Coca Cola BBQ Sauce

This Coca Cola BBQ Sauce is simple to make and packed with sweet and tangy flavors. Perfect for all your summer grilling.

This Coca Cola BBQ Sauce is simple to make and packed with sweet and tangy flavors. Perfect for all your summer grilling.

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Have you ever made your own barbecue sauce? While it’s really easy to grab a bottle at the store and there are lots of great brands, it’s also super simple to make at home.

And after you try this sweet, tangy and slightly smoky sauce you may be converted to homemade all the time.

This Coca Cola BBQ Sauce is simple to make and packed with sweet and tangy flavors. Perfect for all your summer grilling.

Ingredients for Coca Cola BBQ Sauce

  • Fresh garlic: Because most everything is better with a little (or lots) of garlic.
  • Ketchup: This brings the tomato factor to your barbecue sauce and adds a little sweetness. Use your favorite brand since it makes up a lot of the sauce.
  • Apple cider vinegar: Adds lots of tanginess to the sauce. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar on hand you can use white vinegar or even red wine vinegar in its place. I prefer apple cider since it has a little sweetness to it but those other options will be delicious too.
  • Molasses: Adds depth and richness to the sauce. It’s a little smoky and bitter which helps balance out all the sweetness going on in the sauce.
  • Coca Cola: The main event. Coke adds lots of sweetness and a distinct flavor.
  • Brown sugar: We like our barbecue sauce on the sweet side. Brown sugar adds a deeper flavor and creates a stickier, thicker sauce.
  • Liquid smoke: Adds smoky flavor to the sauce. Just a little does the trick.
  • Kosher salt: Salt helps bring out all the flavor of the ingredients and balances out the sweetness we have going on.
This Coca Cola BBQ Sauce is simple to make and packed with sweet and tangy flavors. Perfect for all your summer grilling.

How to Make Coca Cola BBQ Sauce

The process for making Coca Cola BBQ Sauce is the easiest. Add all the ingredients to a medium sized sauce pan and whisk them together.

Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook for 30 minutes. Stir it every few minutes to keep the brown sugar in the sauce from burning.

It will thicken up slightly and become the most delightful barbecue sauce. And that’s all it takes.

This Coca Cola BBQ Sauce is simple to make and packed with sweet and tangy flavors. Perfect for all your summer grilling.

Delicious on Everything

Coca Cola BBQ Sauce is good on everything, but especially meats that have been grilled or smoked.

I love a simple grilled chicken breast or thigh slathered with this sauce as it grills. It’s great on pulled pork and ribs too.

Any sandwich you would normally add barbecue sauce to would be delicious with this as well.

Whip up a batch of creamy coleslaw and you’ll have the ultimate barbecue meal.

This Coca Cola BBQ Sauce is simple to make and packed with sweet and tangy flavors. Perfect for all your summer grilling.

Keep It On Hand

You can generally keep this sauce in the refrigerator for up to two weeks after making it. Make sure it’s stored in an airtight container.

If the color changes or it starts to thicken up, it’s no longer good and should be discarded.

If you don’t think you’ll go through the sauce in time, there’s a handy tool on the recipe that can reduce the recipe in half and tells you the measurements. You can also use it to double the sauce if you have a big family or are serving it to a crowd.

More Homemade Condiments to Try:

This Coca Cola BBQ Sauce is simple to make and packed with sweet and tangy flavors. Perfect for all your summer grilling.
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4.84 from 6 votes

Coca Cola BBQ Sauce

This Coca Cola BBQ Sauce is simple to make and packed with sweet and tangy flavors. Perfect for all your summer grilling.
Active Time30 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: coca cola bbq sauce
Yield: 4 cups
Author: Meg’s Everyday Indulgence

Ingredients

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups ketchup
  • 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 3/4 cup coca cola
  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. liquid smoke
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a medium sauce pan. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring often. Use right away or let cool and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

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One comment

  1. 5 stars
    I confess I’ve never made a bbq sauce with cola before, but you have me convinced to try it! Looks perfectly thick, sweet and savory.

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