Ready in just 10 minutes, this Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe is the perfect way to add big flavor to any dish. Use it on chicken or pork, add it to burgers, or use it as a dip for fries and more. The possibilities are endless!
The Best BBQ Sauce Recipe
BBQ sauce is one of the most important condiments in our home. Everyone has a favorite, and this Tangy Carolina BBQ Sauce is right at the top of the list! Just the right amount of sweetness and heat to satisfy pretty much all tastebuds. And if you prefer a sweet BBQ sauce or one with a little more heat, it’s very easy to customize to your preference!
The best part? Making your own BBQ sauce takes less than 10 minutes. It sounds too easy to be true but trust me, once you make this homemade barbecue sauce, you’ll never grab it at the store again.
I’m a huge fan of using this easy BBQ sauce on ribs and chicken but the boys think it’s the perfect sauce for dipping fries, nuggets, and anything else they can dunk in it.
What You’ll Need
Making this easy barbecue sauce recipe at home requires just a handful of ingredients. Check the recipe card below for full measurements.
- Ketchup – Ketchup serves as the base of the BBQ sauce. Use any brand of traditional ketchup that you like.
- White vinegar – White vinegar adds that tangy flavor. Apple cider vinegar can work too, but will change up the flavor.
- Brown sugar – We used light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar is a good option if that’s what you have on hand and will add a richer molasses flavor. (Ideal if you like sweeter BBQ sauces!)
- Yellow mustard – Adds more of a tangy flavor to the sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce – A splash of Worcestershire sauce adds umami undertones and extra depth to the flavor.
- Seasonings – Onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt add even more flavor to the BBQ sauce.
How To Make BBQ Sauce
This easy BBQ sauce recipe comes together in literally 15 minutes! Simple enough that you can whip it up anytime, so there’s always some in the fridge.
- Combine the ingredients. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium saucepan.
- Simmer. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring often. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes to thicken, then remove from heat.
- Enjoy. Enjoy immediately or cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Recipe Variations
There are a million ways to customize your homemade BBQ sauce. Here are a few easy suggestions.
- Use white pepper. Instead of black pepper, try using white pepper. It adds nice flavor but has a smoother, more powder-like texture than cracked black pepper.
- Increase the heat. If you like your BBQ sauce extra spicy, add more cayenne pepper to taste. You can also add a splash of hot sauce if desired.
- Adjust the sweetness. Sweeten the sauce the way you like it! More sugar for a sweeter BBQ sauce or less sugar if that’s what you prefer Honey works great as a sweetener if you don’t want to use more brown sugar.
- Switch up the seasonings. Instead of onion powder, try garlic powder. Adjust the amounts of each seasoning to your preference.
- Give it a smoky undertone. For BBQ sauce with a smoky flavor, add a splash of liquid smoke to your list of ingredients.
Is This Homemade BBQ Sauce Spicy?
This homemade BBQ sauce is pretty mild. While the cayenne and paprika do add a bit of heat, it’s balanced out nicely by the dark brown sugar and other flavors. As noted above, you can easily adjust the spice levels by adding more or less cayenne pepper or more brown sugar. However, in general, I’d say this recipe is pretty pleasing to most tastebuds as-is.
How To Serve:
If you ask anyone in this house, they’ll tell you that BBQ sauce goes with pretty much anything. Just like ketchup, it’s a condiment that has a permanent spot in our fridge. This BBQ sauce recipe can be used as a marinade, sauce, or dip. Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy it:
- BBQ pulled chicken (or pork).
- BBQ chicken quesadillas.
- Other cuts of meat, like chicken thighs, pork ribs, grilled chicken, etc.
- As a condiment on burgers and sandwiches.
- BBQ chicken pizza.
- BBQ meatballs.
- As a dip for fries, chicken tenders, onion rings, etc.
How To Store Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Because homemade BBQ sauce contains no preservatives, it is not shelf-stable. You’ll need to keep it in an airtight container (I prefer jars with lids) in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 3 to 5 days, so you can use it throughout the week on different dishes.
Although this sauce doesn’t keep long, it’s so easy to make, you can whip up a batch any time!
More Condiment Recipes:
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Alabama White Sauce
- Fry Sauce (4 Ways)
- Yum Yum Sauce
- Homemade Pizza Sauce
- Copycat Chick Fil A Sauce
Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together all ingredients. Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer, stirring often.
- Simmer for 6-8 minutes until thickened, then remove from the heat.
- Use the sauce immediately or pour into an airtight food storage container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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26 comments on “Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe”
I made this for wings. My wife says they’re the best she’s ever had! Way to go!!!
That’s great Steve! Thanks!
Made this today to use cooking pork chops in the crockpot. The sauce was delicious but for our personal taste I will adjust the pepper to a small amount. No need to buy BBQ when you have this recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Debbie!
This is so easy and so tasty. I add garlic as well but my family loves it.
Hi
Can I use apple cider vinegar ?
Hi Debora. Yes, apple cider vinegar works great with this recipe.
Loved this, had to use mustard powder and it’s spicy and a little sweet. Will absolutely use again. Thanks for this.
Thanks Barb!
I made the BBQ sauce, but I added less sugar so it wouldn’t be as sweet. I also added red pepper flakes to give it more kick. It was amazing!
Can the recipe be divided and frozen to prevent waste ?
Hi Tam. I haven’t tried to freeze this but I would imagine it would do ok.
Thumbs up. Maded this for my bbq and at m cookout folks loved it. 5 stars for me
Just wondering why it would only last three days?
Hi Lauren. Yes, you may be able to use it longer than that, but with no preservatives we recommend using it within a week.
Hi! I was wondering if this recipe can be canned? I would love to make large batches ahead if i could.
Very tasty.. This is a keeper.
Very easy. Used a combo of vinegar since we didn’t have enough of one type. Used chili powder as we didn’t have cayenne. Added a dash of garlic powder.
First time I made homemade B.B. sauce and did it turn out GREAT. NO more store bought. Only thing I change was to use rice vinegar which I wanted to finish off. Very simple to make.
Theelepel gerookte paprikapoeder toegevoegd aan
I made it and I’ll make it again. Very easy and very good.
A very tangy bbq sauce, like it a lot. A couple adjustments were, 1/4 each white and black pepper and reduced cayenne pepper to 1/4 tsp., not wanting to spicy.
Will it last at least 4 to 5 days?
Kris, yes stored in the refrigerator it will last 1-2 weeks.
This sauce was delicious. Nice and tangy. A keeper!
So simple and easy to make. It’s delicious. No more store bought sauce for me.