Texas Roadhouse Ribs Get Their Signature Taste From This BBQ Sauce

If you've ever eaten a meal at Texas Roadhouse, you know it's kind of a go big or go home kind of place — like Texas itself. That's why it's no surprise that the restaurant chain's rack of ribs provides a satisfying portion, slathered generously with BBQ sauce. However, the sauce recipe itself has been kept under wraps, leaving many customers wondering how the ribs get their signature taste. While the recipe is proprietary, an employee disclosed in an interview (via Mashed) that it was likely a St. Louis-style barbecue sauce, which is typically tomato-based known for its balance of tang, slight sweetness, and savory notes.

"Our barbecue [sauce] could be classified as a St. Louis-style sauce: sweet, smoky, and some zesty spices on the finish," Texas Roadhouse employee Megan Pence noted in the interview. While there's a whole world of BBQ sauces – from Kansas City-style to Carolina Gold — a St. Louis-style sauce is an excellent choice for ribs, since the acidity from this sauce's typical ingredients, including ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and mustard, pairs well with the meat. This is especially true for St. Louis-style spare ribs, which are full of flavor and fattier than other cuts. The ribs at Texas Roadhouse, which can be ordered by the half or full rack, are made from pork back ribs (baby back ribs). Prepared until tender, as indicated by the menu item's name, "Fall-Off-The-Bone-Ribs", the ribs benefit from a BBQ sauce with ample complexity.

Texas Roadhouse's rib sauce recipe may be a secret, but the chain isn't shy when it comes to applying the BBQ sauce to the meat. Likewise, customers aren't shy about expressing their opinions. While some people are fans of the saucy drench, which delivers ample tang to balance and accentuate the flavor of the moist ribs, other customers have cited doubts about the amount of sauce applied.

In a subreddit (r/BBQ), one person shared a picture of the dish from Texas Roadhouse, writing that they had a "beautiful delicious crust" and were "fall-off-the-bone, melt-in-your-mouth tender." That sounds like everything a good rack of ribs should be, and some people certainly commented in agreement.

In another thread about Texas Roadhouse's ribs, debates were sparked over whether ribs should include that much sauce (versus a light glaze or sauce on the side) in the first place. The answer, like the sauce recipe, is not clear. However, it is said that with St. Louis-style BBQ sauce, it's best to apply after cooking, or towards the end, so as not to burn the sugars in the sauce. That way, you avoid a gummy cooked ketchup texture, overly caramelized notes, or an overpowering saucy taste that could distract from the meat itself.

Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and Mashed.