From-scratch Sweet BBQ Sauce

It's so simple to make your own homemade sweet BBQ sauce! Use this recipe on ribs, chicken, pork, and as a condiment for your burgers and fries!

Have you ever made your own BBQ sauce?

Growing up, we always bought BBQ sauce. So We thought there must be some difficult or time-consuming process to make it.

Nope! It's not difficult and it doesn't require any wacky or special ingredients.

Homemade barbecue sauce can be made with ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry. And the process to make your own BBQ sauce at home is so simple!

What kind of BBQ sauce do you want to make?

There are so many different types of BBQ sauce. The personal favorite recipe is this ketchup-based, sweet BBQ sauce recipe that We am sharing below.

However, other types of popular BBQ sauces include:

Kansas City-style BBQ sauce is a popular style that you find a lot on store shelves and in restaurants. It's sweet, tangy, thick, and includes ketchup and molasses.
Texas-style BBQ sauce is sometimes known as "mop sauce" or "basting sauce." It's typically thinner than Kansas City-style BBQ sauce.
Eastern North Carolina-style BBQ sauce is vinegar-based sauce that traditionally does not contain ketchup. It typically is made of white vinegar, cider vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, and Tabasco sauce.

There are also mustard-based vinegar sauces and white BBQ sauces. But the favorite is this simple, ketchup-based, sweet BBQ sauce.

What's in this sweet BBQ sauce recipe?

To make this sweet BBQ sauce, you'll need a few pantry staple ingredients:

ketchup
water
apple cider vinegar
light brown sugar
paprika
Worcestershire sauce
sugar
black pepper
lemon juice

How to make your own BBQ sauce

You simply need one pot and 30 minute to make this tasty sauce! Simply mix all of the ingredients together in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every once in a while.

One of the favorite things while cooking up dishes for an outdoor BBQ or picnic is making this sauce. We love watching it transform from a raw cold mix of ingredients into a smooth, silky, shiny, GORGEOUS sweet BBQ sauce.

It's a thing of beauty, the friends. And it tastes AMAZING!

Ways to use this homemade sweet BBQ sauce

We love to generously slather this homemade BBQ sauce on the Pressure-cooker BBQ Ribs, which are initially covered in this homemade BBQ dry rub. So good!

You can also use this sauce:

with grilled chicken
with pulled pork
on pizza
as a condiment on your burgers
to glaze meatloaf
as a dipping sauce for fries, tater tots, or popcorn chicken
to coat meatballs

How long does homemade bbq sauce last?

This homemade BBQ sauce should be kept in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks. Technically, it will likely be safe to eat for up to one month, but the taste will start changing after a couple of weeks.

More BBQ Recipes

Homemade Sweet BBQ Sauce

By Marlynn Schotland Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 4 This homemade barbecue sauce is so simple to make!

Ingredients

2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

In a medium saucepot over medium-high heat, combine all ingredients. Stir well, and bring mixture to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer on low, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Notes

This sauce makes enough to cover one standard half rack of BBQ babyback ribs, and about 8-10 ounces leftover. Store any remaining BBQ sauce in a mason jar or any other airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 229 kcal, Carbohydrates: 59 g, Protein: 1 g, Fat: 1 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 1208 mg, Potassium: 462 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 50 g, Vitamin A: 646 IU, Vitamin C: 8 mg, Calcium: 47 mg, Iron: 1 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.