Barbecue sauce can be enjoyed all year round, not to mention it has a long shelf life, making it a must-have for many cooks. However, if your barbecue sauce has been sitting in the refrigerator for a while, you should still check if it's fit to consume, and there's one tell-tale sign that makes it clear when it's time to throw it away: the smell.

As your barbecue sauce ages, it will start to lose some of its potency, but once it's no longer safe to eat, it will develop a strong vinegary or fermented-like odor. You may even see bubbles or light fizzing in the sauce, thich also indicates too much aging and the start of fermentation, meaning it's time to throw the bottle away.

Open bottles of barbecue sauce last for about a month in the pantry and about 6 to 9 months in the refrigerator, and homemade sauces go bad after a week or two. You'll want to pay close attention to dates and time frames if your sauce is already vinegar-heavy or fermented when fresh, and it might be hard to smell if it's gone bad.