Easy BBQ Sauce (Homemade + Delicious!!!)

This Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe is so easy! Made in just 15-minutes with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. This southern sauce is delicious on brisket, pork chops, chicken, meatloaf and ribs.

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Love barbecue sauce? Be sure to try my White BBQ Sauce too!

A couple weeks ago, I set myself on the mission of making the best sous vide brisket. It turned out amazingly tender, smoky and juicy. Perfect, if I do say so myself (I can’t wait to make it again). And since brisket takes about 36 hours to cook sous vide, I also had plenty of time to work on perfecting my BBQ sauce recipe.

A few batches later, I’m now feeling pretty darn confident that this is the BEST BBQ sauce recipe ever!

Why?

It’s sweet & tangy, with the perfect hint of smokiness & spice. And the consistency is just perfect for slathering on your favorite grilled meats.

My first step was deciding on the tomato base. Ketchup or pureed tomatoes? The ketchup was a clear winner. The BBQ sauce made with ketchup had much more flavor and was smoother. The one made with tomatoes was a bit grittier, and the flavor was much less concentrated, even though I tried to amp it up a bit with even more spices, vinegar, etc.

The second step was getting just that right blend of spices.

Hand holding jar of homemade bbq sauce

Of course, everyone is going to have their own personal preferences when it comes to BBQ sauce, so my recipe is more of a standard variety, with just a hint of spice, smoke and sweetness.

However, I’m also providing some variations below if you like a more spicy sauce, sweeter (or honey based) BBQ sauce, or a smokier sauce. I’ve even got some *spiked* barbecue sauce variations.

I added some of the dripping from my brisket into the sauce for extra flavor, but if you don’t have any, that’s totally OK!

Ingredients needed

  • Ketchup – The base for our sauce.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – For that signature BBQ taste.
  • White Wine Vinegar – Adds a great tang. Red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar also work.
  • Brown Sugar – Adds a hint of sweetness. Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
  • Worcestershire Sauce – To give that hint of umami. Soy sauce is a good substitute.
  • Spices – Chile powder, cumin + smoked paprika.
  • Salt & Black Pepper

How to make it

It’s so easy to make this BBQ sauce. All you need to do is:

  1. Stir together the ingredients in a saucepan.
  2. Simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until thickened to your liking.
  3. Serve. 

How to thicken BBQ sauce

  • If you would like to thicken your BBQ sauce even further, simply simmer it for longer. It will continue to thicken as it cooks.
Side view of homemade bbq sauce in jar with spoon

BBQ sauce variations

  • BBQ Sauce From Drippings: You can add some drippings from pulled pork or brisket into the sauce for extra flavor.
  • Honey Barbecue Sauce: Add 2 Tablespoons honey.
  • Maple Barbecue Sauce: Add 2 Tablespoons maple syrup.
  • Smoky Barbecue Sauce: Add 2 teaspoons liquid smoke.
  • Spicy Barbecue Sauce: Add cayenne pepper or hot sauce, to taste.
  • Mustard Barbecue Sauce: Add in some yellow mustard, ground mustard, or dijon mustard.
  • Bourbon Barbecue Sauce: Add 1/4 cup bourbon before simmering.
  • Red Wine Barbecue Sauce: Add 1/4 cup red wine before simmering (I love Pinot Noir or Zinfandel for this).
  • For a Sweeter Sauce: Add in a bit more brown sugar, honey, or molasses.
  • White BBQ Sauce – This recipe combines creamy mayo & horseradish for a tangy kick!!
  • Spices – Try adding in some garlic powder, onion powder, or red pepper flakes.

How to store & freeze

  • To Store. Store leftovers tightly sealed in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. I like to store it in a glass mason jar.
  • To Freeze. Freeze individual portions into cubes using this silicone ice cube mold, or freeze in ziploc bags or containers (allowing room for expansion). It will keep in the freezer for 3 months. To use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Uses for BBQ sauce

Overhead close up of spoon in bbq sauce

Favorite BBQ recipes

More homemade sauce recipes

Did you try this BBQ sauce recipe?

If you loved this barbecue sauce, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a ⭐️star review⭐️! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

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Be sure to check out my 35+ EASY Sides for BBQ too!

Hand holding jar of homemade bbq sauce

Easy BBQ Sauce

This Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe is so easy!  Made in just 15-minutes with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. This southern sauce is delicious on brisket, pork chops, chicken, and ribs.
4.87 from 22 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 people

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Stir together all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Notes

Variations:
  • Honey Barbecue Sauce: Add 2 Tablespoons honey.
  • Maple Barbecue Sauce: Add 2 Tablespoons maple syrup.
  • Smoky Barbecue Sauce: Add 2 teaspoons liquid smoke.
  • Spicy Barbecue Sauce: Add cayenne pepper, to taste.
  • Bourbon Barbecue Sauce: Add 1/4 cup bourbon before simmering.
  • Red Wine Barbecue Sauce:  Add 1/4 cup red wine before simmering (I love Pinot Noir or Zinfandel for this).
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

Nutrition

Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 739mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 598IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

2 thoughts on “Easy BBQ Sauce (Homemade + Delicious!!!)”

  1. 3 stars
    Did the Maple variation. I’ll admit in my region (midwest/great lakes) our sauces tend on sweeter side. Brown sugar, maple, honey, etc. I know NC tends towards vinegar so that being said even after added 2 Tbl maple I added another Tbl Brown sugar and still wasn’t satisfied. Missing onion/garlic. Added fresh chives and Thyme and that kicked it up a notch. Not a bad starting point for a sauce, but could use tweeking based on individual taste.

    Reply
  2. 4 stars
    like it as a sauce or glaze put not so moch for a side dipping BBQ, kind of think the cumin is a little overpowering in this recipe but tasty all the same. I did use crockpot pork carnita dripping additionally, so.. some extra cumin flavor there probably (full disclosure)

    Reply
4.87 from 22 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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