Quick & Easy Barbecue Sauce
Have you ever made your own homemade BBQ sauce? If I had to sum up the process in just two words, I’d have to go with incredibly easy. And don’t get me started on the flavor! Seriously, one taste of the homemade stuff and you’ll swear off the store-bought version forever. My barbecue sauce recipe has the perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and tangy. While it goes great with pretty much anything, I actually developed this recipe for pulled pork! My easy instant pot pulled pork recipe will be coming later in the week, and it’s the perfect pairing (with homemade burger buns, of course!). If you just can’t wait that long, you can always use this sauce for my pulled chicken though!
Why You Should Make Your Own Barbecue Sauce:
Takes less than 20 minutes and comes together in one pot–it truly couldn’t be easier!Keeps well for over a week in the fridge.My recipe is 100% from-scratch; while others use ketchup for the base, this one does not.Can be used in any recipe where barbecue sauce is called for. It’s delicious brushed over chicken, for dipping, or really anything!
What You Need
There are a lot of ingredients in the photo above, but don’t let that intimidate you! I’d bet you have most of them on hand already, and each plays an important role in balancing the flavor of this barbecue sauce. Here are the heavy hitters:
Honey and brown sugar. A blend of the two gives the best flavor. The brown sugar adds just the right notes of molasses, and honey adds a sweet depth of flavor.Apple cider vinegar. This provides a tangy flavor and is one of the essential ingredients in barbecue sauce. White wine vinegar could also work, but apple cider is my preference.Smoked paprika. This gives the sauce the perfect smoky flavor. Regular paprika will not work the same way, so stick to smoked.Cayenne pepper. For a perfect punch of heat, I add just a pinch of cayenne. It complements the sweet and smoky flavors so nicely!
SAM’S TIP: I use chicken stock for the liquid component in my barbecue sauce, but you could always use chicken broth or even beef broth instead. Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Homemade BBQ Sauce
SAM’S TIP: Adding a lid to prevent sauce splatters is fine, but just make sure to leave some space for the steam to escape. This will allow your barbecue sauce to continue to reduce and thicken. Interested in making more homemade sauces (like my homemade ranch or chocolate sauce)? Let me know what else you’d like to see in the comments below! Enjoy! Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
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