BBQ Sauce Recipe

This BBQ Sauce recipe is easy to make and customize to your preference. It’s tangy, sweet, smoky, and perfect for chicken, ribs, pork, or to use as a dipping sauce. 

The Best Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe!

Are you tired of the same old BBQ sauces from the grocery store? This recipe is perfect for any type of meats, whether it be chicken, ribs, pork or even as a dipping sauce. It’s tangy, sweet and smoky, with a hint of heat! But what makes this recipe really special is that you can adjust the flavor to your preferences. Whether you like it sweeter or spicier, you can adjust the recipe however you like.

Why Make Your Own Sauce?

There’s no denying that packaged BBQ sauces are convenient and easy to use, but making your own sauce at home has its own set of benefits. For starters, homemade BBQ Sauce is fresher and doesn’t contain the added preservatives and artificial ingredients that commercial sauces do. This means that the flavor of your sauce will be more intense and authentic.

Another benefit of making homemade BBQ Sauce is that you have complete control over the ingredients and can adjust the recipe to make it uniquely yours. You can make it sweeter, spicier, tangier or even add your own special twist to the recipe by incorporating your favorite spices or herbs. Sauces from the store tend to be one-dimensional and often lack the depth of flavor you get with homemade. There’s a good reason for that, too: mass-produced sauces need to appeal to a wide range of tastes. Getting too specific with flavors limits how many people will like it.

How To Make BBQ Sauce

Here are our top tips for making your own BBQ Sauce:

• Taste as you go: The great thing about making your own BBQ sauce is that you can adjust the flavors. Be sure to taste the sauce as you go and make tweaks as necessary. You can add more sugar for sweetness, more vinegar for tang, or some hot sauce for heat.
• Experiment with different ingredients: The key to making great BBQ Sauce is to use high-quality ingredients. You can experiment with different types of sweeteners, such as honey or brown sugar, or different types of vinegar, like apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar. You can also try adding different herbs and spices like garlic, cumin, or smoked paprika to give the sauce some depth of flavor.
• Cook the sauce: Simmering the sauce for a long period not only reduces and thickens the sauce but it also allows all the flavors to meld and intensify. 

What Is BBQ Sauce Made Of?

When it comes to making delicious and authentic homemade BBQ Sauce, the ingredients you use make all the difference. This recipe features a combination of classic ingredients that create a perfect balance of sweetness, tanginess, and spiciness.

• The base of the sauce is made with ketchup. This provides a rich tomato flavor and gives the sauce a nice consistency.
• Water helps thin out the sauce a bit, making it easier to brush on your meat.
• Next is apple cider vinegar, which provides a tangy and slightly sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with the ketchup.
• The sauce is then sweetened with a combination of light brown sugar and white sugar. This gives the sauce a balance of sweetness that isn’t overwhelming.
• Garlic powder and ground mustard provide depth of flavor and a nice aroma.
• Finally, to balance out the sweetness and tanginess of the sauce,we add lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. These ingredients provide a nice acidity and umami flavor to balance out the sweetness and add a nice depth of flavor.
• Don’t forget salt and pepper–which brings everything to life!

How To Use Homemade BBQ Sauce

There are many ways to use this homemade BBQ Sauce recipe. Here are a few ideas:

• As a marinade: Before grilling, brush the sauce on meats like chicken, pork, beef, fish or tofu to add extra flavor and make them more tender.
• As a basting and finishing sauce: While cooking, baste meats with the BBQ Sauce to add more flavor and keep everything moist. Finish off grilled meats by brushing with more sauce for even more flavor.
• As a dip: Offer BBQ Sauce as a dip for grilled vegetables, chicken wings, or other appetizers.
• As a sandwich spread: Spread BBQ Sauce on sandwiches or burgers to add a delicious zing to your sandwich (we love it on these quick BBQ Chicken Sandwiches.
• As a salad dressing: Mix BBQ Sauce with sour cream or mayo to make a tangy salad dressing (like in this BBQ Pasta Salad).

More Summer Favorites:

• Summer Pasta made with summer veggies and Italian sausage
• Mexican Zucchini Boats topped with cheese
• Homemade Coleslaw, or this fun Apple Coleslaw
• Summer Couscous Salad with fresh cherry tomatoes
• Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa and sweet corn

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5 from 1 vote

BBQ Sauce

By Chelsea Lords

This BBQ Sauce is simple and customizable. It’s tangy, sweet, smoky, and perfect for chicken, ribs, pork, or as a flavorful dipping sauce!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 3 cups

Equipment

• Large pot

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 cups ketchup
• ▢ 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
• ▢ 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 2-1/4 teaspoons onion powder
• ▢ 2-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
• ▢ 2-1/4 teaspoons ground mustard
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ 1-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

• Add all ingredients to a large pot over medium heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. I start with 1 teaspoon of each and add more from there. Whisk everything together until it's smooth and well combined.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer. Let it simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour 15 minutes. Stir occasionally during this time to ensure the sauce simmers and thickens evenly. The sauce should have a thick, syrupy consistency and a well-developed flavor when it's done. Don't rush the simmering, this is where the magic happens!
• Taste the sauce and adjust to your personal preference. Add more salt, pepper, sugar, etc. as needed. If it's too thick, you can thin it out with a splash of water. Serve the sauce warm, not cold. Enjoy!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: The better the ingredients you use, the better the sauce tastes. I'm a big fan of Heinz® ketchup in this sauce and Bragg's® apple cider vinegar. Neither brand sponsors this post, they're just what I enjoy most!

Storage: Let the BBQ sauce cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks to maintain its freshness and flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 684mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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