Carolina Mustard Based BBQ Sauce
Rhubarb BBQ Sauce Grilled Chicken
Alabama White BBQ Sauce
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