Homemade Barbecue Sauce

I just love this homemade barbecue sauce recipe. It is so flavorful and perfect for ribs, pulled pork, chicken, etc. And it is so easy to make!

If you are looking for a good homemade barbecue sauce give this recipe a try. Barbecuing with friends and family is one of my favorite things to do, especially when the weather is nice outside. Luckily here in Phoenix we have pretty nice weather from November through May, although some people still fire up the grill when it is 110 F outside.

This homemade barbecue sauce is simple to make, if I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Gather the ingredients

In order to make this homemade barbecue sauce you need a fair amount of ingredients, but they are all pretty easy to find:

• Oil – I normally will use vegetable or canola oil. But you can use other oils as well.
• Onion – White or yellow onion. I tend to use yellow sweet onions more.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves.
• Chili powder
• Paprika
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• Apple cider vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce
• Liquid smoke – This is optional but gives the homemade barbecue sauce a nice flavor.
• Yellow mustard
• Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark.
• Ketchup

Tools

• Medium sauce pot
• Wooden spoon
• Spatula
• Bowls
• Knife or food processor

Step 2: How to make homemade barbecue sauce

Add the oil to a medium pot. Set the burner to medium heat and all the oil to heat up. Once it heats up add in the minced onion and sauté them for a few minutes.

Then add in the crushed garlic and cook it down along with the onions. If you want some heat to the barbecue sauce you can add in the some minced jalapeños as well.

I don’t like my sauce spicy, so I don’t usually add those in since there are other spices that will be added, haha.

Once the onions and garlic reduce and caramelize a bit add in the chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, and paprika, and stir and cook for another minute or two.

Next, add in the rest of the ingredients, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar. Stir every 20 to 30 seconds, until the mixture starts to boil/bubble. Once that happens turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 1 hour.

TIP: If you want it extra sweet add in some honey or more brown sugar, even molasses. Also, if you can’t find liquid smoke, you can use smoked paprika.

Step 3: Finished Barbecue sauce

Once the hour is done, turn off the heat and let the barbecue sauce cool down to room temperature before transferring into some kind of storage container.

Then place in the fridge for 24 hours before using. You can use it right away if you like, but it will taste better the next day, once all the ingredients have had time to marinate with each other. It will last in the fridge for a couple of weeks, or you can freeze it, and it will last a few months. Enjoy!

TIP: If you do not like chunky BBQ sauce and would like to smooth it out, place the sauce in a blender or food processor and turn it on for a minute or two. But wait until it has cooled before you do that, the sauce will be very hot.

Here are a few other recipes you may like:

Fool’s Gold Loaf

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Chicken Nuggets

Fall Off The Bone Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs

Bacon Wrapped Steak

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5 from 3 votes

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

This homemade barbecue sauce is great and is perfect for all your barbecuing needs. It is really easy to make, if I can do it, you can do it!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Cooling Time30 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course: Ingredient, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bbq, meat, savory, smooth, sweet

Servings: 15 people

Calories: 134kcal

Author: Matt Taylor

Equipment

• Medium sauce pot
• Wooden spoon
• Spatula
• Bowls
• Knife or food processor

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of vegetable or olive oil 60mL
• 1 medium yellow onion minced
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves minced
• 4 to 5 tsp. of chili powder 20g
• 1/2 tsp. paprika 3g
• 1/2 tsp. salt 3g
• 1 tsp. ground pepper fresh (5g)
• 1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper add more if you like(1g)
• 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar 60mL
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 60mL
• 1 Tbsp. liquid smoke 15mL
• 1/3 cup yellow mustard 85g
• 1 cup brown sugar packed (200g)
• 2 cups of ketchup 450g

Instructions

• First, add a medium pot to the stovetop. Set the heat to medium. Add the oil to the pot and let it heat up.
• While the oil is heating peel and dice/mince the onions as well as the garlic.
• Add in your minced onions and sauté them for a few minutes, then add in your minced garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
• Add in the chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook all the ingredients together for another minute or two.
• Now, add in the apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar. Stir every 20 to 30 seconds, until the mixture starts to boil/bubble. Once that happens turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 1 hour.
• After the hour is up, turn off the heat and let the barbecue sauce cool down to room temperature before transferring into some kind of storage container. Then place in the fridge for 24 hours before using.

  You can use it right away if you like, but it will taste better the next day, once all the ingredients have had time to marinate with each other.

Video

How to Make Barbecue Sauce | Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe

Notes

TIP: If you want it extra sweet add in some honey or more brown sugar, even molasses. Also, if you can’t find liquid smoke, you can use smoked paprika.

TIP: For some extra heat add in some diced jalapenos when sauteing the onions and garlic.

TIP: If you do not like chunky BBQ sauce and would like to smooth it out, place the sauce in a blender or food processor and turn it on for a minute or two. But wait until it has cooled before you do that, the sauce will be very hot.

NOTE: It will last in the fridge for a couple of weeks, or you can freeze it, and it will last a few months.

Tried this recipe?Mention @WPRecipeMaker or tag #wprecipemaker!

Nutrition

Calories: 134kcal

Do you like this recipe? Share and Pin it! Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.