From Spicy to Sweet: A Guide to Caribbean BBQ Sauces
Caribbean barbecue reigns supreme. Why? It’s all in the sauce!
May might be BBQ Month, but Caribbean people don’t need a special occasion or date to throw down on the Barbie!
We enjoy tasty barbecue all year round, from pork chops to barb-b-fried chicken, shrimp, and wings; Caribbean barbecue reigns supreme. Why? It’s all in the sauce!
Caribbean BBQ sauces are second to none, infused with exotic flavors and spices like fresh tropical fruit, fiery peppers, and even rum!
But enough with the long talking, here’s your guide to the best Caribbean barbecue sauces!
Spicy BBQ Sauces!
Trust us! You can’t have Caribbean food without some heat or a warm spice tantalizing your tastebuds. It’s what we do. It’s part of our culture.
‘From Donkey was a boy’, Caribbean people have been injecting their BBQ sauces with fiery peppers and spices, sure to have you returning for more (even after drinking a glass of milk or two).
First on our list is Jerk BBQ sauce, which is as iconic as it is delicious. Jerk is one of the Caribbean's most popular flavors, and rightly so. It combines smoky and earthy spices like pimento and thyme with garlic, onions, and hot peppers to create an addictive concoction that, when coupled with the sweetness of traditional BBQ flavorings, makes a sauce that cannot be beaten!
In Trinidad and Tobago, you will find Karibbean Flavours Jerk Barbecue Sauce flying off shelves along with Swiss Jerk BBQ Sauce. These sauces are packaged in easy-to-open pouches, bringing flavorful heat to any meat or plant-based protein.
While across the waters, in Jam Rock, Eaton's Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce packs a powerful punch of intense flavors perfect for use as a glaze. At the same time, Juliana’s Wings & Tings Jerk Dip is the ideal companion for your fried, baked, or air-fried wings!
And if that’s not hot enough, try Benjamins’ Barbecue Jerk Sauce or their Ginger Jerk Barbecue Sauce to add some razzle dazzle to your next dish!
Of course, Jerk BBQ sauces are hypnotically good, but a simple hot and spicy BBQ sauce is still excellent for jazzing up your favorite meats. For that, try either Janga's Spicy Barbeque Sauce or Nerpy's Spicy Tropical BBQ Sauce; they just may be what you need!
And if you can’t stand the heat - get out of the kitchen - or try another classic Caribbean BBQ sauce.
Smoky BBQ Sauces!
Much like Jerk, smoky BBQ sauces bring a rustic flavor to the table that will have you leaving zero crumbs!
When you open a bottle of these sauces, you’re instantly whisked away to an island cabin surrounded by the smell of iconic spices roasting on an open fire. With every dollop, you add a little touch of paradise to your meal.
Hailing from the twin isles of T&T, Kasiya Smoked Barbecue Sauce has a smell that captures your nose first with a rich smoky aroma and follows by engulfing your tastebuds in a blanket of deep tongue-smackingly delicious flavors. And for a unique sweet, smoky barbecue sauce you’ll want to put on everything, try Jamaica’s Peppatree® Smokey BBQ Sauce that brings together the sweet and warm taste of that beloved island.
But let’s say spicy and smoky aren't your speed, why not try a sweet Caribbean BBQ sauce?
Sweet BBQ Sauces
When you marry traditional BBQ sauce seasonings with fresh fruits, honey, or other sweet and tangy flavorings, you get the taste of classic Caribbean BBQ sauces. These sweet variations are often used to coat chicken, glaze pork chops, or smother all over beef ribs. After one bite, you’ll be hooked!
Classics like Karibbean Flavours Original Barbecue Sauce or Mixes and Medleys Gourmet BBQ Sauce, both from Trinidad and Tobago, balance sweet and savory in a sultry dance of flavors you won’t soon forget.
While Kasiya Honey Barbeque Sauce uses the freshest ingredients to bring the delicate nuances of honey to the fore with such skill and subtlety, you’ll wonder how they get it so perfectly every time! Or, for a uniquely Caribbean BBQ sauce experience, try Mixes and Medleys Curry BBQ Sauce (yes, we said curry and BBQ!). Don’t believe us? Read it again.
Do you want to try unusual Jamaican flavors without booking a flight? Then add Peppatree® Mango BBQ sauce to your pantry. It blends juicy mangoes with signature spices to create an authentically versatile sauce for meat and seafood as a condiment, dip, or marinade.
And for the true Caribbean ‘spirit’ lovers out there, Eaton's Jamaican Rum BBQ Sauce has just the right harmony of sweetness and niceness that will take any dish from alright to “Raatid! Dis a di best ting mi eva eat!”
Are you lost in the (BBQ) sauce yet? We hope not! This list is only the beginning. We know many other Caribbean sauce bosses are on the scene cooking amazing recipes with original flavors and combinations. But if you’re looking for a quick and delicious way to chef it up for your next BBQ, these sauces are the way to go!
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