If You Don't Already, Add Some Cola To Your Barbecue Sauce

Everyone who barbecues knows that there are plenty of things you have to be aware of during the process, like ensuring your grill is clean, smoking meat in either butcher paper or tin foil, and avoiding the wrong type of meat. And everyone can agree that the secret to great barbecue is in the sauce. A good barbecue sauce has that wonderful mix of tangy, sweet, smoky, and sour flavors that make it unlike any other condiment. One of the best secret ingredients for a  is likely already hanging out in your fridge door — cola.

It may seem odd to someone who hasn't used it before, but cola is a fantastic barbecue sauce ingredient for a variety of reasons. You might think it's the sugar (and sure, that helps), but it's not just that. The other components in cola each serve their purpose, and all of them contribute something. Specifically, don't sleep on two factors you may not have thought of: its acidity and its bubbles.

Sweetness is important here. You always want something sugary in barbecue sauce; That's how you get caramelization. While you can certainly use something like honey or molasses to achieve it, cola is another great option. However, that's not the only thing that matters.

We don't necessarily think of cola as being acidic, but it very much is. in particular, Coca-Cola has a pH of around 2.7. When it comes to barbecue, this is essential since acid acts as a tenderizer. Cola can also be used as a braising liquid, providing the benefits of acidity without the strong flavor of something like vinegar or lemon juice.

Bubbles help here, too. As the carbonated liquid is cooked, the bubbles are released, creating an effect similar to baking soda but without the harsh, metal-forward taste. This is why cola works in baking. In barbecue sauce, it creates a light quality that works well against a backdrop of heavier flavors.

Still, why use cola? Why not simply recreate the same flavors using similar ingredients? There are two good reasons. The first is self-explanatory: using a ready-made product saves a ton of time. The second is that it's a little difficult to reverse-engineer the same flavors. Coca-Cola's recipe may be the most closely guarded in the world, and it's been that way from its inception. You can't successfully replicate a flavor if you don't know everything that went into it in the first place. 

This can apply to other colas, as well. Although Coca-Cola has become the standard, a lot of people also swear by Dr. Pepper as a barbecue sauce add-in. Theoretically, you could also use such colas as Pepsi or RC Cola. (Let's be fair, though. There's a reason those first two are generally the go-to options), but Don't be afraid to experiment for yourself!