This BBQ Sauce Recipe is easy to throw together and absolutely delicious! Fast to make and with ingredients you already have on hand, you are going to make this homemade BBQ sauce all the time.
Pair this BBQ sauce recipe with my Chicken Rub for the perfect grilled BBQ chicken.
Since first sharing my BBQ Sauce recipe with you in 2019, it has gotten rave reviews. Just like me, my readers find this sauce not only incredibly easy to make, but absolutely delicious.
In the last four years, I’ve added this sauce to so many different recipes (check out the list of recipes below), and without fail, it always becomes the star of the show. Just like so many others, one you make this homemade BBQ sauce, you will never look back.
This is the only BBQ sauce you will ever need, better than store bought and so easy to do!
How to Make BBQ Sauce
This is a brief overview of how to make this delicious recipe. For the full recipe with all of the ingredients, find the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Combine the ingredients. In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients.
- Bring the sauce to a boil. After being over medium heat for a few minutes, large bubbles will start to appear.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer. Once the sauce starts to boil, turn down the heat to a simmer. You should see occasional and intermittent bubbles.
- Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes. This allows the sauce to thicken and the flavors to develop.
BBQ Sauce Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients that make up homemade BBQ sauce. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe, including all measurements.
- Brown Sugar: Not only does this add some sweetness to your sauce, a must in BBQ sauce in my personal opinion, the sweetness also balances the acidity of the other ingredients.
- Ketchup: Made with tomatoes, vinegar, and sugar, this also brings some acidity and great flavor to the sauce.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: This brings the great tang that I bet you didn’t even know you love in BBQ Sauce. Read more about this below.
- Paprika: I generally keep regular paprika on hand and not smoked, so that is what I use here. That being said, smoked paprika would be fantastic in this.
- Onion Powder: This is a great way of getting good onion flavor in the BBQ sauce without chunks of onion.
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
Using Homemade BBQ Sauce
While BBQ sauce is typically meant to go on meat after it has been thoroughly cooked, like in my Grilled Chicken Legs, I do use it as part of the cooking liquid often. Let me tell you, it makes for some pretty amazing recipes.
- Crockpot Ribs
- BBQ Chicken Nachos
- Meatloaf
- Crockpot Little Smokies
- BBQ Pork Chops
- BBQ Pulled Pork
- Crock Pot Chicken Drumsticks
- Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork
Crock Pot Ribs
BBQ Sauce as a Marinade
I’m all about breaking rules. Especially when it comes to cooking. It should be a fun creative process that makes you really happy. So while you don’t typically use BBQ Sauce as a marinade, and you add it at the end as mentioned above, if you want to use this as a marinade, go for it!
Remember that with marinades we want to marinate meat for at least 30 minutes but not more than 24 hours as a general rule. There are lots of cuts of beef that require at least 6 hours of marinating time – like flank steak, for example. The point of a marinate is to penetrate the outer layer of the meat, tenderize the meat, and give it flavor. Marinating for more than 24 hours will break down the meat in a way that will make it unappetizing.
Vinegar Based BBQ Sauce
As mentioned above, the tang in this recipe comes from apple cider vinegar. In fact, in the 2 1/2 cups that this recipe makes, 1/2 cup is vinegar.
That’s a lot of tang, and I love the flavor of it. I think it balances the sweetness and the smokiness of the other flavors perfectly. That said, if you are worried it will be too acidic, I would start with 1/4 cup, taste it, and add more vinegar until you get the taste you want or 1/2 cup, whichever comes first.
Storing BBQ Sauce
The vinegar and sugar in this recipe both act as natural preservatives, so this easy homemade BBQ sauce recipe should keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. I don’t have enough experience with canning to advise you on this, and I suggest that you use this website as a guide if you are interested in canning BBQ sauce.
Things to keep in mind:
- If the sauce looks as though it has separated, it should be tossed.
- Obviously, if there are signs of mold, it should be discarded.
- Avoid brushing cooked meat and then dipping the brush back in the container, introducing bacteria to the sauce. Rather, when using this homemade BBQ sauce, pour some from the jar into a bowl and brush from there.
Other Great Homemade Recipes
If you try this homemade BBQ sauce recipe or any of my other recipes, come back and let me know what you think! I love hearing from you!
BBQ Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (319.5 grams) packed
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup (352.5 grams)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar see note (119.29 ml)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Notes
Alisha says
What the shelf life in fridge?
Two weeks is the short answer. But there is a section within the post that gives a few things to keep in mind.
Anita says
I made a pork loin in the slow cooker made this BBQ sauce on the stove, after cooking the pork I added the sauce to it It is absolutely delicious just the right amount of tang and sweetness get lots of compliments on it!! And I love that it’s easy to make and they are simple ingredients!!
I’m so glad you liked this recipe as much as I do!
Kelsey says
Can I freeze a portion of this to make it last a bit longer?
Yup! It should last about three months in the freezer. I would suggest freezing it in smaller portions so you can pull out just what you need.
Debbie Mittelsteadt says
This recipe is fantastic! Thank you for sharing!
I’m so happy that you liked it!
Cindy says
Can you put sautéed diced onions in it?
Yes! You could!
David says
Thanks for the recipe I’m going to try the barbecue sauce.
I hope you love it!
Ashden says
I think there is far too much apple cider vinegar in this recipe. This BBQ sauce makes you pucker… and not in a good way. I truly had family say to me “what have you done to me?” But, with that being said to each their own. I simply couldn’t fix this sauce nor could my mother in law.
Tastes definitely vary, but of the many reviews I’ve gotten on this recipe, many love it as written. I’m wondering what type of vinegar you used. The organic brand, Bragg has an extremely intense taste that I refuse to use in recipes. Additionally, if you cut back on the sugar at all in this recipe that would really make the vinegar shine. You could definitely try it again with half the amount of vinegar and it will still work great.
Tracy says
Barbecue sauce you create it honey. It is delicious that’s all I have to say D licious. Thank you for creating it. Goes great on oven baked ribs it is fantastic. I can’t stop licking my fingers.
I’m so glad you liked it!
Nancy says
I love this bbq sauce! I’ll never use anything else.. Thanks for sharing
I’m so glad you like this recipe as much as I do!