Barbecue Sauce Recipe (2024)

This barbecue sauce recipe is easy to make and is sweet, tangy, and with a kick of spice. Homemade BBQ sauce can be refrigerated or water bath canned to make it shelf stable for up to 18-months. Once you make your own homemade barbecue sauce, you’ll never buy store-bought again!

Barbecue sauce from scratch is delicious on pulled pork, baby back ribs, BBQ chicken, baked beans and for dipping chicken nuggets.

It’s summer and warmer weather for grilling outside! We love making barbecue chicken! And, there’s nothing better than homemade barbecue sauce. What better combination that barbecue chicken with homemade barbecue sauce?!

I developed this barbecue sauce recipe over fifteen years ago in the commercial kitchen on my parents farm. This must-have condiment is super easy to make with simple ingredients readily available in your local grocery store.

We use this Southern barbecue sauce regularly on BBQ Pulled Pork, Barbecue Chicken Loaded Fries, Homemade Baked Beans, and on Bacon Cheeseburgers.

This is the best BBQ sauce ever! It’s sweet, tangy, a bit smoky, with a kick of spices at the end. Perfect for dipping, grilling or on top of a cheeseburger.

Mix half and half with balsamic dressing and serve over top my Whiskey Marinated Steak. Oh how delicious does that sound?! Be sure and try my Peach Barbecue Sauce or drizzle this barbecue sauce over my Loaded BBQ Fries.

How to make the best Homemade BBQ sauce

Step 1: Whisk together warm water, tomato paste and apple cider vinegar. This important step will help dissolve the tomato paste into the mixture.

Step 2: Add brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, and molasses and combine well. Add the spices and stir to incorporate.

Step 3: Bring to a simmer over medium to high heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon so it does not burn.

Step 4: Turn the heat down cook over medium to low heat until the mixture thickens. Continue to stir occasionally with a wooden spoon so the mixture does not burn.

Step 5: Place in a sterile jar or container and let cool completely. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Or process in a water bath canner to make it shelf stable.

I multiplied the recipe twelve times and bottled it in barbecue sauce jars. Then added red seals which helps customers know it’s not been tampered with. You can certainly bottle BBQ sauce in half pint or pint Mason jars if you don’t have barbecue sauce bottles available like I do. Be sure and try my BBQ Chicken Kebabs, Barbecue Ribs, and a big ole glass of Peach Sweet Tea.

PRO TIP: When bottling hot barbecue sauce into jars use a clean damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the bottle clean before placing on the lids. Should you get any barbecue sauce down the sides of the jars, WAIT for the bottle to cool completely BEFORE running under water or wiping the jar with a damp cloth! If you don’t, you may break the glass jar. For more information on canning visit Ball Canning.

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