Smokey and tangy with just the right amount of sweetness, this is the best homemade barbecue sauce I have ever made.
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Hi Friends!
I’m super excited to share this homemade barbecue sauce with you that’s been several years in the making.
Background to the Best Homemade Barbecue Sauce
In my search for the best homemade BBQ sauce I tried a lot of recipes. And a lot were really good. Just not quite what I wanted.
I ended up tweaking and combining recipes, taking ideas from one or another and then changing up the amounts after tasting a batch. All that tweaking resulted in my very own recipe for the best homemade barbecue sauce.
And this it is, my friends. I knew I had arrived when after tasting a batch, I decided I never wanted to purchase a bottle of store bought barbecue sauce again.
There is no competition there.
The flavors are spot on. Its not too vinegary, not too ketchupy, sweet but not too sweet. Thick enough to coat a piece of meat well and packed with a tangy punch in every bite.
And it’s easy!
You just mix the ingredients together in a saucepan and let it simmer for 30-60 minutes.
How spicy is this BBQ sauce?
This is definitely a family friendly barbecue sauce as far as the heat level goes. Super mild heat level, but still plenty of flavor. If you enjoy a little more heat, feel free to add additional cayenne pepper, to taste.
How long does the BBQ sauce store?
This barbecue sauce will stay good for at least a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze it?
Yes it freezes well. I like to pack it in freezer bags and freeze them flat. The sauce doesn’t actually solidify hard after being frozen so it’s easy to open a bag and squeeze out what you need to thaw.
Pro Tip: Be sure to double the batch so you have some leftover to freeze.
Can I use honey instead of sugar?
I am sure you can. I will update the recipe with the honey substitution after I try it.
Can I make it dairy free?
Yes I think you could easily omit the butter in this recipe if you are trying to make it dairy free.
What is liquid smoke and where do I find it?
Liquid smoke is a natural product made from condensing the smoke from burning wood. It’s normally found near the barbecue sauce aisle in the grocery store.
Recipes to try this BBQ sauce with
Slow Cooker BBQ Baby Back Pork Ribs
Use it as a sauce for this Homemade Pizza
Okay, my friends. My next question is how soon should you get this homemade barbecue sauce into your life?
And the answer is ASAP, my friends. And that still won’t be soon enough! 🙂
Best Homemade Barbecue Sauce {BBQ Sauce}
Smokey and tangy with just the right amount of sweetness, this is the best homemade barbecue sauce I have ever made.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (7 ounces) ketchup I use Hunts
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- ½ cup (3.75 ounces) brown sugar see note
- ½ cup (4 ounces) apple cider vinegar I use Bragg's
- ¼ cup (3 ounces) unsulfured molasses
- ¼ cup (2 ounces) pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon butter see note
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke I use hickory flavored, see note
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 2 teaspoons paprika see note
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch cayenne pepper see note
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
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In a large saucepan, add all the ingredients and whisk together. Heat sauce over medium heat.
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Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour, stirring occasionally. The longer the sauce simmers (up to an hour), the better flavor it will have.
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Remove from heat and let sauce cool (it will thicken as it cools). Once cooled, the sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks or frozen. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator or on a saucepan on the stove over low heat and use as needed.
Recipe Notes
1. I haven’t tried it yet but I plan to adapt this recipe to use honey in place of the brown sugar. I will update the recipe when I do.
2. I think you could easily omit the butter in this recipe if you are trying to make it dairy free.
3. Liquid smoke is normally found near the barbecue sauce aisle in the grocery store.
4. This is also excellent with smoked paprika in place of regular paprika.
5. This is definitely a family friendly barbecue sauce as far as the heat level goes. If you enjoy a little more heat, add more cayenne pepper, to taste.
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.
Heather,
This BBQ sauce is really good! One of our biggest complaints with some store bought sauces is they turn out to be somewhat “industrial strength” and have “heart burn” written all over them. ha ha I mixed this up and cooked it on the stove for about 20 minutes then added it to a crock pot of left over pork roast that was a bit dry. We had great pulled pork sandwiches for dinner . Thanks!
Carolyn
Thanks Carolyn! Glad you liked it. And I laughed about the industrial strength heart burn sauces! 🙂