Easy homemade barbecue sauce. This recipe needs no cooking, is made with pantry ingredients, and tastes even better than store-bought sauce.
I became a cooking fanatic thanks to barbecue. Now, with the kids, I only make baby back ribs or pulled pork a few times a summer. One of the things I learned was how to make barbecue sauce. It takes no time at all – I can whisk up a batch of this no-cook barbecue sauce in about ten minutes, and it keeps in the fridge for just about forever. I may not make low-and-slow BBQ as much, but I make this homemade bbq sauce recipe all the time – it’s that good.
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Is it worth it to make your own BBQ sauce?
Absolutely! My easy barbecue sauce takes six pantry ingredients, and two minutes at most of whisking to combine them. No cooking necessary! And, if six ingredients is just too much for you, three of them are optional. You can get a basic BBQ sauce with just ketchup, brown sugar, and cider vinegar. That said, I like the extra flavors added by the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and hot sauce, so I never skip them.
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup molasses (or brown sugar, or honey)
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon Franks Red Hot (optional)
How to Make Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce
Put all ingredients in a bowl.
Whisk to combine.
(That’s it, you’re done)
Variations
Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce
Replace the molasses with brown sugar. (I do this one a lot. Molasses is the byproduct of making brown sugar, so they have the same taste profile, but the brown sugar version of the sauce is sweeter.)
Honey BBQ Sauce
Replace the molasses with honey. This is if you like extra sweet in your sauce. A quarter cup of honey is sweeter than a quarter cup of brown sugar.
Texas Style BBQ Sauce
Cut the molasses back to 2 tablespoons, and add a tablespoon of fresh ground black pepper to the sauce.
Storing Leftover BBQ Sauce
I make a big batch of this barbecue sauce and keep it in the refrigerator, where it is good for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I thicken BBQ sauce?
This sauce is pretty thick to begin with, but if you want it even thicker, put it on the stove over low heat and simmer it, stirring often, until the sauce is as thick as you want it.
Can I make BBQ sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely! I make a big batch and use it throughout the summer.
How can I make my BBQ sauce smokier?
If you want to add some smoke flavor, add ¼ teaspoon of liquid smoke to the recipe.
[This is a rewrite of my original blog post from October 2, 2008. I use this recipe all the time, so it was due to be cleaned up. Ah, the memories.]
Easy Barbecue Sauce recipe - make your own barbecue sauce from pantry ingredients.
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup molasses (or brown sugar, or honey)
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
1 tbsp Franks Red Hot (optional)
Instructions
Put all ingredients in a bowl.
Whisk to combine.
Notes
Really - it's that easy. Whisk and go.
Category:Accompaniment
Cuisine:American
Notes:
Obviously, this recipe can vary quite a bit (see all the optional ingredients and variations)
When I have it on hand (almost always), I'll add a tablespoon of barbecue rub to the sauce instead of the Frank's red hot.
I usually make a 4x batch of this recipe - I buy a 32oz bottle of ketchup, and go from there. Voila - enough barbecue sauce to last for a couple of months!
In case you missed it in the original picture, check out my mad art skills on the label:
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