Red Kansas City BBQ Sauce Has A Secret Ingredient

Classic Kansas City BBQ Sauce is sweet, thick, and red. This simple twist on the classic is all that, plus it’s extra red. Only you will know that raspberries are in the mix, but you can offer a prize to the guest who guesses the secret ingredient. (Don’t worry, there aren’t any raspberry seeds in there either). The best part? This red Kansas City BBQ sauce is quick and easy to make.

About the liquid smoke

The liquid smoke here is optional, but it adds a nice dimension. Liquid smoke is a dominant flavor in the most popular brands of Kansas City BBQ sauce. Without it, people tend to feel that something is missing. Many commercial “smoked” meats, such as bacon, hams, jerkies, and sausages are also made with liquid smoke instead being smoked near smoldering wood. This ingredient appears on labels as “natural smoke flavor.” Still, some purists consider it an evil adulterant. The fact is, liquid smoke is just real smoke that has been gathered in a condenser and aged in barrels. It’s not all that different from smoke on the surface of meat. In a smoker or grill, when smoke hits cold meat, it condenses on the cold meat in the same manner. So what’s the big deal? Consider this: The process for making liquid smoke is pretty much the same as the process for making bourbon. So if you know someone who derides liquid smoke but loves bourbon, I authorize you to take away their favorite hooch.

Red Kansas City BBQ Sauce Recipe

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This extra-red version of Kansas City BBQ Sauce gives everything it touches a nice pop of color—from chicken to ribs. The secret ingredient? Seedless raspberry jam!

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Makes:

About 2 cups

Servings: 16 (2 tablespoon servings)

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Takes:

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

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About the jam. I normally don’t specify brands lest someone think I’m on the take. I call for Smucker’s here because it has a great natural flavor and it should be easy to find. Use it to replicate my recipe, but feel free to use another jam of your choice (blueberry is nice). Go for something without skins and seeds. Beware that it may be sweeter or less sweet than my choice, so you may want to start with less and add more to taste.
About the hot sauce. I use Tabasco Chipotle hot sauce. Use whatever you like, but chipotle has an affinity for raspberry.

These recipes were created in US Customary measurements and the conversion to metric is being done by calculations. They should be accurate, but it is possible there could be an error. If you find one, please let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page

• Cook off the alcohol. In a saucepan, bring the bourbon to a boil. Continue to boil until you have only 2 to 3 tablespoons left. The alcohol will be mostly gone so it is child safe, but the elixir that remains will have a rich, woody, smoky flavor. If you don’t have bourbon or don’t want to use alcohol, use 2 more tablespoons liquid smoke.

• Simmer the sauce. Add all the remaining ingredients to the saucepan and whisk until smooth. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook for 15 minutes. Sample it and adjust the ingredients to your taste. Want more heat, reach for the hot sauce. Want it sweeter, add sugar or more jam. Simmer a few more minutes.

• Store. Pour the finished sauce into a very clean bottle and store in the fridge for months.

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Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.03g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 77IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.2mg

This recipe is adapted from Meathead’s next book, The Meathead Method, to be published May 13, 2025. It is available for pre-order now on Amazon.