Homemade BBQ Sauce

Name: Homemade BBQ Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups ketchup; 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 2 tablespoons honey; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

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Homemade BBQ Sauce from scratch is way easier to make at home than you'd think and is ready in about 15 minutes. So take your next batch of pulled pork or ribs to the next level with your own homemade barbecue sauce! This sauce is thick, glossy, and has incredible flavor, yet only needs a few common pantry staples you probably already have on hand. Once you realize how much better homemade sauce tastes, you'll skip the stuff at the store once and for all.

Homemade BBQ Sauce from scratch is thick, glossy, and flavorful. It's way easier to make at home than you'd think in 15 minutes using pantry staples. | aheadofthyme.com

Unlike storebought sauces that are almost sickly sweet from high fructose corn syrup, this simple BBQ sauce recipe has a bold, tangy flavor with just enough sweetness for balance. It's perfect for drizzling over pulled pork sandwiches or your next batch of ribs and will quickly become your go-to recipe and a mainstay at your family BBQs and summer potlucks!

Why You'll Love This Homemade BBQ Sauce

Easy to make. Although the flavors taste complex, this barbecue sauce recipe is actually incredibly easy to make and doesn't require a lot of ingredients. Just whisk all the ingredients together, then simmer to let the flavors mingle. Bottle it up and serve!
Delicious flavor. This easy homemade BBQ sauce recipe has the perfect balance of flavors. It's sweet from the brown sugar and honey, tangy from the vinegar, and it has a bold, savory flavor from the spices and Worcestershire sauce. It's just sweet enough and pairs really well with the smoky flavors of homemade BBQ.
Goes with anything. Have you noticed how the best barbecue sauce seems to taste great on everything? It doesn't even have to be BBQ. You'll want to drizzle this sauce on French fries, chicken tenders, steaks, pork chops, and anything else!

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious homemade BBQ sauce, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

ketchup - this is a traditional base for barbecue sauce. If you're avoid high-fructose corn syrup, look for a version sweetened with cane sugar.
apple cider vinegar - this vinegar has a deeper flavor that adds a tanginess to the sauce.
brown sugar - the rich sweetness of brown sugar is a must for any BBQ sauce recipe.
honey - honey adds sweetness with a lighter, more floral flavor.
Worcestershire sauce - this is a great way to add a savory, umami flavor in seconds. For a vegan sauce, use a vegan Worcestershire sauce.
seasonings - season well with a mixture of paprika, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a small mixing bowl, whisk, a medium saucepan, and an airtight container.

How to Make the Best Homemade BBQ Sauce

Combine ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients including ketchup, vinegar, sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.

Simmer. Transfer the sauce mixture into a medium saucepan and bring it to a simmer over low heat. Stir constantly and simmer until thickened to a desired consistency, about 8-10 minutes.

Serve or store. Use the sauce for BBQ or use it as a dipping sauce. If not used right away, let the sauce cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Recipe Variations

Spicy BBQ sauce. Stir in some cayenne pepper, chili powder, chipotle pepper, or hot sauce to add a little heat.
Smoky BBQ sauce. Drizzle in a little bit of Liquid Smoke for a classic smoky flavor.
Tangy BBQ sauce. Increase the amount of vinegar and let it simmer a little longer.
Adjust the sweeteners. Feel free to replace the honey with maple syrup and/or add a dollop of blackstrap molasses. For a sweeter sauce, you can also add more sugar as needed.

How to Serve

This homemade BBQ sauce is delicious served as a condiment or spread with some of my favorite BBQ dishes including:

For more recipe ideas, see our Easy Summer Grilling Recipes or 25+ Best BBQ Side Dishes.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Be patient. This is a quick recipe, but it can be tempting to just warm the sauce up and go. The goal here is to cook down the tanginess of the vinegar and allow the flavors to mingle together. Give it some time! It will also taste even better the next day after the sauce gets a chance to sit.
Add flavor. Any time you have a chance to add extra flavor with an ordinary ingredient, go for it! Use smoked paprika instead of regular, roasted garlic powder instead of regular garlic powder, etc.
Taste often. It's important to adjust the flavor of this sauce to your personal taste. If it seems like it needs extra salt, add a little at a time. The flavors will settle and come together in the fridge, but it should taste good straight from the pot too.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store leftover BBQ sauce in a glass mason jar or bottle in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

How to Freeze

Although this homemade sauce lasts a while, you can actually freeze the leftover sauce for later. Be sure to cool it completely, then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw the BBQ sauce in the fridge before using.

FAQ

Is it worth making your own BBQ sauce?

Absolutely! Although you can often find bottles of sauce for a dollar or two at the grocery store, they're loaded with high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and stabilizers. They're also incredibly sweet. Making your own BBQ sauce makes it easy to customize the flavor to suit your preferences and ensure the quality of each individual ingredient. If you make a bunch, you may even reach a point where it costs the same or less. Especially if you've been splurging on expensive sauces at the store, this is a great way to get that artisan flavor for less.

How do you add depth to BBQ sauce?

The best BBQ sauce has layers of flavor with a little sweetness, tanginess, umami, smokiness, and more. It's important to have flavors that bring everything together and elevate it beyond just ketchup, sugar, and spices. Some of the best options for this are to use Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or even a little balsamic vinegar. They all add a tangy, umami flavor as they cook down, which imparts a mucher deeper, richer than what the original ingredient tastes like.

Is tomato paste or ketchup better for BBQ sauce?

Most BBQ sauces start with some sort of tomato base, although there are some exceptions to this rule. You'll find that many of them use ketchup, which already has a smooth, glossy texture and a little sweetness. However, you can definitely use tomato paste instead for a stronger tomato flavor and less sweetness. Personally, we prefer to use ketchup because it makes it easier to get that classic BBQ sauce flavor quickly and it doesn't have to cook down nearly as long as tomato paste to get the perfect flavor.

More Homemade Sauce Recipes

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