Tara Teaspoon

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Newsletter
  • Shop
  • About
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cookbooks
    • Newsletter
    • Shop
    • About
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    TaraTeaspoon » Recipes » Grilling and Smoking

    BBQ Mop Sauce Recipe

    Published: May 16, 2023 by Tara Teaspoon · This page contains affiliate and sponsored links. See my full disclosure

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Barbecue Mop Sauce Pin
    bbq mop sauce pin image
    Make BBQ Mop Sauce Pin

    Homemade BBQ mop sauce is brushed onto your meat during a low and slow cook on the grill, or smoker. The tangy, spiced mixture enhances the flavor, and keeps your meat from drying out.


    No one really loves to mop their kitchen floor, but this homemade BBQ mop sauce recipe is so tasty it will have you thinking of mopping in a whole new light. And since it's used in barbecuing you should have zero mess in the kitchen which means, no actual mopping!

    bbq mop sauce with mop in aluminum tray
    Jump to:
    • So what is mop sauce?
    • Ingredients in BBQ Mop Sauce
    • Sugar in mop sauce
    • Learn how to make a homemade BBQ mop sauce recipe that will take your grilling to the next level!
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    So what is mop sauce?

    While you use it for barbecue, it is not your traditional BBQ sauce. Mop sauce is very thin and has an almost water-like consistency. You use it to cook meat on low, for longer periods of time, or for smoking meats.
    Mop sauce is most commonly vinegar based because it helps to increase the tenderness of the meat. Other liquids used are beer, Worcestershire sauce, or fruit juice help to enhance the flavor.

    This easy, homemade BBQ mop sauce recipe lets you cook like a true pitmaster.

    Mop sauce is used to continually baste barbecued meats to infuse your meat with flavor while it cooks. It's used while smoking or grilling over wood chips.

    Make sure you are mopping about every 20 minutes. The layers of mop sauce work with a BBQ rub to create a tasty crust on the meat. Mop lightly so you don't rub all the RUB off!

    Remember to get the mop sauce on the meat, it doesn't do anything if mopped right on the fat!

    Ingredients in BBQ Mop Sauce

    The best news is that this bbq mopping sauce is so simple and easy to make. The sauce is made with a base of apple cider vinegar and water for a nice briny flavor.

    Simmer the liquid with a pinch of brown sugar, cayenne, and red pepper flakes for a hint of sweetness and touch of heat.

    Sugar in mop sauce

    Sugar burns at 265°F, so it is a great ingredient for mop sauce, because you are cooking at low temperatures. Regular BBQ sauce has a higher sugar content so you want to save it to apply just towards the end of high-heat grilling, or after, for added flavor.

    Mop sauce will keep for up to 3 months, but since it uses such simple ingredients it's often recommended to make new sauce fresh for every time you use it!

    Learn how to make a homemade BBQ mop sauce recipe that will take your grilling to the next level!

    Not only will this simple mop sauce bring your summer barbecue game to the next level, but you can use it for multiple dishes! It's easy to make my BBQ mop sauce, and you can use it as a quick marinade, put a few tablespoons in your burger meat mixture, or add a few tablespoons to my homemade BBQ sauce.

    I love to use my bbq mop sauce on all different cuts of meat on the grill, like ribs, brisket, pork shoulder, and even chicken. Both this pulled pork recipe and Kansas City Ribs recipe are even more flavorful when using my vinegar mop sauce. Whatever you use it for, the flavor will be incredible.

    • How to make a homemade BBQ sauce •

    What is a BBQ mop?

    I know what you might be thinking right about now. Mop sauce? Like, with a real mop? Well kind of. That's where the idea came from, but now we just use tiny mops, that are super adorable, and are made just for cooking and grilling. They are perfect to use with your homemade BBQ mop sauce recipe. 

    These little mops can be used a few times. After use, just soak them in soapy water for a bit, then wash with your hands. Let air dry. It may get a little stained from the caramelized meat, but it should last through 2 to 3 washings.

    You can also get the silicone mops, but I find they don't work as well with this thin mop sauce.

    What is the difference between Mop Sauce and BBQ Sauce?

    Mop sauce is thinner in consistency than bbq sauce, often with a vinegar base. The mop sauce is used to baste meat every 20 minutes or so over a long cooking time on the grill, or smoker, at a low temperature.

    BBQ sauce should be applied at the end of cooking meat since it's thicker and has a higher sugar content. If the BBQ sauce is applied too early, the sugar in the sauce will burn.

    Rate this recipe! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Scroll to the bottom of the page to rate and comment on this recipe. Leaving comments, questions, and ratings helps other too!

    Try more BBQ and Grilling recipes:

    10 Ingredient BBQ Rub from your Pantry

    Memphis Smoked Bologna Sandwich

    Sweet Chili Pistachio Grilled Chicken

    Texas Beef Brisket with Spicy Sauce

    📖 Recipe

    bbq mop suace with mop laying in aluminum tray

    BBQ Mop Sauce

    Tara Teaspoon
    Homemade BBQ mop sauce is brushed onto your meat during a low and slow cook on the grill. The tangy, spiced mixture enhances the flavor and keeps your meat from drying out.You can buy a mop brush either online or at any kitchen specialty store! 
    Makes 5 ¾ cups
    4.44 from 39 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Work Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Servings 1

    Ingredients
      

    • 4½ cups cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoons salt
    • 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

    Instructions
     

    • Combine all ingredients in a saucepan with ¾ cup water. Stir over medium heat until salt and sugar have dissolved and sauce is hot. Cool, and set aside 2 cups for serving or making BBQ sauce; use the rest for mopping meat as it cooks.
    • Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Stir before using. 

    Notes

    You can buy a mop brush either online or at any kitchen specialty store! 
    Mop sauce is used to continually baste barbecued or smoked meats to infuse your meat with flavor while it cooks. It's used while smoking or grilling over wood chips.
    Make sure you are mopping about every 20 minutes. The layers of mop sauce work with a BBQ rub to create a tasty crust on the meat. Mop lightly so you don't rub all the RUB off! Remember to get the mop sauce on the meat, it doesn't do anything if mopped right on the fat!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.25gCalories: 327kcalCarbohydrates: 35gSodium: 2403mgPotassium: 785mgSugar: 27gVitamin A: 670IUCalcium: 95mgIron: 2.3mg
    Get exclusive recipes sent to your inbox!Sign up for Tara's newsletter for more.

    PIN THIS!

    Newest recipes from Tara Teaspoon!

    • square feature image of turkey pot pie with biscuits on top in a cast iron skillet.
      Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuits
    • featured image of the perfect slice of lemon lush icebox dessert.
      Lemon Lush
    • feature square of swiss meringue buttercream from Live Life Deliciously cookbook.
      Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
    • Three stacked Easter blondies on a small white plate.
      Mini Egg Cookie Bars
    • Polenta zucchini salad in a serving bowl.
      Chicken and Zucchini Salad with Polenta Croutons
    • Overhead shot of puff pastry top on turkey pot pie.
      Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
    • Four discs of plastic wrapped pie crust.
      Perfect Pie Crust
    • A bowl of ice cream covered in strawberry ice cream sauce.
      Strawberry Sauce Recipe (Strawberry Topping)
    Tara in kitchen making salad

    Tara Teaspoon

    I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!

    More about Tara

    Photos & Recipe by Tara. Photo editing Max Atwood. Updated May 2023.

    Comments

      4.44 from 39 votes (32 ratings without comment)

      Review Or Ask A Question! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating





      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Pam Greer says

      July 05, 2018 at 6:10 pm

      I prefer mop sauces to regular barbecue sauces! I think they add flavor and don't compete as much! Definitely will be trying this!

      Reply
      • Tara says

        July 05, 2018 at 6:41 pm

        Good call. They are fun to experiment with

        Reply
    2. Claudia Lamascolo says

      July 05, 2018 at 6:13 pm

      I love this kind of sauce. The sweetness enhances so many meats but especially pork! Looks perfect!

      Reply
      • Tara says

        July 05, 2018 at 6:41 pm

        Thanks! it's a good one!

        Reply
    3. Janette | Culinary Ginger says

      July 05, 2018 at 7:11 pm

      I love when I see the BBQ masters mopping the meat and have always wanted to try mop sauce as I love adding flavor as the meat cooks. I've got to buy the mop now 🙂

      Reply
      • Tara says

        July 12, 2018 at 12:49 pm

        Agreed! It's fun to do yourself. What a difference it makes!

        Reply
    4. Shanika says

      July 05, 2018 at 7:56 pm

      Homemade BBQ sauce is the best! This looks and sounds amazing!

      Reply
      • Tara says

        July 12, 2018 at 12:49 pm

        Oh good, thanks!

        Reply
    5. Rebecca says

      July 05, 2018 at 8:31 pm

      I'm planning to get a grill soon so I'll have to add this to the list of recipes I'm going to use when that happens! It sounds delicious!

      Reply
      • Tara says

        July 12, 2018 at 12:49 pm

        Oh you'll have the best summer grilling!

        Reply
    6. Brittany Smart says

      July 19, 2018 at 1:35 pm

      This looks so tasty! But I still can't get over how stinking adorable that little mop is... like how many can I have in my house without it being excessive? hahaha

      Reply
    7. Mary Bench says

      May 07, 2019 at 2:27 pm

      I'm anxious to try this!

      Reply
    8. Diane C Letendre says

      May 10, 2019 at 5:29 pm

      Trying this recipe for the first time with a 35 pound pig we will be roasting. Hope it comes out great.. I'll let you know what I think after the weekend.

      Reply
      • Tara says

        May 19, 2019 at 12:36 pm

        Awesome!! I hope it’s perfection!

        Reply
        • John says

          July 06, 2024 at 8:39 pm

          Just a tip, if you’re mopping every 20 minutes you’re losing a lot of heat. Be sure to regulate that temperature or you’ll take much longer than expected. I learned the hard way on a whole hog.

          Reply
    9. Melissa says

      September 22, 2019 at 7:09 pm

      I'm going to make this for my son's football team. I have no doubt it will be a huge hit!! What rub do you use on it? is the one on the recipe one you buy?

      Reply
    10. Julie Fleischhacker says

      September 23, 2019 at 2:51 pm

      Hey Melissa! I'm sure you will be the fave football mom after this meal! Are you making pulled pork? I use my “10 ingredient bbq rub from your pantry” recipe from my website but you can use any store bought bbq rub and it will still be great. Thanks, Tara

      Reply
    11. Jarppi says

      January 23, 2023 at 9:13 pm

      With the small amounts of spices, it seems like the huge amounts of Vinegar, will only make it taste of Vinegar... If you cut the Vinegar into 1/4 of the amount, it would seem like the other spices would have a chance to do their thing, but else i can't really see it's gonna be much more than a taste of Vinegar? :S

      Don't worry about expiration date though, with that amount of Vinegar, it'll most likely last indefinitely

      Reply

    Hi, I'm Tara Teaspoon!

    I’ve been sharing my original ideas for years. What began as a passion, turned into a publishing career as Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living and Ladies’ Home Journal magazines.

    Now I write cookbooks, and share delicious recipes and expert cooking tips with you here! Thanks for stopping by Tara Teaspoon!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Top view of a bowl of vegetarian white chili with toppings.
      White Vegetarian Chili
    • A bowl of 4 cheese mac and cheese with ground pepper on top.
      4 Cheese Mac and Cheese
    • Three cut lemon bars stacked one on top of the other.
      Easy Lemon Bars
    • Close up of a partially unwrapped honey cornbread muffin with honey dripping off the top.
      Honey Cornbread Muffins

    Cookbooks

    Tara Teaspoon Cookbooks

    Footer

    Subscribe for emails and exclusive updates!

    Sign me up!
    Tara Teaspoon horizontal logo

    ↑back to top

    Explore

    • Recipe Index
    • Cookbooks
    • New Posts
    • Newsletter Subscribe

    About

    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Refund Policy
    • Disclaimer & Terms

    Copyright © 2025 Tara Teaspoon, Inc • Powered by Feast+

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.