Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe

 You just can't beat a good homemade BBQ sauce and this one is the BEST! This BBQ sauce recipe is easy to make and has both a sweet and smoky flavor that pairs well with so many meats!

It's grilling season and I'm making a ton of new BBQ and smoker recipes. With every good BBQ, you need the best BBQ sauce and this one is perfect for you this spring and summer. And, it's an easy BBQ sauce to make!

The combination of the sweet, tangy, and smoky flavors put this recipe ahead of the BBQ game. It's super quick to make and contains simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

Ingredients You'll Need

This is made with some amazingly tasty ingredients. I use ketchup as the base and add in apple cider vinegar so that it can work its way into the meat. It also helps cut the sweetness of the honey and brown sugar. Dried parsley is a great dried herb to use when making sauces.

I also incorporate some of my favorite seasonings like smoked paprika, chili powder, and minced onion. I use fresh garlic to add to the zesty flavor. And my secret ingredient when making this homemade barbecue sauce is adding in a bit of strong brewed coffee. A good French roast or Italian roast works really well.

Step By Step Recipe Instructions

Making BBQ sauce has never been so easy! We'll start by combining all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Stir until all ingredients are mixed well.

Next, bring the ingredients in the saucepan to a low boil over medium-high heat until it comes to a rolling boil. Once the sauce starts to thicken, about 3-5 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat.

Allow the honey barbecue sauce to cool, about 20 minutes, and then place the it in a container with a lid. Store in the refrigerator to chill.

And y'all...that's it! This is the best BBQ sauce! And who would you have thought that making homemade BBQ sauce could be so easy?!

Unbelievably SIMPLE!

Expert Tips and FAQs

• How To Thicken Homemade BBQ Sauce - as long as I've been making this recipe, I've never had an issue with getting this sauce to thicken up. The key is to let the sauce get really hot at a consistent boil. You need to consistently stir the sauce so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan or burn. If you like your sauce thicker, just turn up the heat a bit more and boil it longer. It takes a total of about 5 minutes for me to get it to the consistency in the photos.
• Can You Freeze Homemade BBQ Sauce? Yes. Once the sauce has completely cooled, put it in a gallon size plastic baggie and lay it flat in the freezer. This sauce will last for about 3 months in the freezer. When you are ready to use it, place the baggie in a large bowl and let it slowly thaw in the refrigerator. I'm a big fan of thawing things slowly. However; if you're in a hurry, run cold water in a bowl and place the baggie in the water. It will take about 15 minutes to thaw using this method.

• Should I Use Store Bought or Homemade? - In a pinch when I don't have a frozen batch in my freezer, I buy store bought. But I prefer to make my own for several reasons. For one, most packaged versions contain a large amount of high fructose corn syrup which isn't the healthiest choice. Plus, store bought bottles contain a lot of preservatives to keep them from going bad. I prefer fresh ingredients and the sweet and smoky flavor in this one just can't be beat!

BBQ Recipes

BBQ sauce for ribs is a MUST in my book and this recipe works really well with any cut of ribs. And, these St. Louis Style Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs are a beef short ribs recipe and let me tell you...this BBQ sauce recipe is the star of that recipe.

My BBQ Grilled Chicken Wings are AMAZING. I use this barbecue marinade to baste the wings while I'm grilling them. This sauce also works extremely well in my BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich recipe.

Update Notes: This post was originally published in May 2019, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures and tips in April 2021.