Slather Your Pig…Or
Barbecue sauce, or BBQ sauce as we refer to it around here, stirs debate. From what goes into it – tomato based or not – to whether it should be primarily spicy or sweet and then there is the issue of amount. My DH (dear husband) hails from Memphis.
Any so-called barbecued meat drowned in sauce is a travesty in his book.
He also keeps bringing up this sauce he used to make based upon Dr. Pepper, but I keep pointing out that the carbonated beverage is not only not tested for FODMAPs but I personally find it offensive, so that one is on the back burner for development.
I will concede that within a BBQ sauce it could work, but I digress.
1.0 to 2.0 and Beyond
So, why do I call this BBQ Sauce 2.0? Because I created a basic version for my book, The Low-FODMAP Diet Step by Step, but knew that I needed to create one just for you while there was still plenty of grilling and barbecue weather in front of us.
This version is a little more complex and a tad spicier. It is easy to make and keeps well. I use it on chicken and pork the most, but it has even made its way onto salmon tacos for a mash-up of cuisines or slathered on tofu.
The recipe doubles well. I made a huge batch for a July 4th celebration and even all the non-FODMAPers were quite happy. Actually, I have even quadrupled the recipe and it still works very well. Good to know for very large parties.
As always, remember to try small amounts first to assess your tolerance. Monash finally tested chipotle peppers and they do have some fructose content, so if you are sensitive, be prudent.
More BBQ Sauces
Make sure to check out these additional BBQ sauce recipes:
- Low FODMAP Hot and Tangy BBQ Sauce
- Low FODMAP Sweet and Sticky BBQ Sauce
- Low FODMAP Pineapple Whiskey BBQ Sauce
- Low FODMAP Blackberry Maple BBQ Sauce
- Low FODMAP Orange Marmalade BBQ Sauce
- Low FODMAP Rhubarb BBQ Sauce
BBQ Sauce 2.0
You can always use another BBQ sauce and this one is low FODMAP.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes about 2 ½ cups (600 ml); serving size ¼ cup (60 ml)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (480 ml) canned tomato sauce (without any kind of garlic or onion)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (54 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, use gluten-free, such as Lea & Perrins brand, if following a gluten-free diet
- 2 teaspoons to 2 tablespoons Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, use gluten-free if following a gluten-free diet
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
Preparation:
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Whisk the tomato sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chipotle in adobo, mustard, cumin, celery seed and smoked paprika together in a medium-size saucepan until very well combined. Season with salt and pepper and cayenne, to taste but be aware that the flavors will change, so season lightly for now.
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Simmer over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened.
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Season again with salt and pepper, if needed. If you would like more spice, add more chipotles in adobo sauce or a more cayenne. Cook for 1 minute more to blend the flavors. Remove from the heat, allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes:
If You Can Tolerate
- Fructans: If you passed the fructan garlic and onion challenges, feel free to use a commercially prepared tomato sauce that contains them. If you passed the fructan garlic challenge, you have the option of using canned chipotle in adobo sauce, which contains garlic.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
If I’m nervous about the chili’s, could I just forgo them? Would it taste the same?
Hi Nellie. If you are nervous how they will sit with your tummy/digestion because you have had issues in the past, then perhaps this would not be a good sauce for you. If you are nervous about this being too spicy, I would say this is mild to medium in heat, but of course, everyone’s palate is different. You really cannot leave them out or the sauce would not work. It needs the chiles to be BBQ Sauce and not just an odd ketchup!
Are you able to eat some garlic/onions? My husband can’t tollerate any and so I can’t use the Worcestershire sauce because it has garlic/onions – any idea of a substitute? Thanks in advance.
Your question is multifaceted. I personally steer clear of onions and garlic as added fresh ingredients when I’m cooking, however, I very much go by the lab tested foods of the Monash university app, of which wish to share sauce is one. There are many foods that are considered low your question is multifaceted. I personally steer clear of onions and garlic as added fresh ingredients when I’m cooking, however, I very much go by the lab tested foods of the Monash university app, of which wish to share sauce is one. There are many foods that are considered low FODMAP and even allowed during the Elimination phase that are high FODMAP in larger portions. The onion and/or Garlic in Worcetershire sauce is in small enough amounts to not trigger IBS symptoms for many people. Now, you know your husbands triggers better than we do, so you should use your best judgment. We encourage you to use the Monash university app and to familiarize Your self with all of the tested foods including ones that initially present with red lights. When you click through the entries you will see that many foods have greenlight serving sizes. Now, if you do not want to use this condiment I would suggest something a little salty or a little fishy or something that contains who m your self with all of the tested foods including ones that initially present with red lights. When you click through the entries you will see that many foods have greenlight serving sizes. Now, if you do not want to use this condiment I would suggest something a little salty or a little fishy or something that contains umami, perhaps a dab of miso or a little bit of soy sauce .
I was going to say the same. Soy also needs to be gluten free, it often has gluten! I can’t go near gluten onion or garlic. Worcestshire sauce needs to be noted in this recipe as having onion and garlic. The site says its to be trusted but I’m glad I read everything because I assume low fodmap means neither!
Carissa, many products that have been lab tested and Certified low FODMAP contain onion and garlic – like Worcestershire sauce. It is a matter of serving sizes. The entire diet is based upon portion control – just like you can have 20 g of apple, but not a whole one, or 30 g of avocado and still be low FODMAP. The diet is “low” FODMAP, not “no” FODMAP. The diet is not “no garlic” or “no onion”, it is low FODMAP and there are low FODMAP amounts of those items. The diet is not gluten-free either. Of course some soy sauce contains gluten and others do not. If you are GF, then please do use a GF soy sauce.
Good recipe. Next time I will add some liquid smoke to BBQ it up.
At some point I have to publish some writing I’ve done on liquid smoke because I think it’s a very misunderstood ingredient. I say go for it!
I agree! I was very gentle with the liquid smoke, and ended up putting in only about 5 drops, but it made this sauce heavenly! This is the 3rd or 4th Low FODMAP BBQ sauce recipe I’ve tried, and is by far my favorite- so so tasty!
So glad you loved this sauce! Easy to make and hits the spot…have you tried the Sweet & Sticky version? It is now my fave.
Great recipe. Can you freeze it?
I have never frozen it. You could can it. If you freeze it, the texture might suffer. I would try though and then just be prepared to bring it back together with an immersion blender or regular blender.
This is fantastic! Thanks for the recipe. It is delicious and my meat-eating boyfriend and I both loved it on pulled jackfruit sandwiches.
I am so happy that you love it! Just an FYI, if you are tolerating the jack fruit, then by all means continue to eat it. Monash has only tested freeze-dried jackfruit, which is high FODMAP in both fructans and fructose. FODMAP Friendly has tested canned jackfruit in sugar syrup and that is low FODMAP in 1 cup (drained) amounts. What kind have you used? It is such an interesting food.
I. LOVE. THIS. RECIPE!!!
I’ve had to be naughty and used canned chipotle and I KNOW it doesn’t agree with me that well, but I keep the peppers low (I usually aim for about 10ml) and then add in some chipotle powder to try and boost it up.
That said, I’ve got a MASSIVE batch of dried chipotle peppers on order to make my own, why you ask? Because this recipe is FANTASTIC. I’ve had BBQ sauce throughout my life and while it never agreed with me (nothing ever does) I loved the taste.
When I started the low fodmap journey I was resigned to either never having BBQ sauce again or having to use the other far far inferior fodmap BBQ sauce recipe.
I don’t know why it took me so long to try this one, but holy handgrenades am I sad I didn’t make this eons ago.
I had to restrain myself from taking spoonfuls of this bloody sauce and eating it on its own! Even my wife, who is super picky and not a fan of BBQ sauce, agreed this was beyond delicious.
Now the first time I made it I did not have any Worcestershire sauce, so I used liquid smoke to fill its place as I have a bit of a touchy seafood allergy that I don’t want to mess with, I’m still on the hunt for a WS that doesn’t have anchovies, and I’m close so the next batch will be extra proper.
But thank you for this, my ONLY complaint is that the page isn’t printable from mobile – but psh, that’s nothin!
Thank you for this, and I can’t wait to make more on Tuesday when my peppers come!
NICK! You get the award for ENTHUSIASM!!!!! Thank you so much for the report. Nothing makes us happier than knowing we are making a difference in community member’s lives in and out of the kitchen! And I will look into the mobile/publish comment.
Oh crap. I forgot to rate it!
I hit submit and saw the stars. I’m dumb!
No problem and THANK YOU again:)
I can echo Nick’s enthusiasm from above. I LOVE this recipe. BBQ that I enjoy and that is not full of ingredients I don’t normally have on had is difficult for me to find. I cannot use more store bought, not just because of the IBS issue, because all my favorite sauces all seem to have pineapple juice in them and I am highly allergic to pineapples.
I have made this sauce several times. Each time I have increased the amount and split it into small batches and freeze it so I always have sauce at the ready!! I use crushed tomatoes in mine. I don’t used my home canned tomatoes because I feel it would alter the taste but I have used my home made tomato sauce. But I found that the store bought crushed tomatoes (a variety I purchase at Aldi in the USA) has worked best.
I have not purchased marinara or enchilada sauce (both which I make with my tomatoes) off the self in many years and now I can add BBQ to that list!!!!
BEST BBQ EVER!
Kim, what a lovely note to wake up to. We will be working on more BBQ sauces this summer, so stay tuned! In the meantime, sounds like you are eating well and we are thrilled to be a part of your low FODMAP kitchen and lifestyle!
Hi, quick question. Tomato sauce, is that the same as pasata? Smooth tomato purée?
They are not the same. Tomato sauce here in the US us a cooked product and contains additional ingredients, such as this product HERE. Passata is thicker and more akin to a smooth tomato purée, the great majority of which is a raw product.
I hate to tell you, but I thought this was supposed to be a garlic free recipe, but Worcestershire sauce has garlic in it.
Hi there! The diet is lower in FODMAPs but it is not FODMAP free. There are many Monadh university lab tested and certified low FODMAP products that contain ingredients that also have high FODMAP serving sizes. Worcestershire sauce, and even conventional ketchup, are perfect examples. You are right that Worcestershire sauce contains both onion and garlic and yet it is a Low Fodmap in 2 Australian tablespoons servings. Our barbecue sauce, and any other recipe that we have that contains Worcestershire sauce, takes all of that into consideration and is considered low FODMAP. I hope that if you downgraded are recipe for this reason that you will reconsider! We know the diet can be confusing and every day is an opportunity to learn more
I’m struggling to work out what the equivalent is here in Australia? As our tomato sauce is bottled sauce that you eat with hot chips, meat pies etc. But the can linked seems more like a pasta sauce? Not sure if I have seen anything like that here
Hi there. You could try a passata, although that sometimes has more texture than our plain tomato sauce. You don’t want a prepared marinara. Look for a very simple label of tomatoes, maybe salt and citric acid; no herbs or spices.