The Acidic Twist That Makes A Barbecue Sauce 'Memphis-Style'

Barbecue is an excitingly broad category that encompasses anything from sweet, tender cuts of meat to some of the toughest and saltiest varieties around. In every region of the world, the definition of barbecue will vary widely — and the same applies to the sauce. If you find yourself in Tennessee, or simply opt to pick up a bottle of Memphis-style barbecue sauce, here's what you need to know about the flavors you can expect from the pork barbecue capital of the world.

What sets Memphis-style barbecue sauce apart from other varieties is that it has a special acidic twist. The twist in question is the high amount of vinegar used in the recipe. While other barbecue sauces lean heavily on brown sugar or tomatoes, Memphis-style sauce leads with its special vinegar element. While the sauce is acid-heavy, Memphis-style barbecue sauce is still classified as tomato-based (generally the most popular variety of barbecue sauce) and the tomato is what gives it its signature red hue. Still, this sauce is thinner than other tomato-based varieties that you might be familiar with and not as sweet. 

Memphis-style barbecue sauce is also very spice-forward, which, combined with the heavy vinegar, means it is packed with flavor. (So even a thin layer of the stuff could amp up a rack of dry-rubbed ribs.) 

You can use your Memphis-style barbecue sauce for anything your meat-loving heart desires — from basting roasted pork to using it as a marinade for chicken. Just remember that since Memphis-style barbecue sauce leads with vinegar, it will have a different taste than most other popular sauce options. While some tomato-based sauces might be heavy on the sweet or savory elements (like with the popular Kansas City-style sauce), Memphis-style barbecue sauce is very rich and tangy. For a concrete example, let's take a quick look at the popular Kansas City-style sauce and see how it compares.

Kansas City-style barbecue sauce is thick and sweet — a more traditional kind of topping. Its main ingredients are ketchup, brown sugar, and molasses. Memphis-style has a more tangy bite thanks to the vinegar element and is also on the thinner side compared to Kansas City-style. Its main ingredients are tomato sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. For a lot of people, you either love Kansas City- or Memphis-style barbecue sauce — but not both. So try them both out before you commit.

While the ingredients for Memphis-style barbecue sauce have evolved over time, the essential elements have remained the same. Those main players are tomato sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar — plus a smattering of spices. Every recipe differs, so we'll touch on some of the main ingredients below to help you get started.

Since the heart of every tomato-based sauce is, well, tomato sauce, let's talk about some of the different kinds of tomato additives you could use. Regular tomato sauce is the norm and gives barbecue sauce a balanced base flavor. Some chefs, however, opt to use tomato paste or ketchup instead — since each of these additions brings a bit more zing thanks to their highly concentrated makeup. Brown sugar is another essential element of this sauce, but you can switch it out with molasses or maple syrup to achieve a thicker consistency.  As for the main event of the Memphis-style barbecue sauce — vinegar — white vinegar will do fine; but, if you prefer a sweeter flavor, try the apple cider variety. Lastly, you can add your own pick of spices to this mix. Some of the most common additives include cayenne pepper, garlic, hot sauce, paprika, chili powder, and dried oregano. 

This is the foundation of a Memphis-style barbecue sauce, and we encourage you to find your favorite combination of ingredients.  Now that you know all about this special condiment, check out our guide to regional barbecue sauces to learn about some others.