What Is Texas BBQ Sauce?

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There are so many variations of Barbecue sauce, and Texas BBQ is just one of them. Are you wondering what it is exactly? How does it differ and what you can expect in terms of ingredients and flavor? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Here is all you will want to know.

So, what is Texas BBQ sauce? Texas BBQ sauce is a thin and less sweet variation of typical barbecue sauce. It is typically made of a combination of tomato (paste/ketchup), spices, celery, onion, and garlic along with meat drippings or bouillon. It was created to enhance the flavor of BBQ meat, not cover it.

As the name suggests, this sauce originates in Texas.

Central Texas, specifically.

And it was created to perfectly synergize with high-quality cuts of beef.

The kind of beef you don’t need an overwhelming sauce for. Beef that has flavor.

With this in mind, let us now take a closer look at the ingredients, flavor profile, and most importantly of all – what to pair it with!

What Is Texas Barbecue Sauce Made Of?

Texas BBQ sauce is typically made of tomato(tomato paste/ketchup), spices, celery, onion, and garlic along with meat drippings or bouillon. Although, the exact ingredients vary from recipe to recipe, or brand to brand.

If we take a look at the average home recipe we can see how it differs from those offered on the market.

Home Made Texas BBQ Sauce Ingredients

  • Tomato Paste/Tomato Ketchup
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Minced Onion,
  • Celery,
  • Garlic,
  • Water,
  • Beef Bouillon,
  • Apple Cider Vinngar,
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Spicy Mustard
  • Honey
  • Paprika,
  • Chili Powder,
  • Salt and Black Pepper

Sometimes you’ll also find lemon juice, coriander, the juice of an orange and liquid smoke in some recipes too!

Branded Texas BBQ Sauce Ingredients

There are several different branded Texas BBQ sauces on the market.

The following are just some of the most popular, and the ingredients found in them!

Heinz Texas Style Bold & Spicy BBQ Barbecue Sauce Ingredients

Water, Tomato Paste, Cane Sugar, Dark Brown Sugar, Distilled White Vinegar, Salt, Blackstrap Molasses, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Spices, Modified Food Starch, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Natural Smoke Flavor, Mustard Seed, Xanthan Gum, Tamarind Extract, Turmeric, Natural Flavor.

Bulls-Eye Texas-style BBQ Sauce Ingredients

Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Vinegar, Modified Food Starch, Contains Less Than 2% Of Salt, Spice, Mustard Flour, Natural Flavor, Dried Onions, Dried Garlic, Potassium Sorbate (To Preserve Freshness).

Famous Dave’s Texas Pit BBQ Sauce Ingredients

Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Tomato Paste, Distilled Vinegar, Sugar, Ground Mustard Seed, Worcestershire Sauce Concentrate (Vinegar, Molasses, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Caramel Color Garlic Powder, Sugar, Spices, Tamarind), Salt, Spices, Food Starch-Modified, Paprika (Color), Dried Onion, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives), Citric Acid, Garlic Powder, Xanthan Gum, Caramel Color, Lemon Juice Solids, Natural Flavor, Turmeric (Color).

So, as you can see from the ingredient lists above, each brand includes slightly different ingredients – resulting in some variance between sauces.

What Does Texas BBQ Taste Like?

Texas BBQ sauce is rich and beefy in flavor. It is less sweet than your typical barbecue sauce and is generally quite tangy.

From a consistency perspective, it is quite thin; sometimes it is a little chunky (due to the inclusion of the vegetables), but other times it is smooth (if it has been blended).

This sauce, whole rich and flavorsome, does not generally cover the flavor of the meat it is eaten with.

What Does Texas BBQ Sauce Go Well With?

Texas BBQ sauce is best eaten with smoked brisket (including brisket sandwiches) or pork ribs.

Other than this, it is a great sauce for burgers and as a dipping sauce for sides (such as fries and onion rings) too!

Or if you are feeling extra experimental, there is no reason why you could not use this sauce for other foods.

It is great added to soups, broths, and stews, for instance.

Related Questions

What Makes Texas BBQ Sauce Different?

Texas BBQ sauce is different from other barbecue sauces as it is less sweet and generally thinner in consistency. It doesn’t tend to have that sticky texture and instead has a richer, deeper tomato and beef flavor.

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