Barbecue sauce has a long and storied history in American cuisine, with many different regional styles emerging over time. While the precise origins are debated, most food historians agree that the first mass-produced commercial barbecue sauce dates back to the early 20th century.
The Early Origins of Barbecue Sauce
Before looking at the first commercial barbecue sauces, it’s important to understand the origins of barbecue itself. “Barbecue” refers to the slow cooking of meat over low heat, often flavored with various spices and sauces. This cooking technique dates back hundreds of years in the Americas, brought over by European colonists and enslaved Africans.
In the American South, barbecue became a popular way to cook less tender cuts of pork. The traditional barbecue sauces of this era were often vinegar-based, sometimes supplemented with ingredients like black pepper, mustard, and chili peppers. These thin, tart sauces helped tenderize and flavor the pork.
Some examples of early regional barbecue sauce styles include:
- In Virginia, a vinegar-based “mop” sauce
- In the Carolinas, a vinegar-and-pepper “Carolina-style” sauce
- In Kentucky, a black pepper and vinegar “dip” sauce
So while barbecue sauces existed in various primitive forms, they were generally homemade concoctions without standard recipes.
The Rise of Commercial Barbecue Sauces
The first nationally distributed commercial barbecue sauce arrived in the early 1900s. It was made by the GA Sauce Company, founded by George A. “Speck” Samson in1912. Based in Missouri, Samson’s zesty tomato-and-spice-based sauce was dubbed “Samson’s Barbecue Sauce & Meat Marinade.”
Another early commercially made barbecue sauce hit the market in 1917. It was called “Open Pit Original Barbecue Sauce,” produced by Claude Morris in California. This was a smoother, ketchup-based sauce advertised as a “Symphony of Zesty Flavors.”
Here are some other notable early commercial barbecue sauce brands and dates:
| Brand | Year Launched |
|---|---|
| Kraft Barbecue Sauce | 1940 |
| KC Masterpiece | 1977 |
| Stubbs | 1978 |
As major food companies like Kraft got into the market, barbecue sauce grew from a regional specialty into an American staple found in pantries nationwide.
The Rise of Regional Barbecue Sauce Styles
While some brands like Kraft and Heinz took a more homogenized, one-sauce-fits-all approach, other companies continued producing sauces tailored to regional barbecue tastes:
- Memphis, TN – Thick, sweet tomato-and-molasses sauces.
- Kansas City – Thick, sweet, tomato-based sauces with a kick.
- Texas – Tomato-based but thinner, often with chili pepper heat.
- Alabama – Mustard-based sauces, tangy and spicy.
Today, within each barbecue region you’ll still find local mom-and-pop producers making beloved signature sauces. But it’s those early commercial brands that helped spread barbecue nationwide, adapting tastes while trying to remain authentic to barbecue tradition.
The Origins and Evolution of Key Barbecue Sauce Ingredients
While recipes vary greatly based on region and brand, most commercial barbecue sauces include some key ingredients:
Tomatoes
As a core ingredient in ketchup, tomato paste and sauce gave early barbecue sauces their thickness and sweetness. Tomatoes complemented and enhanced the savory flavor of grilled meats.
Vinegar
Cider vinegar and other types provided the tangy counterbalance to sweetness in regional styles like those in the Carolinas. The acidity also tenderized meat.
Sugar
From molasses to honey, sugar balanced acidity and became a core component of thicker, sweeter commercial sauce styles.
Spices
Black pepper, mustard, chili powder, paprika and other spices added heat and regional flare to many sauces.
Conclusion
While primitive vinegar-and-pepper mop sauces date back to early Southern barbecues, the original mass-produced commercial barbecue sauce originated in the early 1900s. Brands like Samson’s and Open Pit helped introduce tomato-based, nationally distributed sauces. Later, regional styles emerged celebrating local tastes, but it was those first commercial sauces that started barbecue’s evolution into a beloved American cuisine.