Sweet Coca Cola BBQ Sauce

By Todd Martin July 8, 2024 3 mins read 247 Views

This easy, homemade Sweet Coca Cola BBQ Sauce has a delicious candy flavor that will take your grilled proteins to a whole new level!

This Sweet Coca Cola BBQ Sauce has deep rich flavor that is perfect for grilled or smoked chicken, chicken wings, and smoked pork ribs. It’s even good on hot dogs! Even better, you can serve this homemade BBQ sauce on the side, use it in sloppy joe’s or thin it out, and slather it onto pork belly. The possibilities are endless.

Why this recipe works

It’s flavorful: There is just something about cola that adds a nice, deep rich foundation to barbecue sauces. It’s one of our chief “helper” ingredients for Doctored BBQ Sauce. Try this sauce in my Baked Beans recipe as well. Fantastic!
Making a homemade barbecue sauce is super easy. All you’ll need is a few ingredients and you’re well on your way!
You can make it in advance. For best results, make the BBQ sauce sauce the day before and store it in the fridge. Doing this will allow the flavors to strike the perfect balance. For a silky sauce, add a pat of butter right before removing the sauce from the burner.

Ingredients

This recipe yields 2 cups of sauce or enough for 2-3 racks of ribs

Ketchup
Cola
Brown sugar
Balsamic vinegar (adds a nice pop of flavor!)
Onion powder
Salt and black pepper
Garlic powder
Ground cloves (optional)
Butter (optional)

How to make Cola BBQ Sauce

In a medium saucepan, bring recipe ingredients (except butter) to a high simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
For a sauce with a silky finish, add a pat of butter at the end of cooking time.
Once the sauce has thickened slightly, remove from heat and cool for 15-20 minutes.
Let the sauce cool for 10 minutes, then baste onto smoked and grill meats during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
If making ahead of time, cool completely, transfer BBQ sauce to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
You can also freeze this coca cola barbecue sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw in your fridge overnight, and reheat on your stovetop before using.

Low sugar alternatives

Need a low sugar alternative for this Sweet Coca Cola BBQ Sauce recipe? We’ve got to you covered! Use one, or all of the substitutions listed below to make a sugar-free version of this sauce. As always, consult the package for measurement conversions. Sugar alternatives can be sweeter than cane sugar.

Ketchup: Substitute with low sugar or no sugar added ketchup.
Cola: Use diet cola or zero sugar cola instead.
Brown Sugar Alternatives: Use a brown sugar substitute like Sukrin, Monk Fruit, Truvia, or Purecane Zero.

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