How to Thicken BBQ Sauce

Co-authored by Joshua & Jeremy George

Last Updated: September 27, 2022

Thick BBQ sauce is a key ingredient in making the perfect sandwich or steak. Both store-bought and homemade BBQ sauce can be too thin from time to time, but there are plenty of ways to easily change the consistency of this family favorite. BBQ sauce can be thickened by boiling it to remove excess liquid, or you can add flour, cornstarch, or some fat to thicken it.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Boiling BBQ Sauce

1
Heat the BBQ sauce over a medium heat. Pour the sauce into a medium saucepan. Place the saucepan on the stovetop, and set the temperature to the medium setting.^{[1]
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- You can also use the stovetop on a gas grill if you prefer.
2
Wait for the BBQ sauce to begin boiling. Stir the sauce occasionally with a wooden spoon. Pay attention to it as it heats up so you notice when it starts to boil.^{[2]
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- The steam that evaporates from the saucepan is the liquid leaving the sauce. The more liquid that is removed, the thicker the sauce will become.
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3
Turn the temperature down to a low heat when the sauce begins to boil. Continue to stir the sauce occasionally. Check the thickness of the sauce regularly by lifting small amounts up with a spoon and observing the consistency.^{[3]
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4
Remove the sauce from the heat when it reaches the desired thickness. Turn the temperature on the stovetop off. Take the saucepan off the heat.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Flour or Cornstarch

1
Heat the BBQ sauce in a saucepan over a low heat. Place the sauce into a saucepan on the stovetop. Set the temperature to a low setting.^{[5]
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2
Mix water with flour or cornstarch in a separate bowl. You can use either flour or cornstarch to thicken BBQ sauce. Just mix together 2 tbsp (16 g) of flour and ¼ cup (62.5 mL) of water, or combine 1 tbsp (9 g) of cornstarch with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of water. Continue mixing the thickener until there are no lumps of flour or cornstarch.^{[6]
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- Use either a fork or a whisk to mix the flour and water.
- This amount of thickener works best for 1 cup (250 mL) of BBQ sauce. Adjust the amount of thickener as required by the amount of BBQ sauce that you are using.
- It isn't entirely necessary to mix the flour or cornstarch with water first, however this will prevent clumping and will make sure that the thickener is evenly distributed throughout the sauce.
3
Add the thickener to the saucepan and bring the sauce to a boil. Pour the flour or the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan. Use a wooden spoon to combine the thickener and the sauce. Increase the temperature to bring the sauce to a boil.^{[7]
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- Stir the sauce occasionally as you bring it to a boil.
4
Reduce the heat to low when the sauce starts to boil. Once the sauce begins boiling, lower the temperature of the stovetop. Stir the sauce for 2 minutes as it simmers.^{[8]
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5
Remove the sauce from the heat when it is slightly thinner than you want. This should take around 2 minutes. Turn the temperature off on the stovetop, and remove the pot from the hot element.^{[9]
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- The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Adding Fats

1
Add butter to BBQ sauce to create a thicker, creamy texture. Heat 1 cup (250 mL) of BBQ sauce with 1 tbsp (14 g) of butter over a medium heat. Reduce the heat down to low once the sauce starts to boil. Stir the sauce for 2-3 minutes until it reaches the desired consistency.^{[10]
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- If your BBQ sauce is still too thin, make it thicker by adding small amounts of butter.
- Organic butter works the best.^{[11]
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- If you want to substitute margarine for butter, use a trans fat free type.
- Using this small amount of butter will only work to make the sauce slightly thicker. The flavor of the sauce may change if you increase the amount of butter.
2
Use heavy cream to thicken BBQ sauce and to add a rich flavor. Combine 1 tbsp (15 mL) of heavy cream with 1 cup (250 mL) of BBQ sauce. Heat the BBQ and the heavy cream until it boils, and then reduce the heat so that the sauce simmers. Stir the sauce until the desired consistency is reached.^{[12]
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- Use heavy cream that is made from either cow’s milk or goat’s milk.
- This amount of heavy cream will thicken the sauce slightly. Using more heavy cream will start to change the flavor of the sauce significantly.
3
Mix coconut cream into the BBQ sauce to create a fresh flavor. Heat 1 cup (250 mL) of BBQ sauce with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of coconut cream over a medium heat. Bring the sauce to a boil, before reducing the heat. Simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes and stir it until the preferred thickness is reached.
- Add more coconut cream if the BBQ sauce doesn’t thicken enough.
- The coconut cream will alter the flavor of the BBQ sauce, so experiment by adding small amounts first to see if you like the flavor.
- This is an ideal vegan option for thickening BBQ sauce using fats.