Recipe

Cola BBQ Sauce

A cola-based BBQ sauce built on a reduction technique that concentrates the flavor without making the sauce watery. Sweet, tangy, and smoky with an optional bourbon kick.

By Luis Ramirez(Updated )

Prep

5 min

Cook

20 min

Total

25 min

Difficulty

Beginner

Yield

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Method

Stovetop

I got an email one day that asked if I was interested in coming up with a BBQ sauce using Pepsi’s new product Pepsi Natural. I’m a real big fan of Pepsi Throwback and of colas in general, so the proposition was somewhat intriguing. I’d seen cola BBQ sauces around and was always interested in trying one. So here’s what I came up with.

The first thing that I noticed was that the Pepsi Natural is not nearly as sweet as your standard soft drink. It’s perfectly pleasant to drink and quite refreshing, just not so super-sweet. In order to make this work without the sauce being way too watery is to reduce the Pepsi Natural into a more concentrated form. I tried it with and without the reduction technique and the reduction was the crowd favorite. The bourbon is totally optional, it worked great without it.

Jump to IngredientsJump to Instructions

What You Need

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle of cola (12 oz)
  • 1 can (6 oz) of tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp of mustard
  • 1 Tbsp of worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tbsp of your favorite BBQ rub
  • 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1 Tbsp bourbon (optional)

Step by Step

Instructions

  1. 1

    Step 1

    In a medium sized sauce pan simmer the 12 oz bottle of cola until its volume is reduced to 4 oz. Stir in the other ingredients and remove from heat.

Pro Tips

  • The reduction step is critical — without it the sauce is too watery
  • Tested with and without reduction; reduction was the crowd favorite
  • Bourbon is optional but adds depth
  • Works with any cola, though less-sweet varieties produce a more balanced sauce

Nutrition

Per serving

Calories

60 calories

Protein

0 g

Fat

0 g

Carbs

15 g

Sodium

300 mg

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Why reduce the cola?
Reducing the soda concentrates its flavor so the sauce isn’t watery. Tested both ways, the reduction won easily.
Can I use any cola?
Yes. Less-sweet colas give a more balanced sauce, but any cola works.
Is the bourbon necessary?
No. It adds depth, but the sauce is great without it.
saucebbq saucecolacondimentstovetopquickcola bbq saucehomemade bbq saucereduction