Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Does a non-sweet commercial BBQ sauce exist?

I don’t like pancake syrup on meat. I know that is weird and that my taste preference reflects a tiny minority of American consumers. Every commercial BBQ sauce that I have tried is sweet. Now and then I mix up a homemade batch of non-sweet BBQ sauce, and like it, but wish that I could simply buy a good savory sauce with NO sweetness. Anyone know of such a product?

I tried a fairly expensive Keto friendly sauce last week that had claimed to have very low sugar and carbs. The stuff was icky sweet.

Does a non-sweet store bought BBQ sauce exist?

Have you ever tried https://www.gourmetrdsauceco.com ? I don't fine it's as sweet as most of the others. Or "Stubbs" original?

Have you tried the G. Hughes sauces?

Get em at the Walmarks.

[img]https://images.heb.com/is/image/HEBGrocery/002129409[/img]

Stubbs doesn't have much of a sweet taste. I like to mix a little apple cider vinegar in it to up the twang a bit as well.

In North Central Louisiana they like mustard based sauce. I think a lot of them make their own.
In South Louisiana there is a sauce sold in every Store that isn't sweet. Jack Miller's. It is probably available online.

Sounds good I will try some.

Been using this brand since the late 70's when Pops first taught me to grill and bbq.

The original Cook-in Sauce ain't sweet.

Sweet n Sour isn't available it's now Smoky n Sweet but it's nothing like the sickly sweet crap out there.

Bold and Spicy no sweet and has a good kick.

https://woodysbbqpantry.com/sauces/

This is good stuff as well for those that don't mind a little sweet and savory

I call it black gold.

Ain't nothing like you've seen or tasted before ever.

Comes in Spicy as well

Thanks for the replies. I have a query into Jack Miller and wish I could taste it. Hope they have somewhere local I can buy a bottle rather than order it. Will check out some others suggested.

I have tried Stubbs. As others have said, it is not as sweet as most. The words “not as sweet as…” is a deal breaker for me.

I plan to track down a regional BBQ out of Ferndale, WA, called Brickhouse. Years ago I met the man who makes it, bought a jug and liked it pretty well but had totally lost track and have never seen it in a store since. He’s apparently still in business, online.

This is a good quest!

Jack Miller's (and neighbor sauce Pig Stand) isn't a sweet sauce in the sense of Sweet Baby Ray's or whatever, but it does have sweetness in its flavor profile. The OP seems to be looking for zero sweetness.

For NO sweetness you don't want Jack Miller's either.

This stuff is really good. Uses dates to sweeten, but it isn't sweet at all. Mix a little acv in it and it perfect.

https://goodfoodforgood.ca/collections/organic-barbecue-sauces/products/sugar-free-bbq-sauce

https://www.scottsbarbecuesauce.com/

0 sugar. Not sweet.

Or make some. This is a recipe Mickey Coleman had posted while trying to recreate Ollies bbq sauce.

Ollie’s was a well known Alabama joint. Great bbq. Sauce isn’t sweet, but does have a bit of sugar.

FOSCO'S FAMOUS ALABAMA STYLE SAUCE
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1tbsp brown sugar
2tsp kosher salt
1/4tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/2 cup ketchup
1tsp onion powder
1tsp garlic powder
1tsp ground mustard powder
worcestershire

Put it all in a Mason jar and shake it up really well. Allow to set for 15
minutes before using.

Thanks for the heads up re jack Miller sweetness. Wish I could try the organic sauce mentioned just above, sweetened only with dates, without having to buy a four pack. The local Brickhouse sauce from Ferndale WA is out of production for now.

Mathman is correct that I'm looking for zero sweetness. A tiny bit of raw sugar is good sometimes on fresh salmon, not enough to taste the sweet but just barely takes the harsh edge off of the strongest spices. That's how I do salmon for grilling. By way of contrast, my neighbor coats salmon in 3/4 brown sugar and 1/4 salt.

This quest has perked my cravings and I'm ready to make up a batch of savory BBQ sauce. Thanks again!

Ok Boss, here is one bottle on Amazon for $7.

I usually make my own, but your OP suggested you wanted to buy some.

GOOD FOOD FOR GOOD Organic Classic BBQ Sauce, 9.5 OZ https://a.co/d/bpOcizK

Scott's good stuff

As a general rule, anything "Texas Style" is going to be more savory than sweet.

Lots of recipes available to try at home - adjust to your liking !

https://www.vindulge.com/spicy-mango-jalapeno-bbq-sauce-no-sugar-added/

https://heygrillhey.com/no-sugar-added-homemade-bbq-sauce/

I trust both these ladies, cooked many of their recipes !

Something alot of people use here and it really isn't a barbeque sauce but is more of a basting sauce or marinade is Wickers out of Missouri. It is a water, vinegar and spice mixture. I inject it into chicken and pork before slow cooking on the grill. Have used it to marinate doves and shrimp. I have seen cooks at big cookings brushing it on pulled pork as they were cooking and pulling the pork.

I looked at those recipes. They may have no added/refined sugars, but the OP is after zero sweetness. Mango, molasses and honey don't fit that bill.

Correct, but as I said at the top, anything can be "adjusted to your liking", when playing at home.

I know, but removing what appears to be a central ingredient stretches my idea of adjusting.

I thought OP wanted a commercially available product?

Cattleman's. Available by the jug in wholesaler stores

+1 on Cattlemans

Maybe my taste buds are wonky. At a Valentine dinner last evening, a friend ordered some soup instead of salad, and really liked it. He suggested that I try a taste and said, "It is not sweet." I tasted it and to my taste it was very sweet. Hmmm.

I really appreciate the suggestions and am working my way through several. Wish I could try them without having to order them all. That vinegar based stuff from the Carolinas sounds interesting, no tomato and no sugar. The only sugar in my hommade stuff so far is from unsweetened natural tomato, but that has enough sugar to taste. I need to mix up some with no tomato.

Thanks!

Thanks. Tried it. Way too sweet for my taste, but with so little sugar that I figure they must have goosed it with Splenda or one of those synthetic sweeteners.

+2 on Cattlemans. We bought it in gallons at Kroger or Winn Dixie, added it to chopped Boston Butts for BBQ sandwiches in the school concession stand. Everyone loved it, not what I would call "sweet".

It sure is. Great stuff.

This^^
Just make some up and have fun doing it.

Stubbs Texas style is pretty good.

tag

I love wickers, when I do dry ribs, when they have about an hour to go, I'll alternate squeeze butter and wickers every 15 minutes or so, can't go to crazy with the wickers because it is a little salty. It can be hard to find, grocery stores don't carry it anymore and I finally found it after a few years in a specialty store that just opened up.

Kroger’s have been carrying the Wickers sauce lately.