Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Why This Is a Great Homemade Barbecue Sauce

I grew up in a home where barbecue sauce was generally not in the pantry or refrigerator and for the few dishes that required barbecue sauce, my mom made her own. It was a 4 ingredient no-cook sauce that was quick to make and was also super economical. To me, it was the best barbecue sauce ever. It was both sweet and tangy and the perfect sauce for pork ribs and meatloaf.

As the years have passed I still make basically the same sauce and add additional ingredients, when needed, to better suit a dish. But I always return to that basic easy recipe that mom made.

In the world of American barbecue and grilling there are three types of barbecue sauces, tomato-based, mustard-based, and vinegar-based. This homemade sauce is a Kansas City-style sauce meaning it has a tomato base.

Dark brown sugar makes the sauce sweet with caramel overtones, while acidity in the form of prepared mustard and apple cider vinegar balances the sauce with tartness. 

This was the heart my my mom's sauce and I still love it. But now, I also add some savory elements like onion and garlic powder. Plus smoked paprika which makes the sauce smoky but not like it caught fire. Last but not least, Worcestershire sauce is all about umami and I can't resist adding its complex savory goodness.

When cooked for just 10 to 15 minutes this is the best bbq sauce ever and a great way to make anything from your next cookout to a plain meatloaf or even simple chicken nuggets taste amazing.

So, let's cook!

Substitutions & Variations

When adjusting this sauce by making additions to suit your own taste, make the recipe as written, then add a small specific amount of the ingredient you want to try to a small amount of the sauce. This lets you dabble with the flavors without fear of changing the entire batch of sauce to a taste you don't like.

These quantity suggestions are for an entire batch of sauce:

• Substitute Yellow Mustard. Instead of Dijon mustard, you can use yellow mustard for a sweeter flavor. This is a straight 1 for 1 substitution.
• Add Chili Powder. Add a couple of teaspoons of your favorite chili powder to make a spicier sauce.
• Add Dark Molasses. Dark molasses is a complex flavor. It is sweet, smoky, and tangy, with overtones of sweet baking spices. This ingredient will change the sweet/sour balance of the sauce. Add 2 tablespoons of molasses.
• Substitute Maple Syrup. Substitute up to ¼ cup of maple syrup for the same amount of dark brown sugar to add maple flavoring to the sauce. Let the sauce cook for about another 5 minutes to let it thicken more.
• Substitute Liquid Smoke. Instead of smoked paprika you can use plain paprika and add 1 or 2 drops of liquid smoke. Be careful with liquid smoke, it is very powerful and can overwhelm the sauce if you add too much.

If you like a spicy barbecue sauce you can add a small amount of any one or more of the following ingredients:

• Cayenne Pepper.
• Black Pepper.
• Prepared or Cream Style Horseradish.
• Tabasco Sauce or Your Favorite Hot Sauce. 

How to Make Homemade Barbecue Sauce in Minutes!

Step 1 - Whisk Together. In a medium saucepan, whisk together all the ingredients.

Step 2 - Simmer. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce heat to a very slow simmer, and cook for 10 minutes to 15 minutes.

Step 3 - Use or Cool and Store. Use immediately or cool to room temperature and store in a glass jar in the refrigerator until needed.