Smoky Keto BBQ Sauce Recipe - Perfect Keto (2024)

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How many times have you reached for the BBQ sauceonly to catch a glimpse of the nutrition facts and set the bottle back down in shock?

Most people on the keto dietknow how difficult it is to find low-carbor keto-friendlycondimentsto slather over your favorite dish. After all, with the majority of keto dieters averaging 30 grams of net carbsper day (or fewer), who wants to waste those carbs on sauce?

Sit tight, because your prayers are about to be answered. The ketoBBQsauce recipebelow takes just five minutes of prep timeand 30 minutes of cook time. Plus, it contains two grams of dietary fiber, bringing the net carb countdown to 4.9 grams per serving.

How Do You Make Low-Carb, Low SugarBBQ Sauce?

A leading brand of BBQ saucebought from the store can weigh you down with 18 grams of total carbohydrates per serving — and a serving sizeis just two tablespoons[*]. Even worse, it contains 16 grams of added sugar, zero fat, and zero protein.Even most BBQ sauce recipesyou find online are packed with sugar, adding molasses or honey in the recipes.

No thanks.

Store-bought BBQ sauceis commonly made from a combination of corn syrup, corn starch, molasses, and fruit juice — none of which are doing your waistline, or your attempt to enter ketosis, any favors.

Ingredients to Use in Keto BBQ Sauce

By making homemade BBQ sauce, you can avoid any unwanted, artificial ingredients. Plus, you can tweak the ingredients to make your concoction as spicy or tangy as you like. Some of the main ingredients in this sauce include:

• Tomato sauce(not tomato paste)
• Apple cider vinegar
• Hot sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• Brown mustard
• Monk fruit
• Spices, including onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and cayennepowder
• Liquid smoke

Recipe note: To make a sugar-free BBQ sauce, you can eliminate the monk fruitsweetenersentirely.

Why Monk FruitIs the Perfect, Low-CarbBrown Sugar Substitute

You probably noticed there is no sugarin this recipe. That’s because sugar — even natural sugar like molasses, maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey — raises the carb countconsiderably.

While keto-friendlysweetenerssuch as stevia, Swerve, erythritol, and Splendawork well for baking, some people complain of a distinct aftertaste, which wouldn’t quite work in a BBQ sauce.

Monk fruitsweetenertastes, well, sweet. Monk fruitis 150–200 times sweetenerthan regular sugar, which means you need just a small amount in various recipes. While a traditional BBQ sauce recipecalls for 1–2 cups of brown sugar, you will need just one tablespoon of monk fruitin the below recipe.

Recipe Variations for Keto-FriendlyBBQ Sauce

This sauce is easily customizable to your preferences without increasing the carb content. Try the following variations to put your own spin on this recipe:

• Give it some heat: Like things spicy? Add a touch more hot sauce, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
• Make it tangy: Want your BBQ saucea little more tangy? Add an extra dash of vinegar.
• Make it zero-sugar: To make a completely sugar-free BBQ sauce, eliminate the monk fruitsweetener. This will give your dipping saucea distinct smokeyflavor rather than the honey-sweet barbecue sauceyou may be accustomed to.

The Secret, Healthy Ingredient to Low-Carb Barbecue Sauce: Apple Cider Vinegar

One ingredient you don’t see too often is apple cider vinegar (ACV). While it’s not commonly used, it should be — it’s a nutritional powerhouse. This ingredient has been shown to:

#1: Helps With Weight Loss

Daily intake of certain kinds of vinegar like apple cider vinegar may help with weight loss. According to one study, obese men who took two tablespoons of vinegar per day over a 12-week period saw a decrease in body weight, BMI, visceral fat area, waist circumference, and serum triglyceride levels, compared to the placebo group.[*].

#2: Helps Keep Your Heart Healthy

ACV has been shown to reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins) while also increasing “good” HDL cholesterol in rats[*]. The results suggest that daily ACV intake may help protect the cardiovascular health of humans with metabolic issues.

#3: Helps Improve Your Skin Health

Did you know that ACV contains important elements such as acetic acid, lactic acid, and citric acid? These different acids have all been shown to prevent the growth of certain bacteria known to cause acne and help promote the health of your skin’s microbiome[*].

Recipe Ideas for Your Keto BBQ Sauce

Looking for a few fun keto recipesto pair with your sauce? Here are three low-carb recipeideas to pair with your homemade condiment, all of which are gluten-free, paleo, and keto-friendly. Try working any of the below recipes into your ketomeal plan.

BBQ Pulled Beef Sando

Love traditional pulled porksandwiches? Then you’ll love this new spin on the classic recipe with pulled beef sammies. Place a chuck roast in the slow cooker for 10–12 hours and you’ll have a delicious pulled beef sandwich. While this recipecalls for its own sauce, you can easily top it with your low-carb BBQ sauce.

Spicy Korean BBQ Lettuce Wraps

Forget the bun and grab a head of butter lettuce. In this recipe, you’ll take ground beef, onion, and ginger and roll it up in a wrap. By tweaking the recipe to swap in your low-carb, American-style BBQ for the original sauce, you suddenly have not one, but two recipes.

Crispy Keto Chicken Tenders

Why hunt on Amazon for a reduced sugar ketchup(or sugar-free ketchup), when you can just dip these chicken tenders in your homemade BBQ sauce? This recipefor BBQ chickentenders would be perfect for tailgating, or as an appetizer or kid-friendly meal.

Nutritious Baked Pork Chops

Looking for an easy-peasy dinner recipe to whip up this week? Theseketopork chopsare incredibly simple to prepare and pair perfectly with your sauce.Simply whisk together parmesan cheese, black pepper, smoked paprika, chili powder, and other spices; then season your pork chops. Sear each chop on the skillet, smotherin your BBQ sauce, then transfer to the oven to bake.

Enjoy Keto Barbecue Sauce With All Your Favorite Dishes

Summer calls for grilling, so light the smoker or pull the Crock-Pot off the shelf, because it’s time to get cooking. This keto-friendlysauce allows you to enjoy your best barbecue dishes without the carbs or sugar.

If you’re planning an entire barbecue menu, check out these side dishesfor suggestions. You might also enjoy cauliflower“mashed potatoes,” low-carbcreamed spinach, jalapeno poppers, or good ol’ french fries. You’ll soon have a low-carbmeal fit for your whole family.

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