Can barbecue sauce be frozen?

Barbecue sauce is a condiment that should not be missing in any house. Although barbecue sauce is available in almost all grocery stores, there is nothing better than homemade barbecue sauce.

If you’ve made a batch at home, and don’t think you’re going to use it all before it goes bad, you’ll need to find a way to keep it fresh longer.

Can barbecue sauce be frozen?

You can freeze the barbecue sauce! Freezing is a great way to keep barbecue sauce fresh for longer. Just let the barbecue sauce cool to room temperature and place it in airtight, freezer-safe containers for easy storage.

There are a few rules to follow when freezing BBQ sauce, so read on to find out the best way to go about it.

How to freeze barbecue sauce

Freezing barbecue sauce is fairly easy, but you do need to take a few precautions to make sure it freezes well and is safe to use when the time comes.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to freeze barbecue sauce:

1. If you just made the barbecue sauce at home, allow it to cool to room temperature.
2. Once cool, pour the BBQ sauce into freezer-safe containers.
3. If necessary, divide the BBQ sauce into smaller containers.  Freeze only the amount you plan to use in a container, as you can’t refreeze BBQ sauce once it’s thawed.
4. Seal the freezer-safe container and label it with the freeze date. Labeling it with the contents, which would be the barbecue sauce, will also help you easily identify it in the freezer.
5. Place the barbecue sauce in the freezer and thaw it when you are ready to use it.

What containers can I use to freeze the barbecue sauce?

There are several container options that you can use to freeze your barbecue sauce. Most of the time, this will be what you have available to use in your kitchen, but here are some of the pros and cons of each different option:

freezer bag

Freezer bags are always a good option for freezing food. They are affordable, and the sauce can be laid flat and frozen in the freezer, saving space.

You can even stack a few frozen sauces on top of each other. These bags are usually not reusable.

Pouring the sauce into a freezer bag can be a little difficult, and you have to remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing it.

Glass jar

Mason jars are good containers for the sauce, but make sure they are suitable for freezing.

When using a mason jar, leave a 1/2-inch headspace at the top, without filling it all the way, as the liquid will expand and you don’t want an explosion in the freezer.

Plastic container for the freezer

Another option is to use a plastic freezer container that has a tight-fitting lid. They are easy to pour the sauce on and help you spread it well.

Like mason jars, you want to leave some space at the top of the container , without filling it to the top.

How long can I keep barbecue sauce in the freezer?

You should try to use the barbecue sauce within 6 months of freezing it.

The barbecue sauce will still be usable beyond this time, but the quality will begin to decline and you may not get the great flavor or texture you hoped for.

Labeling the freezer container with the freeze date helps control this.

Once the barbecue sauce is thawed, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

You can’t refreeze barbecue sauce (or reheat it after reheating it once thawed), as this increases the chance of bacteria growing and the sauce will lose a lot of quality.

Related questions

Now that we’ve gone over how to freeze barbecue sauce and some things to keep in mind when doing so, we’re going to cover a few more questions on the subject.

How do you store homemade barbecue sauce?

To store your homemade barbecue sauce, you should pour it into a mason jar after it has cooled to room temperature. You can also store the barbecue sauce in an airtight container.

Stored this way, the barbecue sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

How long does bottled barbecue sauce last?

If stored in the refrigerator, store-bought bottled barbecue sauce can last 6-9 months. Open barbecue sauce can also be kept in the pantry for up to 1 month, but it lasts much longer in the fridge.

Can I use unopened barbecue sauce that has expired?

Unopened barbecue sauce is generally safe to consume within 1 year of purchase, but you will need to open the bottle and look for any signs of spoilage.