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    Home > Sauces and Dips

    BBQ Sauce Recipe

    Published: Jul 2, 2020 · Modified: May 29, 2023 by Nicky Corbishley

    Go to Recipe Go to Video Print Recipe

    This lusciously thick BBQ sauce is sweet, smoky and tangy.
    Using simple store cupboard ingredients, it's ready in less than 10 minutes.
    Use it as a basting sauce, dip or pouring sauce - perfect for chicken wings, hot dogs and burgers!

    Spoonful being taken from a jar of homemade bbq sauce

    This is THE sauce.

    The sauce that turned me from a barbecue sauce 'meh' person, to barbecue sauce lover.
    It's the first time in my life that I now reach for barbecue sauce rather than ketchup for my french fries and hot dogs.

    Made of store cupboard ingredients, it's got a lovely smoky, sweet and tangy flavour to it.
    And this recipe makes 2 cups. So that'll last at least a week right? ahem.

    Ingredients for barbecue sauce

    • For sweetness - tomato ketchup, dark brown sugar, black treacle and honey
    • For tang - white wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce
    • For a bit of heat and smokiness - mustard powder, smoked paprika and black pepper
    • Plus a little vegetable oil to bring it all together and make it smooth and glossy.
    Ingredients for BBQ on a wooden table

    How to make barbecue sauce from scratch

    Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.

    1. Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and mix together.
    2. Heat over a medium-high heat, until boiling, then simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. That's it!

    You might notice that the sauce smells a little vinegary when bubbling in the pan, but the vinegar smell and taste mellows beautifully as the sauce cools

    8 image collage showing how to make bbq sauce

    What to serve it with

    You can serve this tasty homemade bbq sauce with:

    • Crispy Baked BBQ Chicken Wings
    • Buttermilk Chicken Burger
    • Oven-Baked Bacon - on a lovely soft Brioche Roll
    • Crispy Copycat KFC Chicken
    • My juicy Brisket Sandwich
    • Just as a dip for some fries

    Or Pretty much anything on the BBQ


    What would you serve it on or with?
    Now I'm a BBQ sauce convert, I need more ideas!!

    Jar of homemade bbq sauce with a basting brush on top, chicken wings in the background

    How do you use barbecue sauce?

    Use it as a dip for fries or veggies, as a basting sauce for wings, ribs and chicken pieces (brush on during cooking for the last 10 minutes of cooking), as a pouring sauce for hot dogs and burgers or even as a base sauce for pizzas.

    You can also add a tablespoon or two to chilli con carne, casseroles, bolognese or shepherds pie for a nice flavour kick!

    Want a bit of spice?

    Add 2 tbsp of sriracha or 0.5 - 1 tsp hot chilli powder to the pan at the same time as the rest of the ingredients.

    homemade bbq sauce in a jar. A basting brush being dipped in.

    Watch how to make it

    YouTube video

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    Spoonful being taken from a jar of homemade bbq sauce, sitting on a wooden board

    BBQ Sauce

    By: Nicky Corbishley
    This lusciously thick BBQ sauce is sweet, smoky and tangy.Using simple store cupboard ingredients, it's ready in less than 10 minutes.
    4.90 from 29 votes
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Sauces, side dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 30 servings (makes about 2 cups)
    Calories 35 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 ¼ cups (300g) tomato ketchup
    • 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
    • 5 tbsp dark brown sugar
    • 2 tbsp black treacle or molasses
    • 3 tbsp honey
    • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    • ½ tsp mustard powder - or 1 tsp English mustard
    • 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
    • ½ tsp black pepper - freshly ground

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and mix together.
    • Heat over a medium-high heat, until boiling, then simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Turn off the heat and allow to cool before serving or storing.

    Video

    YouTube video

    ✎ Notes

    Can I make it ahead?
    Yes, make the barbecue sauce, then cool cover and refrigerate. Reheat in a pan until it's warm before tossing with the wings.
    It should last at least 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.
    Can I freeze it?
    Yes, make the sauce, cool it, then pour into a freezer-proof bag. Remove any air from the bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
    Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and give it a stir before using (you could warm it up in a pan if you like too).
    How to scale up and scale down this recipe:
    You can scale up and down the recipe without changing any of the ratios.
    So if you only want to make 1 cup of sauce, halve the ingredients.
    If you want to make 4 cups of sauce, double the ingredients.
    It will take longer to come to the boil if you're making more, but you will still only need 5 minutes simmering time.
    Nutritional information is per serving - this recipe makes approx 2 cups - which is about 30 servings of 1 tablespoon.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 35kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 97mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 101IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg
    Keywords barbecue, dip, homemade
    Tried this recipe?Mention @KitchenSanctuary or tag #KitchenSanctuary on Instagram!

    Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

    Read More

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Joseph MacDonald says

      May 20, 2023 at 3:53 pm

      5 stars
      Looks great and easy to make

      Reply
    2. Monica says

      February 14, 2023 at 4:15 pm

      Very tasty and easy to follow recipe

      Reply
    3. John says

      January 10, 2023 at 6:32 pm

      5 stars
      The best BBQ sauce you will ever want to make

      Reply
    « Older Comments

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    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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      Nicky Corbishley is the recipe creator and photographer for Kitchen Sanctuary. Wife to Chris (chief techie and videographer) and mum to Lewis and Gracey. Read More…

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