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A white bowl with some Memphis BBQ mop sauce and a spoon in it with a bottle of sauce on the side.
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4.67 / 3 votes

Memphis BBQ Mop Sauce

This Memphis BBQ mop sauce is an amazing yet simple concoction of everyday ingredients that captures that elusive balance of sweet, spicy, salty, and tangy. Slather onto brisket, chicken, ribs, burgers, and pulled pork. Here's how to make it.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 servings | 3 cups total
Calories: 29

Ingredients

  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1/2 cup yellow mustard
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 1 /2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon natural hickory liquid smoke
US - Metric

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine all the ingredients except the liquid smoke and bring to a gentle boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Whisk in the liquid smoke until it’s incorporated and, if a mellower smoke presence is desired, simmer for a few minutes.
  • Let the sauce cool, transfer it to a jar, and refrigerate for up to a month. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.
  • To use the sauce, let it come to room temperature and “mop” it generously over anything you’re grilling during the final minutes over heat.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: You do want to be certain to mop grilled anything with this sauce until just minutes before taking things off the heat so the sugars in it don’t scorch.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 29kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 371mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g