The Best Barbecue Sauce
This Chinese Barbecue Sauce is based on P.F. Chang’s recipe which is used in several different menu item recipes. These recipes include Spare Ribs, Pork Medallion and their Barbecue Chicken Salad. I’ve taken the exact Restaurant size recipe and dumbed it down to a house hold portion. And when I said this recipe is “based” on the Corporate recipe, I mean, it’s more or less the exact same one. The only difference is that I cut the sugar in half.
Breaking Down this Sauce
Restaurants have to make super large quantity’s of recipes like this in bulk and P.F. Chang’s is no different. They make 5 gallons of this sauce at a time and, believe it or not, 2 1/2 gallons of it is sugar. That’s right, it’s ridiculously sweet. Half of their recommended sugar amount still gets you a fantastic BBQ sauce. That’s the only thing I did different in this recipe and the amount is adjusted in the ingredients. Double it up, though, if you want to try it their way.
Don’t Cook this Sauce
- Sugar Helps with Flavor Absorption: The raw sugar in the sauce begins dissolving in the natural moisture of the meat, creating a mildly osmotic effect. This helps draw the flavors of the sauce into the meat over time, enhancing the taste. Additionally, sugar balances other bold flavors in the sauce, like acidity or spiciness, making it more palatable.
- Tenderizing Effect: Although sugar isn’t as powerful as acid-based marinades, it can still have a mild tenderizing effect. When combined with other ingredients like soy sauce or vinegar, it helps break down proteins slightly, making the meat more tender.
- Surface Interaction for Browning: Even if uncooked, the sugar starts adhering to the surface of the meat. When cooked later, this layer caramelizes under heat, creating a beautiful glaze and enhancing flavor through the Maillard reaction.
- Other Ingredients in the Sauce: Raw barbecue sauce often contains acidic elements (like vinegar or citrus) that help tenderize meat. The salt and umami-rich components (such as soy sauce or Worcestershire) help penetrate the meat and amplify its natural flavor.
However, uncooked sauces are best suited for shorter marinades (a few hours) or for pre-cooking treatments where the raw sugar primarily contributes to flavoring and surface effects. For longer marinades, you may need to consider cooked sauces or marinades with more tenderizing agents. Technically, you can cook this sauce but P.F. Chang’s didn’t on account of all of the above listed benefits. It must stay refrigerated, however, either way.
More Barbecue Recipes
I’ve also got P.F. Chang’s Spare Rib Recipe and their Northern Style Short Ribs recipe already filmed and posted below. If you’re interested in my Oven Baked Ribs or ribs smoked on the grill, those are listed here as well.
Barbecue Spare Ribs, Barbecue Beef Ribs, Northern Short Ribs, Oven Baked Ribs, Smoked Spare Ribs. Smoked Country Style Boneless Beef Ribs, Baby Back Ribs Tin foil Dinner, Country Style Barbecue Pork Ribs. Beef Shor Ribs, Mongolian Beef Ribs.
Chinese Barbecue Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 qt Ketchup: The base for a thick, tangy sauce.
- 1 cup Hoisin Sauce: Adds a rich, savory, and slightly sweet flavor.
- 1 cup Plum Sauce: Brings a fruity sweetness for balance.
- 2 cups Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create a glossy finish.
- 1/4 tsp Five Spice Powder: Adds a warm, aromatic Chinese spice blend.
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda: Helps balance acidity and enhances the texture.
This recipe yields 2 quarts of flavorful Chinese Barbecue Sauce.
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir. Use Immediately to marinade meat and/or can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.