Coca Cola Barbecue Sauce
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This sweet spicy Coca Cola Barbecue Sauce has a unique background flavour from reducing the cola during the sauce's slow simmer; especially delicious on ribs.
This Coca Cola barbecue sauce has a distinctive flavour that comes from concentrating the cola flavour in the simmering process. I first had something similar a few years back in a couple of versions. One was a glaze that I thought was just too intensely flavoured.
I tried a Coca Cola BBQ sauce at a diner during a southern road trip and liked that much, much better. The server said it was a ketchup based sauce so that's where I started for this recipe.
Their version had quite a bit of kick as I recall. If I don't miss my guess, I believe it was Tabasco Sauce that provided the heat.
Spicy or not so spicy.
In my version, I'm using sriracha because it is my hot sauce of choice at the moment. Also because it has a bit of subtle smokiness that I think works well without overwhelming heat.
You can of course moderate the heat to your own taste by using less of the Sriracha. I like to make mildly spicy batches of BBQ sauce and then add extra hot sauce to it as I need it; for example for spicy BBQ wings.
I just pour some in a ramekin, add as much hot sauce as I like and brush it on. This is a great way to offer both mild and hot versions of anything that you barbecue.
I enjoyed this sauce on a grilled prime rib steak the other night but it is equally good on pork and chicken. My next experiment is to use it as a sauce to drizzle on my mesquite smoked pulled pork sandwiches where I think it will also be excellent.
The sauce can be kept in the fridge for 2 weeks or so or make it last all summer by properly bottling it according to the prescribed method recommended by mason jar manufacturer Bernardin.
We have more side dish inspiration including everything from baked beans & corn bread to deliciously different potato and pasta salads. Be sure to check them all out in our collection of 26 Best BBQ Side Dishes too.
Originally published July 2014. Updated April 2020.
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Coca Cola Barbecue Sauce
This sweet spicy Coca Cola barbecue sauce has a unique background flavor from reducing the cola during the sauce's slow simmer; especially delicious on ribs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 small red onion, minced
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2¼ cups coca cola, NOT diet
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 to 3 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil until softened but not browned.
- Add the remaining ingredients and simmer very slowly for up to an hour until the sauce thickens. Stir often.The sauce will thicken as it cools so reduce it to a consistency a little more watery than ketchup.
- The sauce can be kept in the fridge for 2 weeks or so or make it last all summer by properly bottling it according to the prescribed method recommended by the mason jar manufacturer.
Nutrition Information
Yield
48Serving Size
48 2 ½ - 3 cups BBQ sauce (1 tablespoon serving)Amount Per Serving Calories 22Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 91mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 0gSugar 4gProtein 0g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
This recipe is not listed on your Pinterest & it doesn't even have a PIN tab attached to it as with most of your recipes. Annoying as usual. Also I tried printing it as well but it does nothing. I'm sure need to go on a computer for that.
It'd be nice if this site were more user friendly & less frustrating since you have great foods.
It is on Pinterest now. The new site design has the pin it button in the top left corner. There is also a pin it button in the left side bar. Sorry you're frustrated but I'm not understanding your post fully. Are you trying to print from a mobile device?
I was very excited to make this, but it did not thicken at all! I double checked my amounts and they were exactly as written. It did smell great though.
How long did you simmer it? Just put it back on the stove and let it simmer longer. I make it thick or thin depending on the application that I'm using it for. Sometimes if I want to glaze chicken I will make it thicker but yesterday I was serving it on smoked turkey so I just wanted to drizzle it which is better with a thinner sauce.
Well, there isn't a summer BBQ sauce that I really want to try more than this! Yum!!
Dana Rosenthal
I used it on some pork chops the other night. Deee-licious!
I have a pot of this sauce on the stove right now just starting it's simmer time-can't wait to try it out!
Made this sauce and used it yesterday when the neighbours came for dinner....put it on 2 chickens that were split down middle and on 2 full racks of pork back ribs. One neighbout said best bbq ribs ever and his wife thought the chicken was to die for as well....they loved this sauce. Got me wondering now if a shot of dark rum added when preparing would make it better or not....rum and coke BBQ sauce perhaps?? lol.
Rum and Coke BBQ Sauce sounds fantastic to me! Bet it would be fantastic on ribs. Now you have me thinking.
This sounds so wonderful and would love to try it, BUT with a diabetic in the family, I have to ask if you have (or anyone has) tried this with diet Coke? If so, what were the problems involved? I can make my own sugar-free ketchup for this and cut the honey to 2 Tablespoons, but can't use a "regular" soda. Barry, can you help?
I wouldn't try it. The sugar in the Coke is necessary for the glazing consistency of the sauce. I would never have the nerve to suggest boiling anything with aspartame in it either I'm afraid.
In know this is an oldish thread/comments section...but...
@Virginia and any one else interested, I am diabetic, I love this sauce, and yes it has sugar, honey, ketchup and I even swap the apple cider vinegar sometimes for JD, its just so nice...
I figure its not something I eat everyday, and to be honest Im eating chicken and pork ribs glazed in the stuff, not drinking it, I agree that drinking 250ml of full sugare coke would be a bad move for my blood but I drink diet coke or pepsi max and the sauce is used to cover a huge lump of protein...so I just dont worry about it and enjoy it whenever I have it...
Best wishes...
Barry, do you any reason I can't freeze this sauce. I really don't can.
Do you see any reason? Sorry for typo
Hi everyone, I love the rum & Coke idea, but I digress. My solution to the diet drink is to cook it until everything is blended, then thicken it up with a cornstarch slurry. I've done that with other recipes including jams .. works fine !
Great recipe. I made it tonight for bbq chicken legs and it was delicious. Everything was eyeballed and I used a different hot sauce which still tasted good. I'll definitely make this again and tell a few friends.