The Best And Worst Barbecue Sauces To Buy At The Grocery Store

Barbecue sauce has the power to be lip-smackingly delicious. It tastes fantastic slathered on ribs, chicken, tempeh, and so much more. In fact, it can even be the star of an entire meal, but not if you choose the wrong store-bought brand. As you probably know, there are a few that simply can't compare to the real winning recipes. To ensure neither you nor I ever pick the wrong barbecue sauce for the job ever again, I bought all the brands I could find at my local grocery store and ranked them in a head-to-head competition.

I'll go more in-depth on my methodology at the end, but for now, you should know I stuck to each brand's original barbecue sauce so that flavor-infused options wouldn't steal the show. In addition, a friend and I tried each one of the 12 sauces on this list. After a few tastes, we ranked them based on texture, flavors, and overall quality. You might be surprised how some of them measured up — I know I was. Regardless, now that I did the "dirty work" (excitedly, I might add), we can all say goodbye to sub-par barbecue sauces and stick to the good stuff.

Unfortunately for G Hughes Sugar Free Original BBQ Sauce, it came in dead last out of all the sauces I tried — and honestly, I thought it was awful, so its placement wasn't even a question. Upon first taste, I noticed lots of vinegar and mustard, which isn't necessarily bad. When I checked the ingredients, however, I noticed mustard wasn't even listed. What's that all about? Needless to say, I was confused, so I gave it another try and still wasn't a fan. Somehow, it tasted artificial, perhaps because of the lack of sugar. Interestingly enough, when I was checking the ingredients, I noticed that it said "adds a trivial amount of sugar." So, not only does this sauce taste bad, but its sugar-free label apparently isn't even accurate. I was disappointed, to say the least.

If the flavor and misleading label weren't bad enough, G Hughes "Sugar Free" Original BBQ Sauce is watery, too. Instead of clinging to food like you want, it just runs right off onto your plate. Plus, it can get pretty pricey. I got a bottle for $5.99, but it can cost more at other grocery stores.

The only reason you might want to buy this sauce is if you're trying to minimize your sugar intake. I guess it could get the job done, but I'll certainly be staying away. As my taste-testing accomplice said, "I'd choose something else every time I'm given the option."

Coming in second to last on my list is Primal Kitchen Organic and Unsweetened Classic BBQ Sauce. While this sauce was slightly better than the one in last place, it didn't give me any of the classic barbecue sauce flavor we all know and love. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that it barely qualifies as barbecue sauce at all.

Primal Kitchen BBQ Sauce has a pleasing sweetness, even though it's unsweetened. I'm guessing this is because it contains organic figs and dates. It also has a prominent tomato flavor. The presence of both classic and white balsamic vinegar, plus apple cider vinegar, gives it a nice, tangy element. So, while you can add vinegar to improve some store-bought barbecue sauces, this wouldn't be one of them — there's already plenty in there. Really, the flavor is nice as-is. My taste-testing friend said that if the brand called this sauce something else, they'd think it was pretty good, but it's lacking in the barbecue department. To top it all off, a jar of Primal Kitchen BBQ Sauce costs about $6.69, so it's not even on the lower end of our price range — in fact, it's kind of expensive.

Kroger This Is the Original BBQ Sauce is significantly better than the two lower-ranking options. Even so, it only earned a 10th-place position. One of the best things about this sauce is that it only costs about $1.49 if you get it from a Kroger-brand grocery store. That makes it the least expensive option I found! Even so, it left me wanting a bit more.

This Is the Original BBQ Sauce has a decent flavor. It tastes infinitely better than the two previous picks, but it isn't great. Will it do? Yes. Will people talk about it? No. It isn't exciting. Actually, it's kind of boring. I will say that the texture was thick and clingy, but overall, this sauce doesn't do anything exceptionally well. In my opinion, it's worth spending a bit more for a better barbecue sauce. It wouldn't take much, either — the next sauce coming up only costs about $0.50 more.

I'll admit, I wasn't expecting much from Kraft Original Slow-Simmered Barbecue Sauce, but I was pleasantly surprised. It doesn't measure up to the eight sauces that I ranked higher, but I don't really have anything bad to say about it. It's a classic sauce, just like you would expect.

When I first tasted Kraft Original Slow-Simmered Barbecue Sauce, I detected a much smokier taste than was present in the lower-ranking options. I also detected a hint of spiciness at the end. These two traits are enough to set it far ahead of the sauces ranked 12th through 10th. The texture is spot-on as well. Basically, it's competent — it gets the job done. My friend who sampled sauces with me said it reminded them of McDonald's nugget sauces (which we've also ranked).

At about $1.98 a bottle, Kraft's Barbecue Sauce is the third- (almost second-) cheapest sauce on this list, too. Overall, not bad, but there are still quite a few better sauces available, as you'll see coming up.

I'm not exactly sure why, but I had high expectations for Stubb's Original Legendary Bar-B-Q Sauce. Maybe it's because it's been around forever, or because it says "legendary" on the label, but I was a touch disappointed. While it didn't fall flat, it was sadly not as good as I anticipated. It's still better flavor-wise than the four lower-ranking sauces, but it's nowhere near as good as the top seven. It's just okay.

Regrettably, Stubb's Original Legendary Bar-B-Q Sauce was pretty watery, so don't expect it to stick to food very well. The flavor is alright, though. It has significantly more tomato flavor than any of the other options on this list, and it's good. However, pair that with the vinegar taste and the sauce is a bit more acidic than I prefer.

Another good thing about Stubb's Bar-B-Q Sauce is that it isn't overly expensive. Is it cheap? No, but you can get a bottle starting at about $4. It really depends where you shop, though, as some places sell it for as high as $5.99.

For me, this entry is where this ranking takes a major turn. Everything from here on out makes a solid choice. So, buckle up — here comes the good stuff. KC Masterpiece Original Barbecue Sauce earned a solid middle-place ranking as the seventh sauce out of 12. Although there are six higher-ranking options, this one hits all the marks of a quality sauce, and I recommend giving it a try.

To start, you can often find KC Masterpiece Original Barbecue Sauce for as low as $1.89. The cost varies and gets up to about $4.49, but finding it for cheaper shouldn't be that tricky. In addition to the good price, this barbecue sauce tastes delicious. As Kansas City-style barbecue (which often contains more brown sugar than other regional varieties), it's sweeter than many of the other brands on this list. However, the flavor is more complex than that. It also has hints of spiciness, smoke, and molasses, all of which combine to create a focused barbecue flavor. Oh, and the texture is excellent, too. It's pretty thick, and it clung to my waffle fries with ease, so I'm sure it'd do the same with meats and other foods.

Alright, here's the thing about Bachan's Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce: It's phenomenal! It overflows with rich, layered flavors — they just aren't the flavors of a classic barbecue sauce. This might not come as a huge surprise, seeing as it's a Japanese-style barbecue sauce, but I had to say it. My taste-testing friend said that it was their favorite by a long shot. Even so, I couldn't rank it higher than sixth place because it strays so far from traditional American recipes. It just wouldn't be right.

Upon first taste, I instantly knew Bachan's Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce was a quality product. It tastes like it was made with premium ingredients and had lots of bold flavor. The most prominent of these was soy sauce — so, it's obviously not a classic barbecue sauce by any means. It would taste amazing on a basic rice and veggie stir-fry, chicken, or something more elaborate like a shrimp and eggplant stir-fry with udon noodles.

I know that's a lot of praise for a sauce that only earned sixth place, but it had a couple of drawbacks, too (besides its less-than-traditional recipe). First, it costs about $9 per bottle at the grocery store. Yikes! My second issue with Bachan's Original is that it's extremely watery. If you prefer a thicker sauce that clings to foods with ease, this sauce underperforms.

Wild Buff Smoke Sweet Hickory Craft BBQ Sauce deserves its fifth-place ranking. It features lots of flavor, even if this flavor isn't necessarily the most classic, and it's unique in an appealing way. Actually, the flavors are layered with a really interesting balance, so it's far from the bottom half of the list as far as taste goes.

The first flavors that stuck out to me in Wild Buff Smoke Sweet Hickory Craft BBQ Sauce were celery and hickory. Considering hickory is one of the best types of wood to use for smoking and grilling, a barbecue sauce that tastes like it just makes sense. That said, the celery was a bit too strong for me. On the back end, I also got a little kick of heat thanks to the red habanero peppers used in the recipe. After my initial test, I had to go back for more. The flavors were so unique. The second time around, I was able to detect the clove, cinnamon, and ginger listed on the label as well. Overall, this sauce is tangy and sweet with lots of depth — all good things, but not quite a classic choice.

Unfortunately, Wild Buff is on the pricier end of the spectrum: A bottle costs about $7.99. With this sauce's elevated price and less-than-traditional taste, it's easy to see why the upcoming options received higher rankings.

Famous Dave's Rich & Sassy BBQ Sauce isn't quite in the top three, but it came pretty darn close. Actually, I almost ranked it higher, but the ones that beat it out really exhibit the true potential of barbecue. Don't get me wrong, Famous Dave's is a fantastic choice for any occasion — it just isn't quite as tasty as the top three. That being said, let's get into what makes this product so delectable.

Famous Dave's Rich & Sassy BBQ Sauce provides all the classic barbecue flavor you could want. It's a Kansas City-style sauce, so it's both sweet and tangy. Plus, it has a touch of heat. It's not quite spicy, but the undertones are there. The overall flavor is similar to Sweet Baby Ray's (which earned second place), but the celery is much more prominent. It's also more expensive.

My friend didn't like Famous Dave's nearly as much as I did, but even I had one complaint: It could be just a touch thicker. That's just me being picky, though. It still clings to food fairly well and would be perfect for adding more flavor to grilled chicken, tofu, veggies, and much more. As far as price is concerned, Famous Dave's scores pretty well. You can buy a bottle for anywhere from $2.98 to $4.29. That's a big range, but even the higher price is worth it, in my opinion.

Kinder's Mild BBQ is top-notch sauce defined. It's an outstanding sauce by any standard, and it comes at a reasonable price, too. It's not the cheapest around, but at $4.49 a bottle, it falls firmly in the middle of our price range. Honestly, considering the quality, taste, and obvious expertise behind the recipe, I'm surprised it isn't more expensive.

Compared to all of the other options on this list, Kinder's Mild BBQ Sauce is much sweeter, but not in an overwhelming way. I think it gets the flavor from more molasses than other recipes. As a result, it boasts a deep, layered taste. The sauce also has a potent smoke element, which I really love. Still, the flavors are very well-balanced. They are there, but they aren't overpowering, so there's still plenty of room for other flavors in your food to shine through.

Another thing I liked about Kinder's is that it has a nice nozzle on top. It makes it easy to apply and will probably do a great job of staying clean. Admittedly, Kinder's is a bit runny for my preference; however, thanks to its drool-worthy flavor and premium overall quality, it still earned a coveted top-three spot in my ranking. If you give this sauce a try and love it as much as I do, make sure to check out the brand's other flavors: Hot, Honey, Hickory Brown Sugar, Gold, and Hot Honey.

Coming in second place is Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce. It has everything you could want from a premium barbecue sauce: A thick texture, classic flavors galore, and a low price point. Honestly, I'm not sure how the company manages it all, but it does. Full disclosure, Sweet Baby Ray's has been a long-standing favorite of mine, but even after taste-testing and comparing so many brands side by side, I found that it's still more than capable of pulling its own weight.

As noted, this sauce contains tons of classic flavor. It's sweet, tangy, and has a little heat on the back end. The taste is both complex and smooth, and above all, it's delicious. Truly, it screams classic barbecue sauce, and it's as far away from boring or bland as you can get. Sweet Baby Ray's makes a collection of other drool-worthy barbecue sauce flavors, too, all of which I personally recommend.

Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce only costs about $2.50 a bottle, and it goes on sale quite frequently. So, not only does it taste delicious, but it's a great budget pick, too. It also has a fantastic, thick texture. What more could you want? Even though one sauce ranked higher, Sweet Baby Ray's has it going on, and it makes an outstanding all-around choice.

The absolute best grocery store barbecue sauce I tried was Traeger 'Que Classic BBQ Sauce. It blows many of the previous options out of the water, certainly anything in the bottom five. Seriously, it's so good that you might find yourself licking it off of your fingers so you can savor every last drop. After all, sometimes barbecue sauce can be a bit messy, especially when it's this tasty.

Traeger 'Que Classic BBQ Sauce is overflowing with flavor. It's sweet, tangy, and perfectly acidic. The ingredients come together to create a wonderfully balanced taste, giving you everything you could possibly want from a classic barbecue sauce. When it comes to store-bought options, it takes the cake. I mean, the bottom five brands aren't even in the same galaxy.

At $6.95 to $7.99 a bottle, Traeger 'Que Classic BBQ Sauce isn't a low-cost pick. It might even benefit from a slightly thicker texture. Even so, it makes up for all this with its amazingly delicious taste. Even if it is just a splurge option, you definitely want to try this sauce (if you haven't already). Lucky us, Traeger also makes Apricot, Sweet & Heat, and Texas Heat barbecue sauces as well, so the fun doesn't have to stop with the classic version.

When given the opportunity to taste, compare, and rank grocery store barbecue sauces, I jumped at the chance. I love barbecue sauce a lot, so determining which brands stood out from the competition was a no-brainer for me. To make sure my biases for spicy and sweet didn't take over the ranking, I made sure to only select each brand's original barbecue sauce, not one infused with various flavors (of which there were many). Also, I wanted to level the playing field a bit so I could draw fair comparisons.

Once I knew which sauces I was going to taste, I headed to the store and picked them up. I also got a bag of waffle fries to sample them with. I figured these wouldn't overpower the sauces' flavors and their shape would ensure a hefty amount of sauce in every scoop. After a friend and I sampled each sauce several times, taking notes along the way, I ranked them based on taste, the presence of classic barbecue flavors, consistency, price, and overall quality. I tried not to let price interfere with the rankings too much, but I did consider it. After all, if you eat as much barbecue sauce as I do, you don't necessarily want to spend top dollar for it every time.