Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe
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Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe that is ready in 15 minutes or less! Makes the best Homemade Barbecue Sauce. Sweet and tangy and made from scratch! With cook and no-cook options!
BBQ sauce is one of those topics that people can become really, really passionate about. There are the regional camps of North Carolina-style BBQ sauce, Kansas City-style BBQ sauce, white Alabama BBQ sauce, and then the Memphis style with no sauce at all (well, maybe just a smidge). Everyone has their personal favorites.
And you know, I really love them all.
I’ve shared my Mama’s Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce with you, which is the one I grew up with. I’ve also shared our Spicy Mustard BBQ Sauce, which we use from time to time, and my Peach BBQ Sauce, which is the perfect BBQ sauce with a fruity twist. I’ve also included our favorite molasses-based Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce in my cookbook, which just takes ribs to a whole new level!
But friends, I want to share with you this quick and easy BBQ sauce that requires just a handful of ingredients and comes out perfect every single time.
We’ve had friends who call this the best BBQ Sauce they’ve ever tasted and it’s pretty easy to see why!
How to Make Homemade BBQ Sauce
This BBQ Sauce comes together quickly with just a handful of ingredients that I generally have in my refrigerator or my pantry. This recipe is one that I think you all will fall in love with as well. I’ve had friends ask me to please make extra for them to take home and if I’d bottle it, they’d surely buy it. โฅ๏ธ
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
To make this homemade BBQ Sauce, you’ll need:
- Ketchup – You’ll use 2 cups of your favorite ketchup as the base in this recipe. I prefer to use one with the fewest ingredients and one that does not include high-fructose corn syrup.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – the apple cider vinegar gives the sauce a delicious, tangy flavor that helps to balance it perfectly.
- Brown Sugar – just 1/4 cup of brown sugar not only helps sweeten the sauce but deepens the flavor adding just a hint of molasses flavor.
- Honey – use a couple of tablespoons of your favorite honey. If you can find a reliable local honey provider, I always recommend it!
- Worcestershire sauce – this balances the sweetness with savory flavor in the sauce. If you are gluten-free or sensitive to soy (like me!), you can use coconut aminos in place of the Worcestershire sauce.
- Stone House Seasoning – this is my favorite, go-to blend of seasonings that I have shared previously. It is a blend of kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic that tastes amazing on so many dishes and adds flavor in a snap! We named it Stone House Seasoning since we use it practically on everything except desserts!
- Lemon Juice – A tablespoon of fresh or bottled lemon juice adds just the perfect amount of acid to this sauce to make it perfect.
- Hot Sauce – We love to add just a splash of hot sauce to this BBQ Sauce recipe. It is entirely optional if you’d rather not include it.
Instructions
- Cook the BBQ Sauce. Whisk together all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Allow the sauce to bubble and then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. This helps to deepen the flavors and thicken the sauce.
- Serve. You can use this sauce immediately or see the Storage Tips below.
Recipe Variations
No Cook Homemade BBQ Sauce – Whisk together all ingredients until well combined. Pour into an airtight container and serve immediately or store as directed.
Storage Tips
To Store. Allow the sauce to cool and then pour it into a quart-size mason jar. Seal it with a tight-fitting lid and store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
To Freeze. Transfer the cooled sauce to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Favorite Ways to Use BBQ Sauce
- Chicken – Use on grilled chicken for a flavorful meal or drizzled over shredded chicken for a BBQ Chicken Sandwich.
- Pork – Delicious with BBQ pork chops, slow cooker ribs, and of course pulled pork sandwiches.
- Burgers – Delicious on hamburgers in place of ketchup for a tasty BBQ Burger.
- Pizza – Use in place of pizza sauce for a BBQ Chicken Pizza or a Pulled Pork Pizza. Yum!
- Dip – as a dip with Sweet Potato Fries and ranch dressing
Here’s my best Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, or coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Stone House Seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients in a medium saucepan situated over medium heat. Allow to come to a bubble and then reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately or allow to cool slightly and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
No Cook BBQ Sauce
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce until well combined. Pour into an airtight container and serve immediately or store as directed.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Overall a good recipe but i would start with half the vinegar and add more to taste. It had quite a bit of tang when you use the whole amount. I think someoneโs suggestion to add orange marmalade was a good idea. I fiddled with mine to suit my family but this is a great jumping off place. Thx!
Also, I would say yes to being able to can this in hot water bath for 10 minutes a pint. I never use iodized salt fir canning though.
I used about half the brown sugar and when I tasted it (after 10 mins. simmering) it was very tomatoey so I added some onion powder, more amino acids, some chili powder, smoked paprika, and a little molasses. I think after it is baked for a few hours on top of chicken it will have a great flavor, thanks for the base of a bbq sauce recipe.
Thank you for this recipe. I was out of bbq sauce and didnโt want to go to the store. I always have these ingredients and this was perfect!
I’m glad this BBQ sauce recipe worked for you, Lisa. I love that I always have the ingredients for it on hand.
Sounds yummy! What can I use in place of the lemon juice?
I’m sorry but I haven’t tried any substitutes for the lemon juice so I can’t tell you how something else would taste. Someone had commented that she used orange juice but I haven’t tried that.
I thought it had too much vinegar
I’m sorry this had too much vinegar for you, Jen. You might like my Mama’s Coca Cola BBQ Sauce Recipe or my Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce Recipe.
Thanks for the recipe! We’re using it on venison. We didn’t have any store bought bbq sauce, and always willing to experiment! I had some extra orange marmalade that was a bit too sharp for eating on toast, I used it as a substitute for the honey. Yeah. My husband asked if I would put it in the family collection of recipes. It was so easy! Thanks,
Thanks, Jae!
Perfect as is. The ingredients are what we already have on hand, so you don’t have to buy anything special to make it. Saved me a trip to the grocery store.
Thanks, Diane. I love that I usually have these ingredients on hand. So glad you liked it, too.
It’s perfect and so-o yummy. I baked chicken tonight with the BBQ SAUCE and OMG it was the best sauce i have ever made for chicken that is how good it is… i also reserved some off to the side to add more if needed on our plate!!! Honestly this is better then store bought!! my husband really love the taste as well as I did. this is my go.to recipe for good! it is soo addictive. You have to try it yourself to see what I’m talking about! Enjoy!
Thanks so much, Rosie. I’m glad you and your husband loved it. xo
Such a wonderful recipe! Thank you. Wasnโt able to use all the ingredients but it worked out well!
Want to try this
I hope you like it, Dave.
Can I can this recipe in a water bath?
Rebecca, I have never tried canning this BBQ sauce so I can’t tell you how it would turn out.