• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Easy Sauce Recipes logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Easy Sauce Recipes
  • Best Sauce Recipes
  • About Easy Sauce Recipes
  • Contact
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Savory Sauces

    BBQ Sauce Recipe

    Published: Oct 22, 2022 Modified: Oct 23, 2022 by Isabel Laessig

    Share
    Pin
    Tweet
    Email

    Easy Sauce Recipes is an Amazon Associate and may receive compensation for purchases made through affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    My homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe will be your new favorite BBQ sauce to use for everything from chicken and pork to beef! Ready in 15 minutes, this easy BBQ sauce recipe is deliciously sweet, spicy, and tangy. You can really taste the difference using homemade over store-bought!

    mason jar with bbq sauce
    Jump to:
    • Homemade BBQ Sauce
    • Barbecue Sauce Recipe Ingredients
    • How to Make BBQ Sauce
    • Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe Tips
    • Homemade Barbecue Sauce FAQs
    • BBQ Sauce Ingredients Substitutions
    • Barbecue Sauce Variations
    • How to Store Barbecue Sauce
    • How to Freeze Barbecue Sauce
    • Is BBQ sauce gluten-free?
    • How to Use BBQ Sauce
    • Savory Sauce Recipes
    • 📌 Pin it for later!
    • 📖 Recipe

    Homemade BBQ Sauce

    Living in Florida, I love cooking out with my family and friends. We enjoy BBQ as often as we can, especially during the summer! And if you're cooking an amazing BBQ meal, it deserves its own homemade BBQ sauce.

    The key to a great homemade sauce is finding the right mix of flavors. After testing and comparing to my favorite store-bought brands, this is the sauce I loved the most. I know you'll love it, too!

    My easy BBQ sauce recipe is the perfect combination of flavors, with a nice balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy. It makes a great BBQ sauce for wings, ribs, kebabs, pulled pork, and so much more. After making this sauce just once, I knew I wouldn't be going back to buying bottled BBQ sauce at the store!

    cooked bbq sauce in a mason jar top-down view

    Barbecue Sauce Recipe Ingredients

    • brown sugar
    • ketchup
    • apple cider vinegar
    • water
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • chili powder
    • paprika
    • dry minced garlic
    • dry minced onion
    • salt
    • pepper
    • cayenne
    ingredients for bbq sauce in bowls

    How to Make BBQ Sauce

    1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients.
      bbq sauce ingredients in a deep saucepan
    2. Bring to a boil, and immediately drop the heat to low. Cook for a bit longer if you'd like to thicken it further.
      bbq sauce in a deep saucepan
    3. Pour into an airtight container for storage, such as a jar. Use and enjoy!

    Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe Tips

    • To thicken the sauce: Cook for longer, use a little less water or add a dash of cornstarch or flour to thicken it out more.
    • To thin the sauce: Add more of one of the liquid components, such as water, vinegar, or Worcestershire sauce, to thin the sauce out more. I recommend simply adjusting the water level so the flavor balance stays the same.
    • Adjust the spice levels: If you like your sauce more or less spicy, adjust the level of cayenne used.

    Homemade Barbecue Sauce FAQs

    What are the components of BBQ sauce?

    The main components of a BBQ sauce are generally the main source of sweetness, spice, and zest, along with complementary spices and herbs. In the case of my homemade BBQ sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce provide the sauce base, while spices such as minced garlic and onion are cooked in to boost the flavor.

    What gives BBQ sauce its flavor?

    BBQ sauce is known for having an acidity that pairs well with grilled and smoked foods; this flavor comes from the vinegar component, and from any tomato component included, such as ketchup. Sweet and spicy flavors may come from the addition of sugar and hot sauce, or simply hot spices.

    How can I thicken my BBQ sauce?

    You can thicken BBQ sauce by cooking it for a bit longer or by mixing in a pinch of cornstarch or flour while cooking. I find the thickness of my BBQ sauce recipe to be ideal for most recipes, but if you want to use it as more of a glaze, you could thicken it further.

    BBQ Sauce Ingredients Substitutions

    • Ketchup - If you want, you can substitute tomato paste or even tomato jam for ketchup.
    • Apple cider vinegar - Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or sherry vinegar may also be used.

    Barbecue Sauce Variations

    • Add honey and lemon: For extra sweetness and a dash of citrus tang, add 2 Tablespoons of your favorite honey and 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice.
    • Honey BBQ sauce: Alternatively, leave out the lemon and substitute the brown sugar entirely for your favorite honey to create a tasty honey BBQ sauce.
    • Add hot sauce: To give your homemade BBQ sauce an extra kick, add a splash of your favorite hot sauce to the mix.
    • Maple BBQ sauce: Replace half of the brown sugar with pure maple syrup for a super delicious maple BBQ sauce. Make sure to use authentic maple syrup.
    • Add bourbon or rum: A bit of bourbon or rum adds a real punch of flavor to this BBQ sauce recipe. Cut down the apple cider vinegar if adding either one by using ¼ cup apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup bourbon or rum.
    • Make it smoky: Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika and add ½ teaspoon of mesquite liquid smoke to make it smoky. You can cut down slightly on the Worcestershire sauce if adding liquid smoke.
    BBQ sauce in a mason jar with a spoon

    How to Store Barbecue Sauce

    Allow BBQ sauce to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container such as a mason jar. Store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

    How to Freeze Barbecue Sauce

    To freeze homemade BBQ sauce, first, allow it to cool completely. Then add it to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Store for up to 3 months.

    If adding to a jar, make sure it is big enough to leave at least 1 inch at the top to account for liquid expansion. And be sure to label the container with the freezing date!

    Is BBQ sauce gluten-free?

    Not all store-bought BBQ sauce is gluten-free, so homemade is a perfect alternative to making sure your sauce contains no gluten.

    So long as you double-check that your Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free, then this homemade BBQ sauce recipe is completely gluten-free. Be aware of any substitutions or edits you make to the recipe that may contain gluten.

    How to Use BBQ Sauce

    • BBQ sauce for chicken: Slather chicken wings, grilled chicken (especially kebabs!), pulled chicken, or baked chicken thighs or breasts with homemade BBQ sauce for an amazing combination.
    • BBQ sauce for beef: Try homemade BBQ sauce with beef ribs and beef brisket. It's especially delicious with slow cooker recipes!
    • Turkey with BBQ sauce: BBQ smoked turkey is super delicious, especially if you're making it into a sandwich.
    • BBQ sauce for pork: Homemade BBQ sauce is incredible with pork. Try it on pork ribs, with brisket, or even in pulled pork.
    • BBQ sauce for burgers and sandwiches: Western-style burgers with BBQ sauce are absolutely delicious. It makes a great sauce for BBQ sandwiches and even sloppy joes, too!
    • BBQ sauce pizza: Homemade BBQ pizza is so much better than any frozen pizza or even what you can get at a restaurant! Try grilling the pizza for an even more flavorful combo.

    Savory Sauce Recipes

    • Peri Peri Sauce
    • Buffalo Sauce
    • How to Make Pesto
    • Yum Yum Sauce
    • Chimichurri Sauce

    📌 Pin it for later!

    Did you enjoy this page? Save it on Pinterest for later!

    Pin

    Did you try this recipe? Let us know what you think in the comments below or send us an email! We love to hear from you.

    📖 Recipe

    bbq sauce with a spoon in a jar

    BBQ Sauce Recipe

    Isabel Laessig
    Learn how to make BBQ sauce in 15 minutes using simple ingredients! This homemade BBQ sauce recipe is the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy.
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Sauce
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2 cups
    Calories 878 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 large sauce pan

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ½ cup brown sugar
    • 1 ½ cups ketchup
    • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
    • ½ cup water
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 ½ tablespoon chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons paprika
    • 1 tablespoon dry minced garlic
    • 1 tablespoon dry minced onion
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon of cayenne more for a spicier result

    Instructions
     

    • In a saucepan over medium heat, combine all the ingredients.
      1 ½ cup brown sugar, 1 ½ cups ketchup, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 ½ tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 tablespoon dry minced garlic, 1 tablespoon dry minced onion, 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon of cayenne
      bbq sauce ingredients in a deep saucepan
    • Bring to a boil and immediately drop the heat to low.
      bbq sauce in a deep saucepan
    • Pour into an airtight container for storage.
      cooked bbq sauce in a mason jar top-down view

    Notes

    • To thicken the sauce: Cook for longer, use a little less water, or add a dash of cornstarch or flour to thicken it out more.
    • To thin the sauce: Add more of one of the liquid components, such as water, vinegar, or Worcestershire sauce, to thin the sauce out more. I recommend simply adjusting the water level so the flavor balance stays the same.
    • Adjust the spice levels: If you like your sauce more or less spicy, adjust the level of cayenne used.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupCalories: 878kcalCarbohydrates: 224gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1898mgPotassium: 1118mgFiber: 4gSugar: 201gVitamin A: 3911IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 220mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword barbecue sauce recipe, BBQ sauce recipe, homemade bbq sauce, homemade bbq sauce recipe
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Bearnaise Sauce
    Katsu Sauce »

    About Isabel Laessig

    Isabel Laessig, better known as Family Foodie and the founder of the Sunday Supper Movement, is passionate about food and family! She is the author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook, and hosts Family Foodie Friday on WTSP's Great Day Tampa Bay along with other television appearances to spread her mission of bringing Sunday Supper back around the family table in every home.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Best Sauce Recipes

    • Best Birria Consomé Recipe
    • Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
    • Honey Sriracha Sauce
    • Steak Sauce Recipe
    • Creamy Garlic Sauce
    • Meatball Sauce Recipe

    Footer

    Our Brands

    Easy Sauce Recipes | Sunday Supper Movement | Best Beef Recipes | Best Side Dishes | Best Pork Bites

    About Us

    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Disclosure & Privacy
    • Sign up for our Newsletter!
    sunday supper logo

    Easy Sauce Recipes is part of the Sunday Supper Media publishing family.

    ↑ back to top

    Copyright ©2022 Easy Sauce Recipes.