You Will Love Slow Cooker Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce

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Even If You Can't Stand To Drink Dr Pepper (Like me)

I’m not sure what made me decide to make Dr Pepper BBQ sauce, but I am so glad I did because it is absolutely amazing! It’s thick, sweet, sticky, and it will be perfect on chicken, ribs, pulled pork, or frozen meatballs for an easy appetizer.

You see, I absolutely can’t stand Dr Pepper. 😣 I gave up soda years ago, but I never could drink the stuff.

Dr Pepper's blend of sweet and fruity flavors makes a surprisingly delicious barbecue sauce. In the South, cola has long been a secret ingredient in everything from pulled pork to baked beans.

The other thing I like about this sauce is that the rest of the ingredients are things I always have on hand, except for Dr Pepper! Bonus - I am happy to have found a sauce our granddaughter can enjoy without gluten, dairy, or soy! It’s a triple win!

Serve This Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce With:

• Instant Pot Spare Ribs
• Pulled pork sandwiches
• Shredded beef or brisket
• Grilled chicken breasts or thighs
• Burgers and cheeseburgers
• Meatballs for an easy party appetizer
• French fries or easy onion rings for dipping

No slow cooker? No problem. Make this sauce in a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan on the stovetop. Since it contains a fair amount of sugar, give it a stir now and then and keep an eye on it near the end so it doesn't scorch.

How to Make Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce

• Sauté the onion in olive oil until softened and lightly browned.
• Stir in all remaining ingredients except the cornstarch and water. Mix until everything is well combined.
• Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken.
• Keep an eye on it during the last part of cooking. The brown sugar can cause the sauce to scorch if left unattended.
• Mix the cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, then stir it into the bubbling sauce a little at a time until it reaches the thickness you like.
• For the slow cooker: Sauté the onions first, then combine everything in the slow cooker and cook on Low for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Thicken with the cornstarch slurry before serving.
• Instant Pot option: Use the Sauté function to cook the onions, switch to Slow Cook for about 3 hours, then thicken the sauce with part or all of the cornstarch slurry as needed.

I like to sauté the onion until it's soft, translucent, and ever so slightly browned before adding it to the slow cooker. It takes just a few extra minutes but brings out their natural sweetness and adds richer flavor to the finished sauce.

Stir in everything else except the cornstarch and water. Keep simmering.

Thicken to the desired consistency, and you are done! Store sauce in the fridge til ready to use, or freeze it for later.

🐝 GB's Tip: This sauce freezes beautifully, so don't hesitate to make a double batch. I like to keep a container in the freezer for busy nights, backyard cookouts, or whenever grilled chicken needs a little extra personality.

I poured the sauce into a cute old jar and stuck it in the fridge. A few days later, we celebrated our daughter’s birthday, and I poured the sauce over a bag of frozen meatballs in a little crock pot. It was such a tasty little appetizer on the huge charcuterie board we made for her special day!

I’m putting little meatballs in it this time and serving them as an appetizer, but I can easily think of a dozen ways I will use this Dr Pepper BBQ sauce in future recipes!

Here is a sauce I will make again and again because it is so good and so easy. Who wouldn’t love a pint jar of Dr Pepper BBQ sauce for Christmas? It will be perfect on pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, brisket, meatballs, or chicken!

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

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Yield: 2 cups*

Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce

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Dr Pepper BBQ is sweet, sticky, and thick. One can of soda plus pantry ingredients makes a great sauce for pork or chicken.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• One half of a sweet onion, diced
• One 12-ounce can of regular Dr Pepper. You can also use diet Dr Pepper
• One 15-ounce can of tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp seasoned pepper like Lawry's
• 1 Tbsp corn starch
• 1/3 cup water

Instructions

1. Sauté the onion in olive oil until lightly browned.
2. Add the remaining ingredients except the cornstarch and water, and stir until well blended.
3. Cook over medium heat, occasionally stirring until the sauce thickens.
4. Watch closely toward the end of the cooking time so the sauce doesn't burn. The sugar content makes this possible.
5. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water, then add it to the bubbling sauce as needed until it reaches the desired consistency.
6. I used my Instant Pot for the whole process. I sauteed the onions on the saute setting and switched to the slow cooker setting. I let the sauce cook on low for about 3 hours, stirring it from time to time. Then, I used part of the cornstarch mixture to thicken it slightly.
7. You can do this on the stovetop in a heavy pot or a slow cooker, but with a slow cooker, you must saute the onions separately before you begin.

Notes

*One recipe is the perfect amount for a bag of frozen meatballs.

I hope you enjoy this Dr Pepper BBQ sauce. Tell me how you use it! Our family also loves: 

Alabama White Barbecue Sauce - A MUST in our family when grilling chicken! A unique mayonnaise-based sauce that's perfect for grilling and great on raw veggies, chips, even sweet corn!

Jezebel Sauce - Jezebel sauce is a sweet, hot, and spicy condiment originating in the Southern United States, probably in Alabama. Sinfully good!

Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce - Not just for Thanksgiving! Great on pork, too!

If you enjoyed a post, I'd love it if you would leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review or a comment. It really helps my little business reach readers like you and me- we love food! ❤❤

Love, GB (Betty Streff)

Real food. Real Kitchen. Real easy.

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