Sweet heat is the BBQ style that pairs sugar, honey or fruit with real chilli warmth, so you get a sticky, caramelised finish with a kick behind it. This page covers sweet heat rubs, sauces and glazes from Meat Church, Croix Valley, Four Saucemen, Butchers Axe, Blues Hog, Cobra Chilli and more, running from mild to extreme. Flat $10 shipping Australia-wide.
Which sweet heat rub or sauce should I buy?
| Product | Maker | Style / heat | Best on |
| Sweet Heat BBQ Dry Rub | Croix Valley | Brown sugar rub / mild (3/11) | Chicken, pork ribs |
| Honey Hog Hot | Meat Church | Honey jalapeño rub / medium (5/11) | Pork ribs, wings |
| Manuka Hot Honey Rub | Four Saucemen | Manuka honey rub / mild (2/11) | Chicken, pork belly |
| The Rip | Coast n Smoke | Brown sugar rub / medium (4/11) | Pork ribs, rotisserie chook |
| Hot and Sweet Rub | Emus Rub | Paprika-cayenne rub / medium (5/11) | Any caramelised crust |
| Candied Jalapeño | Meat Mitch | Candied jalapeño rub / medium (5/11) | Wings, ribs, fish |
| Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce | Butchers Axe | Honey jalapeño sauce / medium (5/11) | Ribs, wings, burgers |
| Raspberry Chipotle | Blues Hog | Fruity chipotle sauce / mild (3/11) | Wings, pork ribs |
| Chipotle Apple BBQ Sauce | Tillman's Barbecue | Apple chipotle sauce / medium (5/11) | Ribs, pulled pork |
| Manuka Hot Honey Rib Glaze | Four Saucemen | Honey glaze / medium (4/11) | Ribs, wings |
| Hopinator | Cobra Chilli | Porter beer BBQ sauce / medium (6/11) | Brisket, ribs |
| Black Magic | Cobra Chilli | Reaper BBQ sauce / extreme (9/11) | Burnt ends, ribs |
How to use sweet heat rubs and sauces
- Sugar burns. Cook sweet heat rubs low and slow or over indirect heat, around 110 to 135°C, and keep them off a screaming-hot grill.
- On ribs, rub first, then finish with a sweet heat sauce or glaze in the last 15 to 20 minutes so it sets.
- For wings, cook them through, toss in warm sauce or glaze, then give them a few minutes back on the heat.
- Control the kick by pairing a mild rub with a hotter sauce, or the other way round.
- Every product page shows its Hub Heat rating out of 11.
How hot is sweet heat?
Most of this range sits between mild and medium. Croix Valley's Sweet Heat BBQ Dry Rub and Four Saucemen's Manuka Hot Honey Rub are gentle, Meat Church Honey Hog Hot and Butchers Axe Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce sit at medium (5/11), and Cobra Chilli's Black Magic BBQ Sauce goes extreme (9/11). For more heat in a sauce, see hot BBQ sauce.
Sweet heat vs hot honey
Hot honey is one kind of sweet heat: honey blended or infused with chilli, usually drizzled at the end. Sweet heat covers the wider family of rubs, sauces and glazes. Find drizzles on the hot honey page.
Made for ribs and wings. See more from Meat Church and Cobra Chilli, or browse every BBQ sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy sweet heat BBQ rub in Australia?
The Rub Hub stocks sweet heat rubs, sauces and glazes from Meat Church, Croix Valley, Four Saucemen, Butchers Axe, Blues Hog, Cobra Chilli and more. Orders ship Australia-wide for a flat $10.
What does sweet heat mean in BBQ?
Sweet heat describes rubs and sauces that combine sweetness from sugar, honey or fruit with chilli heat. The sweetness hits first and the warmth builds after.
Will a sweet heat rub burn on the grill?
It can. Sweet heat rubs contain sugar, which scorches over high direct heat, so they suit low and slow cooking or indirect heat.
What is a good sweet heat rub for ribs?
Meat Church Honey Hog Hot, Croix Valley Sweet Heat BBQ Dry Rub and Coast n Smoke The Rip are all made for pork ribs. Finish with a sweet heat sauce or glaze in the last 15 to 20 minutes.
Is sweet heat BBQ sauce spicy?
Most sit at mild to medium, but some go further. On the Hub Heat scale, Blues Hog Raspberry Chipotle rates mild (3/11) while Cobra Chilli Black Magic rates extreme (9/11).