• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Dinner at the Zoo

  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food

Home » Sauces » Homemade BBQ Sauce

March 27, 2019 By Sara 51 Comments

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe | Barbecue Sauce Recipe #bbq #grilling #sauce #condiments #dinneratthezoo

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!

Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe | Barbecue Sauce Recipe #bbq #grilling #sauce #condiments #dinneratthezoo Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe | Barbecue Sauce Recipe #bbq #grilling #sauce #condiments #dinneratthezoo

A jar of homemade BBQ sauce made with ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and spices.

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.

How do you make homemade BBQ sauce?

This barbecue sauce starts with ketchup as the base. Look for ketchup that is organic or conventional ketchup that is not sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. The ketchup is combined with apple cider vinegar, an array of spices, a dash of hot sauce and brown sugar to make up this intensely flavored condiment. All you have to do is throw everything in the pan, let it simmer for a bit, and you’re done!

Ketchup. spices, vinegar and brown sugar in a skillet.

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.
  • 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.

A pan of homemade BBQ sauce with a serving spoon in it.

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.

A jar of homemade BBQ sauce with a basting brush near it.

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.

Homemade BBQ sauce being brushed onto chicken wings.

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
A jar of homemade BBQ sauce made with ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and spices.
Print Pin
4.87 from 30 votes

Homemade BBQ Sauce

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!
Course Sauce
Cuisine American
Keyword Barbecue Sauce, BBQ Sauce, Homemade BBQ Sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 118kcal
Author Sara Welch

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Sodium: 427mg | Potassium: 245mg | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 615IU | Vitamin C: 2.9mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Filed Under: Sauces, Smoker Tagged With: BBQ

Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

« Chia Pudding 3 Ways
30 Easter Recipes »

Comments

  1. Sally says

    September 14, 2019 at 5:16 pm

    When you say cup how big is the cup? I have mugs!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      September 14, 2019 at 8:40 pm

      It’s a cup unit of measurement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_(unit)

      Reply
  2. Kathy says

    September 3, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    5 stars
    My favorite BBQ Sauce. Substituted molasses for the Honey! Absolutely Amazing ❤️

    Reply
  3. Lydia says

    August 2, 2019 at 9:21 pm

    I’d love to try this but don’t have smoked paprika. Will using regular paprika change the flavor significantly?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      August 3, 2019 at 9:44 pm

      It will have a slightly less smoky flavor with regular paprika, if you have any liquid smoke on hand you could add a small amount to account for using regular paprika!

      Reply
  4. Wanda Dunn says

    July 7, 2019 at 11:27 am

    This sauce is awesome. I want be buying store bought sauce again.

    Reply
  5. Julie says

    June 14, 2019 at 4:05 pm

    Looks delish! May I use a little spicy brown mustard in place of the dry mustard? Just because that’s what I have on hand. Thx!!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      June 14, 2019 at 9:53 pm

      That should be fine!

      Reply
  6. Kristie Towe says

    June 8, 2019 at 8:39 am

    This sounds absolutely delicious….will definitely be trying soon!!!

    Reply
  7. David says

    May 25, 2019 at 5:04 pm

    5 stars
    Needs a little something to off-set the vinegar. I put a tsp. of sage and 1/2 tsp. of lemon. Turned out really nice!

    Reply
  8. Valentina says

    April 9, 2019 at 3:24 pm

    5 stars
    Never knew homemade barbecue sauce was so easy to make. Forget store-bought, this is awesome. YES!!!

    Reply
  9. Toni says

    April 8, 2019 at 9:10 am

    5 stars
    I love how easy this is to make! Thank you for sharing!!

    Reply
  10. lauren kelly says

    April 8, 2019 at 8:59 am

    5 stars
    I love this so much that I will never buy it at a store again!

    Reply
  11. Allyson Zea says

    April 8, 2019 at 8:45 am

    WHAT?! I had no idea you could make this! TRYING!

    Reply
  12. Aimee Shugarman says

    April 8, 2019 at 8:44 am

    5 stars
    Love the flavor of this sauce. So tasty!

    Reply
  13. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

    April 3, 2019 at 4:14 pm

    This sauce looks incredibly delicious!

    Reply
  14. Melanie Bauer says

    April 2, 2019 at 8:08 pm

    5 stars
    Looks awesome! I’d love to try this, those flavors are amazing and definitely way better than store bought!

    Reply
  15. Allison says

    April 2, 2019 at 2:34 pm

    5 stars
    Homemade BBQ sauce is the best, and this one does not disappoint. Delish!

    Reply
  16. Paula says

    April 2, 2019 at 11:01 am

    Love all the ingredients in this sauce.

    Reply
  17. Jacque Hooper says

    April 2, 2019 at 8:58 am

    5 stars
    My husband is a huge fan of BBQ but we’ve never made our own sauce! This sounds like a perfect balance between sweet and tangy!

    Reply
  18. Taylor says

    April 2, 2019 at 8:53 am

    5 stars
    So easy and flavorful! Love homemade BBQ sauce!

    Reply
  19. Dee says

    April 1, 2019 at 10:36 am

    5 stars
    These all look so amazing! I especially like the idea of that Maple barbecue sauce

    Reply
  20. Demeter says

    April 1, 2019 at 9:49 am

    5 stars
    I love making my own sauces and with summer right around the corner, this is perfect!

    Reply
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
category category category category category category category

Categories

Sites I am featured In
PRIVACY POLICY © Sara Welch and Dinner at the Zoo® LLC, 2015-2021.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food