Spicy, Smoky, Vinegary, Sweet
Nothing says summer quite like BBQ and for me that generally means a good BBQ sauce. Though I love this zingy Carolina Gold, sometimes I'm in the mood for something with more decidedly classic BBQ flavors. This Spicy Red BBQ Sauce has notes that are equal parts spicy, smoky, vinegary, and sweet.
Adjusting the heat level
I usually tend to make this Spicy Red BBQ Sauce one level below slap-yo-mamma-hot. My definition of this is that it leaves a properly spicy burn in the back of your throat for several minutes after eating it, but doesn't necessarily make you chug a gallon of milk when eaten in reasonable portions. I think this heat level works best for basting grilled chicken because it provides just the right amount of kick to make the chicken interesting, but because the chicken is merely basted, rather than swimming in the sauce, it shouldn't be overwhelmingly spicy for most adults.
If you are serving this bbq sauce to a crowd that appreciates milder flavors, or if you are serving a dish where you intend to drench the meat in sauce, I tend to lower the spice level a bit. This can be easily done by first limiting the amount of cayenne pepper in the recipe. Simply omit the cayenne until very last, tasting the sauce prior to adding it and then combining it in ¼ teaspoon increments until the sauce has reached your preferred level of heat.
If for some reason you've accidentally added too much and want to mellow the flavors a bit, this can be done by adding acid, sweetness, and/or dairy. Increasing the tomato paste, vinegar, honey (or zero carb sweetener for Keto), or adding a dollop of sour cream or yogurt can go a long way to mellowing out spicy flavors when you've accidentally made the heat level too high.
What to serve this Spicy Red BBQ Sauce with
This Spicy Red BBQ Sauce is a fantastic basting sauce for classic grilled chicken but is also equally delicious drizzled on top of beef brisket and shredded pork roast. I love to use it in this BBQ Chicken Salad recipe and it's also fantastic on these Pressure Cooker Boneless Beef Ribs.
If you're looking for other BBQ sauce options, make sure to check out my recipe for Carolina Gold Mustard BBQ Sauce.
What tools do I need to make this recipe?
Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.
A note for special diets
This Spicy Red BBQ Sauce is grain-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, low-carb, and friendly for Paleo diets. It is also friendly for Keto and Low-FODMAP diets with some adjustments.
In order for this diet to fit Keto and Low-FODMAP diets, you'll simply want to swap the raw honey out for a 1:1 zero carb sweetener such as Stevia in the Raw or granulated Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener. I tend to think that these alternative sweeteners are a bit sweeter than honey, so I prefer to start by adding half the amount of sweetener than the amount of honey called for and adjusting to taste.
If you choose to use Stevia in the Raw or granulated Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener, the nutrition facts are estimated as follows:
Cal: 28, Fat: 3g, Sod: 69mg, Carb: 1g (net carb count 1g)
Print
Spicy Red BBQ Sauce
- Prep Time: 3
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 13
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
- Category: Sauces & Savory Condiments
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Nothing says summer like this Spicy Red BBQ Sauce, with notes that are spicy, smoky, vinegary, and sweet.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup distilled white vinegar
- 6 tbsp tomato paste
- 5 tbsp raw honey (or 2 ½ tbsp 1:1 alternative such as Stevia in the Raw or granulated Lakanto Monkfruit for Keto or Low-FODMAP)
- ¼ cup garlic oil (may sub extra virgin olive oil + 2 tsp garlic powder)
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- ¼-1 teaspoon cayenne powder (adjust to spice preference)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except the cayenne pepper in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Allow to come to a low simmer, stirring to combine the ingredients often.
- Taste for spice level and then begin to add the cayenne pepper in ¼ teaspoon increments until it reaches your desired level of heat.
- Allow to simmer lightly for 10 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Remember that it will thicken more once it has cooled.
- Leftovers may be refridgerated for 3-5 days.
Notes
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoon (with honey)
- Calories: 40
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 69
- Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 5
Keywords: bbq sauce
Hahaha. I think that we have the same preference for the heat of your spicy food!! Love the sound of this sauce!
★★★★★
I've been wanting to make homemade BBQ sauce for a while now. My hubby loves BBQ sauce and goes through so much of it, especially during the summer. And I've been trying to cut out a lot of processed ingredients, so I appreciate that this one is refined sugar free! I can't wait to try it!
★★★★★
This sauce looks amazing! Need to make it homemade for sure!
BBQ sauce on the grill screams summer and football season to me! I love all of the spices and the honey in your version!
★★★★★
I love a good spicy BBQ sauce like this one. The hotter the better in my opinion.
★★★★★
Oh yum! This sauce screams goodness on all my favorite dish - from salad to BBQ and I can't wait to try this one.
★★★★★
I made BBQ sauce earlier this week and I think it’s so much better than store bought. I absolutely love your version and the heat level is spot on for me!
★★★★★
This BBQ sauce looks great. I like my food spicy, so I will definitely be kicking up the spice level.
★★★★★
Never new a bbq sauce is so easy to make. The sauce would go so well with meat and even with veggies, and better than the store bought one's. Bookmarking this.
★★★★★
Always need a good bbq sauce recipe. Looks delicious.
★★★★★
I love love love this BBQ sauce. It has all of the right ratios of those important components with the sweet, spicy, smokey, and vinegary. I could eat it by the spoonful. Aaaaand since it uses raw honey rather than refined sugar, I can guiltlessly use extra 😉
★★★★★
This bbq sauce has the perfect level of heat! Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe!
★★★★★
Hooray for homemade barbecue sauce (in all its iterations!). Loved your description of the spice level here. One level below 'slap yo momma hot' does indeed sound like a perfect level of spice. Lol. I'd love this on chicken, though your other suggestions sound amazing too. I could also totally see this on a smoked chicken, shredded and served on a nice spicy sandwich.
★★★★★
Ok. I LOVE spicy BBQ sauce, and I hate the awful ingredient list on most of the bottles I see. I definitely need to make a batch of this! The hubs goes through a ton of BBQ sauce and I'm always on the hunt for a better one!
★★★★★
Homemade sauces are so good. There is still lots of grilling season left. This would also make a great good gift idea. Love the fact you can adjust the level of heat.
★★★★★
Love the spicy and sweet combo!
Oh this sounds great!! Thank you for including how to tone down the spice while keeping the flavor- I'm a huge wimp.
★★★★★
This looks delicious and so perfect for end of the summer BBQs! I'll be pinning this for Labor Day for sure!
★★★★★
Oh yum! I love homemade BBQ sauce and love trying different flavor combos. This looks so good!
★★★★★
OMG! This looks amazing for those late summer BBQ's! I am going to have to try this on some grilled chicken this weekend!
★★★★★
That's my favorite way to use this BBQ sauce!