There isn’t a single inventor of barbecue sauce; it evolved over centuries from Caribbean, Indigenous, African, and European practices, with early American colonial references in the 17th–19th centuries and regional styles developing later.
Early origins
References to sauce used with barbecued meat in North America appear as early as the colonial era, with vinegar, pepper, and spices used as simple bastes or marinades by the 17th century. Culinary historians also point to Caribbean and African influences, where acidic citrus and pepper-based marinades were common and informed early barbecue seasoning in the Americas.
19th-century recipes
Documented American “barbecue sauce” style preparations became clearer in the 1800s, including early pit-cooking instructions and sauces centered on vinegar, salt, pepper, and mustard, preceding the widespread use of tomato and sugar. Ketchup, sugar, and Worcestershire became common additions in the early-to-mid 20th century, shaping the sweeter, thicker sauces many people associate with modern BBQ.
Regional styles
Vinegar-pepper sauces are deeply associated with the Carolinas, reflecting early colonial profiles of acid and spice rather than tomato sweetness. Mustard-based “Carolina Gold” is linked to South Carolina and is often attributed to German immigrant culinary influence from the 18th century, with some evidence pointing to rural Orangeburg County and the Holly Hill area for early 20th-century codification.
Common misconceptions
Attributing BBQ sauce to a single person, such as a 20th-century pitmaster, oversimplifies a long, blended culinary evolution; while notable figures popularized styles, the sauce’s roots are collective and transatlantic. Commercial and restaurant adoption in the 1900s spread specific flavor profiles, but these built on much older vinegar, pepper, citrus, and mustard foundations.
