Once upon a time, I had this recipe for pork chops that you put in a baking dish and then topped with ketchup, some spices, and some Coke. Yes, it sounds kind of weird, but it was delicious. I mean, I was pregnant with my oldest son at the time, a time when food could taste more delicious and could taste more horrible than at any time ever, so I could be way off base. But I remember it being delicious.
I’m not sure what happened to that recipe, but I remembered it not too long ago when I had a craving for that sweet and tangy sauce that it was cooked in. After some light google stalking, I discovered that apparently this sauce thing isn’t so weird–it seems to be a staple, handed-down recipe in lots and lots of families and I had no idea it was a thing.
It’s funny that this is considered a recipe since it basically consists of other sauces all mixed together. But it’s not so funny once you’ve taken the 6-8 minutes it takes to make this sauce–it’s super serious. Like, the-most-delicicous-barbecue-sauce-recipe serious. I don’t jest about barbecue sauce.
You’re going to need 8 ounces of Coca-Cola, some ketchup, some Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, A-1 Sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, and freshly ground black pepper.
All you’ve gotta do is combine the ketchup, A-1, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper in a medium saucepan. Pop open the Coke (this is totally not sponsored, I’m just a sucker for drinks in adorable retro bottles)
and pour in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until slightly reduced. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer to a storage or serving container and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with pulled pork, shredded beef (like this leftover French Dip beef), chicken, drizzled on top of fire-roasted post trick-or-treating hot dogs, or ribs. This can be stored for several weeks. Makes 2 cups.
Sweet & Smokey Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 8- ounce bottle Coca-Cola or just measure out 1 cup
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- ¼ cup A-1 Steak Sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until slightly reduced. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Transfer to a storage or serving container and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with pulled pork, shredded beef, chicken, or ribs. Yields 2 cups.
Notes
- This can be stored for several weeks.
- Nutritional information was calculated for a two tablespoon serving.
Nutrition
Questions & Reviews
Love this sauce for extra spice try adding some crystals hot sauce to it ????????
Just made it with cherry pomegranate Coke because that’s the only kind I had in the house. O. Holy. Night. It is soooooo good. I may never be the same again. It’s not super sweet, but that hint of fruit is just the right complement.
Great recipe i using it on pulled pork and ribs so AMAZING yummy!!!
This is a staple in my house. I usually double or triple the recipe it will keep for a couple months so it will be readily available I usually store it in the empty ketchup bottles. I also add honey and brown sugar to the basic recipe we like it sweet… So Yummy
what if we dont have liquid smoke available?
It should be easily accessible at any grocery store. Your other option is to leave it out, but it will lack the smoky aspect.
loved! A keeper, made it for a party of 100. Many requests for the recipe and people came back just to use more sauce because they loved the flavor. Thanks for sharing 🙂
So happy you loved it!!! 🙂
Not my favorite. Followed recipe exactly.
could you bottle this sauce so you could keep it longer ?
We had some leftover pulled pork from a BBQ restaurant and I didn’t know what to do with it, so I made this sauce and we had it for lunch. AMAZING! You never let us down!
I can’t wait to make this!
Coke and BBQ sauce…nothing better than those two together!!
This is exactly how I cooked our ribs last night! Yum yum yum
I’ve got to try this one!
We always had this sauce growing up and I can attest to the fact that it is AMAZING!!! Now I need to go make it again…
I love that you put it back in the Coke bottle to keep or serve. Cute serving idea.