This homemade BBQ sauce is a blend of tomato, spices, cider vinegar and brown sugar, all simmered together to create a thick and rich condiment that’s perfect for any barbecue. Homemade barbecue sauce is SO much better than the store bought kind!
It only takes a few minutes to make your own BBQ sauce, and my version has the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. This sauce is great on pork chops, chicken dishes, wings and more!
It’s so easy to go to the grocery store and grab a bottle of barbecue sauce. That being said, I find that so many store bought BBQ sauces are overly sweet and contain ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and preservatives. This homemade BBQ sauce tastes so much better than the store bought kind, that it’s really worth it to take the 15 minutes to make your own.
BBQ Sauce Ingredients
This recipe contains ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, dry mustard powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
How do you make homemade BBQ sauce?
Place all of the ingredients in a medium sized pan. Stir to combine the ingredients. Let the mixture simmer over low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until sauce has thickened. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for future use.
Tips for homemade BBQ sauce
- Be sure to use smoked paprika, not regular paprika. Smoked paprika can be found in almost every grocery store and is not expensive.
- Store your BBQ sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze your sauce for later use.
- Look for ketchup that is organic or conventional ketchup that is not sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.
- Your BBQ sauce needs to simmer on low heat; if the heat is too high it may splatter onto your stove!
- I use Frank’s Red Hot sauce for just a touch of spice in my sauce. If you’re heat adverse, you can easily omit it.
Recipe FAQs
The easiest way to thicken BBQ sauce is to simmer it until some of the liquid has evaporated. You’ll want to stir the sauce frequently so that it doesn’t burn. Keep in mind that your sauce will also thicken as it cools.
I find that people have different taste preferences when it comes to BBQ sauce. Some prefer a sweeter sauce, others prefer smoky or spicy. You can absolutely adjust the ingredient amounts in this recipe to suit your tastes. The key component is to make sure you have a smoky element to the sauce to complement the flavors of the meat.
Homemade BBQ Sauce Variations
- Spicy BBQ Sauce: Add up to 1 tablespoon of hot sauce or 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Maple BBQ Sauce: Substitute 1/4 cup maple syrup for the honey.
- Extra Smoky BBQ Sauce: Double the amount of smoked paprika.
- Coca Cola BBQ Sauce: Add 1/2 cup Coca Cola to the recipe.
Homemade barbecue sauce is delicious on any type of meat. It’s particularly good on smoked meats such as chicken and pork. It makes an amazing pulled pork sandwich and the best barbecued chicken wings you’ll ever eat.
I always keep this BBQ sauce in my freezer so that I have some on hand when the grilling mood strikes. It just can’t be beat!
More grilling recipes
- Steak Kabobs with Garlic Butter
- Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- Grilled Chicken Tenders
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Grilled Potatoes in Foil
Homemade BBQ Sauce Video
Homemade BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 5 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce or more to taste
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a pan over medium low heat. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thickened.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Look for ketchup that is organic or conventional ketchup that is not sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.
- Be sure to use smoked paprika, not regular paprika. Smoked paprika can be found in almost every grocery store and is not expensive.
My go-to recipe for barbeque sauce. Just the right balance of sweet, tang, and heat.
Loved this recipe. Thank you! Your sauce recipe is great!
Hi, is there another ingredient to sub for ketchup? I can’t have sugar. Will use coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar.
I’d look for a sugar free ketchup, as there’s not a great substitute otherwise!
I love this barbecue sauce. Can it be pressure canned?
I am not a canning expert, so I’d be hesitant to say if that would work or not!
This is not the first recipe I’ve gotten from you and it’s always been a hit!
But, this bbq sauce recipe!!!! Honey, when I say delicious!
I use it for my base/starter. Then I add my secret ingredient! BEER!
Thank you for sharing! 🩷
I’ve made this barbeque sauce many times. Love it. Made it for pulled pork, also on chicken, burgers, and just about anything that calls for BBQ sauce.
Hi, this looks like a great sauce. I plan to make it
Can you tell me how much it makes. I was thrilled to see nutrition info. it shows 8 servings but I could not find where the serving size is shown. Thanks so much.
It’s 1/4 cup!
Yum have smoke wing yet smoker just heating up. But been tasting rub and sauce yummy! Cannot wait to eat this stuff on my wings. Fully cook of coarse.
Delicious! Made this to go with smoked brisket. Opted to add a healthy splash of cola (had a cherry Pepsi on hand) and it was the perfect mix of tangy vinegar and sweetness.
This makes THE BEST pizza sauce. It is our go-to pizza sauce now.
This bbq sauce is so easy and full of flavour!
I am using this BBQ sauce for everything! Today I used it on top of my veggie burgers and was awesome!
Outstanding recipe thanks so much! tasted so much good!
This BBQ sauce is sweet and tangy, just how we like it! I agree, it is SO much better than the store-bought kind! We loved it on wings and I’ll be making another batch soon!
Homemade sauce is always the best. I will be trying this recipe soon. Thanks.
I have to leave out the hot sauce and smoked paprika do to food allergies