Hoisin Barbecue Sauce Recipe

By
Joshua Bousel
a photo of Joshua Bousel, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Joshua Bousel
Joshua Bousel is a Serious Eats old-timer, having started sharing his passion for grilling and barbecue recipes on the site back in 2008. He continues to develop grilling and barbecue recipes on his own site, The Meatwave, out of his home base of Durham, North Carolina.
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Updated March 18, 2025
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Crossing a cultural divide, hoisin brings sweet and savory character to this barbecue sauce's tangy tomato base.

Recipe Details

Hoisin Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 35 mins
Active 45 mins
Total 40 mins
Serves 12 to 16 servings
Makes 2 cups
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

  • 2/3 cup hoisin sauce

  • 1/2 cup ketchup

  • 1/3 cup dry sherry

  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns

  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

Directions

  1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

  2. Add hoisin sauce, ketchup, sherry, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, Sriracha, Szechuan peppercorns, white pepper, and five-spice powder; stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  3. Blend sauce until smooth with a stick blender, or transfer to jar of a regular blender and blend. Let cool to room temperature, transfer to a jar and store in refrigerator for up to a month.

Special Equipment

Blender

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
65 Calories
1g Fat
13g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories 65
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 407mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 69mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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