There’s truly nothing better than a family barbecue, especially when you can take advantage of the weather and enjoy the outdoors with your friends and family. With this delicious and easy-to-make Keto BBQ sauce (ready in one saucepan in about 25 minutes!), you can enjoy your barbecues to the very fullest without the added sugar or carbs. This thick, tangy, smoky, and savory-sweet sauce is perfect for brushing onto your favorite low-and-slow BBQ creations.
Why This Recipe Works
Most store-bought BBQ sauces lean on sugar or high-fructose corn syrup for both sweetness and body. Sugar is often the second or third ingredient listed! This version swaps that out for a monk fruit/erythritol brown sugar substitute, which mimics brown sugar’s caramel-like sweetness and helps the sauce thicken and glaze the way a traditional sauce would.
A splash of apple cider vinegar keeps things tangy, smoked paprika and liquid smoke carry the barbecue flavor without a grill, and a spoonful of butter adds the rich, smooth mouthfeel you’d get from sugar caramelizing in a more traditional BBQ recipe.
How to Make this Keto BBQ Sauce
We will start by adding all of our ingredients except for our butter to the pan at once and whisking them until they are well-mixed and smooth. Whisking while everything’s still cold and thin will help to break up the tomato paste before the heat starts thickening things, so we don’t have to worry about smoothing out lumps later.
Next we will add our butter, bring the mixture up to a simmer over medium-low heat, then drop it to low. Tomato paste is thick and tends to sit at the bottom of the pan, so we’ll want to keep our heat low to keep the sauce cooking evenly.
Now that our sauce has been brought to a simmer, we’ll cook it uncovered, stirring every few minutes until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you notice the sauce sputtering or splashing out of the pan, it’s a sign that your heat is too high. Fight the urge to cover it and lower your heat instead. It may be counterintuitive, but this will make your sauce thicken faster.
Once the sauce has thickened sufficiently, we’ll taste it and adjust the sweetener, vinegar, or cayenne to our liking. If we change anything, we’ll let the sauce simmer for an extra few minutes so the new additions fully incorporate and the sauce comes back to the right thickness.
After it’s ready, we’ll remove it from heat and use it for our barbecue dish of choice. If we’re storing the sauce for later, we’ll let it cool to room temperature before pouring it into a glass jar and into the fridge.
A Note on Cooking with Monk Fruit/Erythritol Blends
Unlike allulose, erythritol-based sweeteners don’t caramelize or brown the way sugar does, so you won’t get the deep color change you might expect from a sugar-based sauce. That’s normal. What erythritol blends do tend to do is crystallize slightly as the sauce cools, which can make it feel a bit grainy straight out of the fridge. However, this is easily remedied with a short amount of time on the stove or in the microwave, followed by a quick stir.
Storage
Cool the sauce to room temperature before transferring it to a sealed jar. It keeps about 2 weeks in the refrigerator, or you can freeze it in small portions for up to 3 months. Make a bigger batch, freeze it and you’ll have keto BBQ sauce for the whole summer!
How to Use This Keto BBQ Sauce
This sauce works anywhere you’d use a classic BBQ sauce: brushed on grilled chicken or ribs in the last few minutes of cooking, stirred into pulled pork or shredded chicken, or even as a dip for keto-friendly fries. Low Carb Glow has a great recipe for Slow Cooker Pulled Pork that would pair beautifully. If you’re looking for a side to eat with your BBQ main dish, I highly recommend our Keto “Potato” Salad, which brings a lovely summer picnic vibe to your meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BBQ sauce keto-friendly?
Most bottled BBQ sauces are not keto-friendly, since sugar or corn syrup is typically one of the first few ingredients. This homemade version replaces that sugar with a monk fruit/erythritol blend.
Can I make this without butter?
Yes. The butter is there for that smooth traditional BBQ sauce mouthfeel, but it’s absolutely optional. If you’re looking to make this recipe dairy free, substitute the same amount of avocado oil.
How can I prevent my keto BBQ sauce from scorching?
Keep the heat on low once the sauce starts to thicken, and stir often, especially toward the end. As the sauce reduces, there’s less liquid to buffer the bottom of the pan, so it’s easier for it to catch and scorch if left unattended. While we’re not cooking meat here, the barbecue mantra of “low and slow” applies just the same.
Why is my sauce grainy or separated after storage?
This is normal for erythritol-based sweeteners like the monk fruit/erythritol blend used here. Erythritol can crystallize slightly as the sauce cools, giving it a faint graininess in the fridge. A gentle reheat on the stove or in short microwave bursts will have it ready to go again in no time.
Can I adjust the sweetness or heat level?
Absolutely. To make sure that the sauce fits the exact taste you’re looking for, be sure to taste the sauce partway through. Add more of the monk fruit/erythritol blend for a sweeter sauce, more apple cider vinegar for tang, or more cayenne pepper for heat. Simmer for a few more minutes after any adjustment so the flavors meld.
What kind of mustard should I use?
This recipe calls for the mild, bright yellow American-style mustard you’d find on a hot dog (think French’s or Heinz as the classic example). English or “hot” mustard is made differently and is significantly stronger. If you’re outside the US, look for a mild yellow or “American-style” mustard rather than a sharp English one, since swapping in the hotter version will make the sauce noticeably spicier than intended.
What sweetener should I use?
For this recipe, I used Lakanto Brown monk fruit/erythritol blend, which measures 1:1 with sugar. This can be easily substituted with your own sweetener of choice. Just double check the label to see how it measures compared to sugar.
Keto BBQ Sauce (Low-Carb | Sugar-Free)
This Keto BBQ sauce is rich, smoky, and just the right amount of savory-sweet. Everything you want from a classic barbecue sauce, without any of the added sugar or carbs. It's easy to make, ready in just over 20 minutes, and it's perfect for dipping, brushing, or stirring into your favorite low and slow BBQ recipes.
Ingredients
- 6 oz tomato paste (single concentration)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup Lakanto brown monk fruit/erythritol blend
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp cumin
Instructions
Add all ingredients except for butter to the pan at once and whisk until smooth.
Add butter, then bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Once simmering, reduce to low.
Cook uncovered, stirring every few minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 15 minutes). If it starts sputtering or splashing in the pan, lower the heat rather than covering the pan.
Taste the sauce and adjust the sweetener, liquid smoke, or cayenne to your liking
Remove from heat. Use it right away, or let it cool to room temperature before transferring to a jar and refrigerating.
