Barbecue season is just around the corner and no firecracker is complete without the right sauce to slather on burgers, sausages and chicken.
You can’t go wrong with a simple squeeze bottle of BBQ sauce.
It is versatile and can be used both as a seasoning and as a marinade.
There are so many great looking options on the supermarket shelves. But are their affordable own-brand options just as good?
We decided to give them all a chance to determine if the cheaper sauces came at the expense of quality. Here’s what we found.
M&S Barbecue Sauce (500g)
- £1.40
- Per 100 g: 144 calories, 0.1 g fat, 29.5 g sugar, 0.93 g salt
The posh M&S sauce says on the front that it’s “great with chicken”, and to be honest I definitely preferred it with poultry to burgers or sausages.
This is quite thick and sweet, with a deep color and a delicious smoky flavor.
I thought it tasted like one of the more expensive products, but it was a fraction of the price. Overall great product from M&S, I would buy again.
- Taste: 10/10
- Value: 9/10
- Total score: 19/20
Stokes BBQ sauce (315g)
- £2.80
- Per 100 g: 192 calories, 3.1 g fat, 26 g sugar, 1.6 g salt
This Stokes sauce is made with black treacle and honey, which gives it a very sweet and rich, smoky flavor.
It’s very thick and actually quite difficult to get out of the jar, but once you get it out, it’s delicious and then some.
Delicious as a seasoning, but also as a marinade during the barbecue season, although more expensive than its supermarket rivals (€ 2.80 per jar).
- Taste: 9/10
- Value: 7/10
- Total score: 16/20
Tesco Fire Pit Kansas Style BBQ Sauce (300g)
- £1.50
- Per 100 g: 128 calories, 0.1 g fat, 26.7 g sugar, 1.11 g salt
The Tesco sauce was a little different as it had a more tomatoey flavour, so I wasn’t surprised that it was made with 62 per cent tomato puree.
I smelled sweet, but when I squeezed it out it was quite runny and tasted just as sweet – too sweet in my opinion.
The flavor of the demerara sugar was also quite strong. This wasn’t my favorite overall.
- Taste: 6/10
- Value: 5/10
- Total score: 11/20
Bull’s-Eye Original BBQ Sauce (355 g)
- £2
- Per 100 ml: 160 calories, 0.2 g fat, 33 g sugar, 2.5 g salt
The original is undeniably delicious – I had to stop the kids from putting this on everything.
It’s very addictive and moreish, but unfortunately it’s not a cheap purchase.
It was full and rich, made with tomato paste and smoky flavor. I loved it.
The only downside to the actual sauce is that it is very high in sugar, so you have to keep that in mind when foaming it over everything.
- Taste: 10/10
- Value: 7/10
- Total score: 17/20
Lidl Batts Classic Barbecue Sauce (500 ml)
- 89p
- Per 100 g: 149 calories, 0.2 g fat, 28.1 g sugar, 1 g salt
Lidl’s knock-off BBQ sauce is as cheap as fries, but surprisingly tasty too.
This only contains 15% tomato paste, but I loved the spices and the chili powder and allspice gave it a delicious kick.
It has a rich, caramel-like flavor and is infused with a smoky aroma, so it’s also a good option for gas grills if you want to recreate that coal-cooked flavor.
Overall, this was my winner when balancing the taste, texture and price.
- Taste: 10/10
- Value: 10/10
- Total score: 20/20
Morrisons BBQ sauce (450g)
- £1.25
- Per 100 g: 138 calories, 0.2 g fat, 23.4 g sugar, 1.11 g salt
This Morrisons sauce is good value but not sweet or smoky enough and the tomato flavor was slightly off.
I loved the kick of chili and the taste of cloves and garlic Nice, but I wouldn’t rush back for this. The recipe needs a rethink.
Taste: 3/10
Value: 4/10
Total score: 4/10
Sainsbury’s BBQ sauce (500g)
- Per 100 g: 163 calories, less than 0.5 g fat, 32.1 g sugar. 0.14 g salt
Sainsbury’s version is quite light in colour, a bit watery and bland compared to others.
It’s mild, not spicy enough and the added chili powder doesn’t come through at all.
Overall this is nothing to write home about, it’s not for me.
- Taste: 5/10
- Value: 6/10
- Total score: 11/20
Aldi Bramwells BBQ sauce (480g)
- 89p
- Per 100 g: 124 calories, 0.1 g fat, 23 g sugar, 1.26 g salt
Like competitor Lidl, Aldi’s sauce is great value at just 89 cents.
This sauce has lots of spice and a bold fruity sweetness that I loved.
You’ll want to pour this over your food again and again. Overall a great product from Aldi, but pimped out a bit by Lidl.
- Taste: 8/10
- Value: 9/10
- Total score: 17/20
Other herbal tests
We conducted tests on a wide range of spices.
Do you have a money problem that needs to be solved? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories