Looking for a new homemade BBQ sauce? Try making it with your favorite cola with Cola BBQ Sauce! It’s perfect on chicken, ribs, brisket and pulled pork.
Regional BBQ Sauce
Let’s start with the basics of BBQ sauce. Here they are by region:
- Alabama White Sauce– It gets its name from being a mayonnaise based BBQ sauce and being more white (actually pink).
- East North Carolina– Simple and basic, they only use vinegar (usually apple cider), red pepper flakes and salt. All that other stuff is for sissies.
- West North Carolina- They took it up a notch from the East and adding ketchup and brown sugar to mellow out the vinegar.
- South Carolina- They like to use mustard as a base instead of ketchup. Nothing fancy, usually just your run-of-the-mill yellow mustard.
- Kansas City– Famous for its ribs and its sauce, it is a tomato base with molasses and brown sugar. More sweet and tangy than spicy and less vinegar.
- St. Louis– Perhaps the biggest rival of Kansas City, it is basically the same sauce, but thinner because they do add vinegar.
- Memphis– Ditch the sauce and go straight for a wet rub! Dry spices with minimal sauciness is how they roll.
Ingredients
Chances are you have these cola bbq sauce ingredients in your pantry and fridge already. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Soda– Coke is what I’ve tested, but I’m sure others work fine too. Just don’t use diet- it doesn’t have the sugar you need.
- Ketchup– your tomato base, but also with caramelized sugars to help bind the sauce in a jiffy.
- Worcestershire sauce- adds a depth and sophistication. Coconut aminos or soy sauce can also be used.
- Dry onion flakes– you can also use fresh onion, just make sure you mince it really good.
- Garlic powder- if you want to use fresh, be my guest- use about 1 clove and grate it.
- Liquid Smoke -adds the “smoked all day” aromatics and flavor. If you’ve never used this stuff, you are doing yourself a disservice. It is AH-mazing!
- Black pepper– for flavor, can use white pepper or omit if you don’t like peppery sauce.
- Brown Sugar– brown sugar has the molasses flavor that makes this sauce really sing. You can use white sugar, but I recommend trying 1 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses for the best mix.
Let’s Make It
It couldn’t be easier to make your own homemade cola bbq sauce!
- Combine and boil ingredients. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a low boil for 5 minutes.
- Store or serve immediately. Serve with your favorite meats and veggies from the grill.
5S Philosophy 👩🏻
- Salt – Ketchup has a good amount of salt content already. However, if you feel it needs more after tasting at the end, you can certainly add a pinch of fine sea salt.
- Seasoning – Add crushed red pepper for a classic hot, but if you don’t want bits in your sauce, make sure to blend it until smooth with an immersion blender. You can also add aleppo pepper– my new favorite way to add heat because it is a little sweet and smoky with a hint of hot.
- Sauces – Add a few dabs of your favorite hot sauce or garlic chile sauce to amp up the flavors. You can also add pickle juice. This is more of an acidic tang than it is hot, but also a fun variation.
- Swaps – You can try using other sodas! I’ve heard of people enjoying Root Beer and Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce. If you try it, come back and let us know how it was.
- Senses – Cola BBQ sauce is sticky, smoky, and sweet with a fizzy twist. As it simmers, the scent of caramelized sugar, tangy tomatoes, and warm spices fills the air like a backyard cookout. Its glossy, thick texture clings to ribs and chicken, delivering a bold blend of molasses richness, cola sweetness, and a peppery kick that dances on your tongue.
Perfect Pairings
This cola bbq sauce can be used on just about anything you would use classic barbecue sauce on! From a dip to slathering it on sandwiches, here are some of my favorite recipes to use it on.
- Burgers
- Hot dogs
- Pulled pork
- Pit beef
- Pit ham
Storage & Freezing
You can also just store it in airtight containers like jars for up to a week or so in the fridge.
Can I Freeze Cola BBQ Sauce?
You surely can! In in fact, when I make my mom’s homemade BBQ sauce recipe that is a little more time intensive, I make a quadruple batch and freeze it.
Simply place in airtight containers, either plastic lidded or a bag, get out as much air as possibly and freeze for 3-4 months. Check out my guide for freezing for more info.
More BBQ Recipes
No summer is complete without a grill and bbq! Here are some of our favorite bbq recipes!
Cola BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cola
- 1 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine the 1 1/2 cups cola, 1 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon onion flakes, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 tablespoons brown sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a low boil for 5 minutes.
- Serve you favorite meats and veggies from the grill.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!
Nutrition
Could I use Coke Zero?
I haven’t tried it, but no reason why not!
How long will this sauce last refrigerated?
About a week.