Sweet Baby Ray's Original Barbecue Sauce

Sweet Baby Ray's Original Barbecue Sauce is the most popular barbecue sauce in America for a reason. Rooted in the Kansas City tradition of thick, sweet, and deeply smoky sauce, it delivers a flavor that is immediately familiar and almost universally accepted — the kind of sauce that disappears from a cookout table before the grill lid closes. The base is a classic combination of high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, tomato puree, vinegar, and hickory smoke flavoring, producing a glossy, clingy texture that adheres beautifully to ribs, wings, and pulled pork during a high-heat finish. At roughly $0.19 to $0.22 per ounce — typically under $4 for an 18-ounce bottle, with a 40-ounce value size also available — it is one of the most affordable sauces on this list by a comfortable margin. The flavor profile is mild and sweet-forward, with 35 calories and approximately 8 grams of sugar per tablespoon. That sugar load is exactly what creates the mahogany caramelization that makes competition-style ribs look like a magazine shoot. Applied in the final five to ten minutes over direct heat, it sets into a lacquer that locks in juices without burning. Food Network reviewers have consistently cited it as the gold standard among store-bought options, noting its ability to balance sweetness with just enough vinegar tang and smoke to feel layered rather than cloying. Best uses span the full range of summer grilling: pork ribs glaze, chicken wing sauce, pulled pork stir-in, burger condiment, and even a quick dipping sauce alongside a charcuterie spread. It is available in virtually every major grocery chain, Walmart, and warehouse club in the United States. A no-sugar-added version also exists with just 1 gram of sugar for health-conscious fans. If you only stock one bottle for a summer of grilling, this is the one.