BBQ sauce and ketchup | Glaze, dip and grill sauce

BBQ sauce and ketchup: glaze on the grill, dip on the table

BBQ sauce and ketchup do two different jobs. Ketchup is the acidity and sweetness that sits on the table and gets eaten as it is. BBQ sauce is a working tool: it goes onto the meat while it is still hot, caramelises into a glossy film and gives the sticky surface that separates home grilling from the average. Here you find both, from award winning Texas sauces to Norwegian ketchup made on fresh tomatoes.

A glaze that caramelises	Ketchup from real tomato
From mild to hot	For grill, smoker and table

The most common mistake with BBQ sauce is putting it on too early. The sauce is full of sugar, and sugar starts to burn long before the meat is done. The result is a black, bitter crust over meat that is still raw inside. The fix is simple: keep the sauce away until the last 10 to 15 minutes, or until the core temperature is nearly where you want it. Then the sugar has time to caramelise without charring.

Pro tip!
If you want several layers of glaze rather than one thick one, brush thin and repeat. Put on a thin coat, let it set for two or three minutes, and repeat three or four times. Each layer builds on the last, and you get a surface that is glossy and tacky rather than wet and heavy. That is exactly how ribs and wings get the lacquered finish they have in a restaurant.

How to choose

For pork, ribs and pulled pork: Choose a sweet sauce. The sweetness balances the fat and caramelises best.
For beef and brisket: Choose an original or hot sauce with more acidity and smoke and less sugar.
For chicken and wings: Choose a fruity sauce, ideally with peach or tomato at the base.
For sausages, burgers and fries: Choose ketchup. A ketchup made from real tomato with balanced acidity does more for a sausage than any BBQ sauce.
For dipping at the table: Anything works, but thin sauces drip. Choose a thicker one for dipping and a thinner one for brushing.

How to use

Grill or smoke the food through first, without sauce.
Brush on a thin layer for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Let the layer set for two or three minutes before brushing again.
Repeat three or four times for a glossy glaze.
Put the rest of the sauce on the table, with the ketchup beside it.

Dosage guide

Glaze on ribs	About 100 ml of sauce per kilo, across three or four thin layers
Glaze on chicken wings	About 50 ml per kilo, brushed on in the last 10 minutes
Into pulled pork after shredding	100 to 200 ml per kilo of shredded meat, mixed through
As a dip	2 to 3 tbsp per serving
In a BBQ based marinade	100 ml of sauce per kilo of meat, thinned with apple juice or vinegar
Ketchup with a sausage or burger	1 to 2 tbsp per serving

FAQ Frequently asked questions

When should BBQ sauce go on?

In the last 10 to 15 minutes of grilling, or once the core temperature is nearly where you want it. The sauce is full of sugar, and sugar starts to burn at around 140 degrees, long before the meat is done. Put it on early and you get a black, bitter crust. Put it on late and you get a glossy glaze.

What is the difference between BBQ sauce and ketchup?

Ketchup is a table product: tomato, sugar, vinegar and spices, balanced to be eaten as it is. BBQ sauce is built for heat. It carries more sugar and often smoke, molasses or syrup, precisely because it is meant to caramelise on the meat. You can use ketchup as a base for a homemade BBQ sauce, but not the other way round.

Why does my sauce burn on the grill?

Because the sugar in it meets too much heat for too long. Either the sauce went on too early, or you are grilling directly over the coals instead of indirectly. Move the food to the cool side of the grill when you brush, and keep the lid on.

Can BBQ sauce be used as a marinade?

Partly. The sugar makes it burn, and its acidity penetrates the meat very little. If you want to marinate, thin the sauce with apple juice or vinegar and treat it as a flavouring rather than a tenderiser. Always hold back some of the sauce for brushing at the end and for serving.

How long does an opened bottle last?

Sugar, vinegar and salt make both BBQ sauce and ketchup well preserved products, and an opened bottle in the fridge normally keeps for months. Refrigerate after opening, keep the spout clean, and follow the date printed on the packaging.