Best Homemade BBQ Sauce

Best Homemade BBQ Sauce – quick and easy sauce that will take your grill game to the next level! It’s sweet, smoky and slightly spicy.

It’s thick and perfect for brushing on ribs, brisket, grilled chicken or Instant Pot chicken wings.

Besides the long and warm evenings and long pool hours, ice cream for days, fresh berries filling our hands, biting into juicy peaches, grilling and barbecue is one of those things we always miss about summer. The smokey fragrance of meat sizzling on the hot grill is a sign of a feast. All you need is a chilled drink, a good side dish, and an even better barbecue sauce. This Homemade BBQ Sauce is very easy to make and requires ingredients that most likely are already in your pantry. Make a big jar of this sauce and enjoy all season long! Serve on grilled chicken, pork, ribs, chicken wings and shrimp!

Ingredients:

• ketchup
• tomato sauce
• brown sugar
• molasses
• apple cider vinegar
• paprika
• garlic powder
• Worcestershire sauce
• black pepper

Instructions:

• Place all ingredients in a saucepan.
• Bring to boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes, until thick.
• Cool completely, then transfer to a glass jar. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

What makes it the best?

Good barbecue sauce starts with a tomato base made with ketchup and tomato sauce. I love the flavor and color the molasses adds to the sauce and helps make it thick quite fast. The brown sugar is a must for a sweet BBQ sauce fan, Kansas City style, like us. You need to add brown sugar and molasses for the characteristic deep, sweet flavor and apple cider vinegar to balance it out. Spice it up with paprika, garlic powder and any pepper you like. I don’t want just ketchup with spices. I want a thick, sweet and smokey sauce with just the right amount of heat. For that, you can choose between black pepper, cayenne pepper or even chipotle pepper (minced) or just adobo sauce.

How to use it?

This delicious BBQ sauce can be used on grilled chicken, chicken wings, ribs, brisket, etc. You can apply it at the end of grilling and let it caramelized on the meat or brush it on the cooked meat. You can use it in casseroles by brushing over chicken and cooking it all together. It is also a great dipping sauce for grilled vegetables or grilled meat sandwiches, like my Instant Pot Pulled Pork.

Recipes that use BBQ sauce:

• Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs
• The Best Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
• Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Wings
• Best Instant Pot Pulled Pork

If you like this recipe and give it a try, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out! 

5 from 8 votes

Print

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

 

Best Homemade BBQ Sauce - quick and easy sauce that will take your grill game to the next level! It's sweet, smoky and slightly spicy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy barbecue sauce, homemade BBQ sauce

Servings: 2 cups

Calories: 362 kcal

Author: Anna

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 5 Tablespoons packed brown sugar light or dark
• 3 Tablespoons molasses I use Grandma's molasses brand
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1.5 teaspoon paprika
• 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper minced or adobo sauce

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a small pot and whisk together.
2. Bring to a boil over a medium heat.
3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.
4. Cool to room temperature.
5. Store in jar with lid (I use Mason jar) in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Recipe Notes

For more smoky flavor, add 1 and 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 362

% Daily Value*

Sodium 1715mg75%

Potassium 1179mg34%

Carbohydrates 87g29%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 76g84%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 1540IU31%

Vitamin C 11.1mg13%

Calcium 113mg11%

Iron 3.5mg19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.