Homemade BBQ Sauce – Super Easy! (VIDEO)
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Sweet and savory, with the perfect bit of smoky flavor – this homemade BBQ Sauce is so much better than the store bought versions and easily the best BBQ Sauce I’ve ever had! It’s so easy to make and customize exactly to your liking – you’re going to love this one!
Watch the Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipe Video!
A Note from CJ
I love Homemade BBQ Sauce!
Homemade Barbecue Sauce is so easy to make it – all you have to do is simmer the ingredients together until it’s thick enough to your liking. You can even make it sweeter or spicier, exactly to your preferences!
I love how you can customize homemade sauces exactly to your liking, and avoid all of the preservatives and additives that store bought versions have. I love my Chinese Chili Oil or Chili Crisp, Tonkatsu Sauce, Homemade Ranch Dressing, Raising Cane’s Sauce, Chick-Fil-A Sauce, Honey Mustard, and Spicy Mayo!
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- ketchup – any brand of store bought ketchup will work! When doing research and recipe testing for my homemade BBQ Sauce, I noticed that other recipes called for a significant amount of sugar – more than what I use in my own recipe. I personally find most store bought ketchup to be on the sweeter side, so I only used 1/4 cup of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of honey.
- brown sugar and honey – add more if you prefer a sweeter sauce.
- yellow mustard – if you want a spicier sauce, you can use dijon mustard.
- ground black pepper – I highly recommend using freshly ground black pepper. Ground black pepper will lose a lot of flavor during storage and due to oxidation; you won’t get the same bold, peppery flavor.
How to Make Homemade BBQ Sauce
Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and reduce – Over medium heat, mix well until all ingredients are incorporated and the mixture starts to bubble. Once bubbling, bring the heat down to a low simmer until it’s thickened to your liking (about 20 minutes). Note: if you are double or tripling this recipe, you may need to simmer for longer for the sauce to reduce and thicken to your liking!
Let the BBQ sauce cool – Turn off the heat and let the Barbecue Sauce cool completely in the saucepan before transferring to an airtight container.
If you tried this Barbecue Sauce Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Homemade BBQ Sauce – SO EASY! (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Mix well and heat over medium heat until bubbling.
- Once the BBQ sauce is bubbling, reduce the heat to medium low and let simmer for 20 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from burning. Let cool completely.
- Place in an airtight container and store any leftover in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Homemade BBQ Sauce was originally posted in July 2024, and updated in January 2026.
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Thanks Willy!