Balsamic Barbecue Sauce Recipe

The caramel notes and sweet-tart flavor of reduced balsamic vinegar make it a surprisingly good starting point for barbecue sauce.

By
Joshua Bousel
a photo of Joshua Bousel, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Joshua Bousel
Joshua Bousel is a Serious Eats old-timer, having started sharing his passion for grilling and barbecue recipes on the site back in 2008. He continues to develop grilling and barbecue recipes on his own site, The Meatwave, out of his home base of Durham, North Carolina.
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Updated June 12, 2024
Balsamic barbecue sauce is used to glaze ribs as they cook on the grill.

Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

Why It Works

  • Reducing the balsamic vinegar tames its acidity, which is balanced further with honey and a touch of savory Worcestershire.
  • Brown sugar and a spoonful of molasses play up the caramel notes of the balsamic.
  • Dijon mustard, crushed red pepper, and white pepper add a touch of heat.

A new barbecue season calls for a new barbecue sauce. In thinking of what my first recipe for this spring/summer would be, I wanted to get away from the regional and fruity sauces I've focused on in the past and do something completely different. I got what I was looking for in this balsamic barbecue sauce.

When I pulled out the balsamic vinegar, I decided I really wanted to push its flavor to be dominant, so I started by emptying nearly an entire bottle into a saucepan and reducing it until it was one-third of its original volume. From there I built up the standard barbecue flavors, but with close thought to what would best complement the balsamic—like shallots, Dijon, and honey.

The end result was a very thick sauce that I would describe more like a balsamic barbecue glaze. The strong tanginess and robustness of the vinegar found a balance with the sweeteners, while mustard and Worcestershire gave extra depth, and a bit of white pepper provided a touch of spice. It coats heavily, and a little goes a long way in adding a strong and unique flavor that will make your barbecue stand out from the crowd in this fresh grilling season.

May 2013

Recipe Details

Balsamic Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Cook 65 mins
Active 30 mins
Total 65 mins
Serves 12 servings
Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 1 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1/3 cup finely minced shallots (about 1 medium)

  • 2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic (about 2 medium cloves)

  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • 1/2 cup ketchup

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon molasses

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, plus more to taste

  • Kosher salt, to taste

Directions

  1. Bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until vinegar is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

    Closeup of balsamic vinegar reducing in a saucepan.

    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

  2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add in shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

    Closeup of chopped shallot getting lightly browned in a saucepan.

    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

  3. Stir in reduced balsamic vinegar, ketchup, honey, brown sugar, mustard, molasses, Worcestershire, and white pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Season with salt and additional pepper to taste.

    The barbecue sauce is stirred as it simmers.

    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

  4. For smoother sauce, purée with an immersion blender, or in the jar of a regular blender, until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to a month.

    Closeup of the sauce being puréed with an immersion blender.

    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

Special Equipment

Small and medium saucepan; immersion or countertop blender (optional)

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
80Calories
1gFat
17gCarbs
0gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories80
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0g1%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 258mg11%
Total Carbohydrate 17g6%
Dietary Fiber 0g1%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg6%
Calcium 19mg1%
Iron 1mg3%
Potassium 118mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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