Homemade BBQ Sauce

Homemade BBQ Sauce - 1 Homemade BBQ Sauce - 2

By Emily Richter

8/17/2023

This Homemade BBQ Sauce is ready in under 30 minutes. No more store-bought BBQ filled with ingredients you can’t pronounce. Make this BBQ sauce today!

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Use this homemade BBQ sauce with our Grilled BBQ Chicken Bowls or BBQ Chicken Breast or even our Honey Maple BBQ Sweet Potato Wedges . We’ll walk you through the steps, and you’ll be on your way. Does it get any better?

Ingredients You Need for Homemade BBQ Sauce

  • Tomato sauce
  • Grated white onion
  • Grated garlic
  • Worcestershire
  • Ketchup
  • Molasses
  • Dark brown sugar
  • Chili powder
  • Paprika
  • Salt & pepper
  • Butter
  • Apple cider vinegar

And that’s it! Truly, these 12 ingredients come together to make that perfect BBQ flavor you love, but without all those store-bought fillers. Plus, it’s super easy to make.

homemade BBQ sauce ingredients in bowls ready to be mixed together. - 6

Substitutions and Variations

  • Tomato Sauce : You can use crushed tomatoes or tomato paste diluted with a bit of water. If using tomato paste, the flavor will be more concentrated, so you may need to adjust seasonings accordingly.
  • Grated White Onion : Onion powder can be used as a quick substitute. About 1 teaspoon should work.
  • Grated Garlic : You can substitute with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
  • Worcestershire : Soy sauce or tamari can be used as a replacement. It will change the flavor slightly but will still offer that umami taste.
  • Ketchup : If you’re out of ketchup, you can increase the tomato sauce by a tablespoon and add a bit more sugar.
  • Molasses : For a similar depth of flavor, you can use dark corn syrup, honey, or maple syrup.
  • Dark Brown Sugar : Light brown sugar can be used. If you only have white sugar, you can use it and add a touch more molasses for depth.
  • Chili Powder : If you don’t have chili powder, a combination of paprika, cumin, and a touch of cayenne pepper can mimic its flavor.
  • Paprika : You can use smoked paprika for a smokier flavor or skip it if you’re already using chili powder.
  • Butter : Olive oil or any other neutral oil can be a replacement, though butter adds a richer flavor.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar : White vinegar, red wine vinegar, or even lemon juice can be used as substitutes. They will each bring a slightly different acidity and flavor to the sauce.
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Storage

While many store-bought BBQ sauces are packed with so many ingredients and preservatives that the shelf life is years, this BBQ sauce contains only 12 ingredients, and will last up to a week in the fridge .

Because this recipe makes about 2 cups of sauce, it’s perfect to use when grilling for a group, or if you’re making multiple BBQ recipes throughout a week to ensure you use it all up!

What can you store homemade BBQ sauce in?

We like to store our homemade BBQ sauce in a Mason jar with a tight lid. This not only prevents it from spilling when it’s in the fridge, but also allows you to give it a nice shake before you use it ensuring all the ingredients are mixed sufficiently when you use your BBQ sauce.

homemade BBQ sauce being used on a rack of ribs. - 8

Serving Suggestions

What DOESN’T go well with BBQ sauce? On Fit Foodie Finds we have tons of great recipes with pair well with BBQ sauce:

  • Grilled BBQ Chicken
  • Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
  • Grilled BBQ Chicken Bowls
  • BBQ Juicy Turkey Burgers
  • BBQ Crockpot Chicken Wings
  • Grilled BBQ Chicken Salad

Ingredients1x2x3x

  • ▢ 1 cup tomato sauce
  • ▢ 2 tablespoons grated white onion
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon grated garlic
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon molasses
  • ▢ 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • ▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
  • ▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
  • ▢ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  • Heat a small sauce pan over medium/high heat.
  • Place all BBQ sauce ingredients into the pan, mix well, and bring to a boil.
  • Turn heat to low and let BBQ sauce simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let cool.
  • When BBQ sauce is cool, pour into a large mason jar, tightly seal the cover, and place in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Tips & Notes

  • This recipe was updated on September 8, 2021 to include additional ingredients for enhanced flavor. For the original recipe click HERE .

Watch It

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #fitfoodiefinds , we’d love to see what you’re up to!

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Homemade BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons grated white onion
  • 1 tablespoon grated garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  • Heat a small sauce pan over medium/high heat.
  • Place all BBQ sauce ingredients into the pan, mix well, and bring to a boil.
  • Turn heat to low and let BBQ sauce simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let cool.
  • When BBQ sauce is cool, pour into a large mason jar, tightly seal the cover, and place in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Video

Notes

  • This recipe was updated on September 8, 2021 to include additional ingredients for enhanced flavor. For the original recipe click HERE .

Nutrition