Have you ever noticed that your favorite BBQ joints always have their own homemade sauces and not store bought barbecue sauce? Did you notice how much better they taste compared to the store bought sauces? Through my travels, I have noticed that I enjoyed most of their homemade sauces and I wanted to recreate that amazing taste. The flavor of this sauce is really inspired by my favorite barbecue joints in Austin, Texas like Terry Blacks BBQ and Franklins BBQ.
My favorite sauces seem to have some consistent flavors. They typically are not overly spicy, they have a bit of tang / acidity (vinegar) and there is also a hint of sweetness. They are also more liquid (low viscosity) compared to store bought sauces. The lower viscosity sauce seems to compliment pulled pork and brisket much better. The lower viscosity sauce works great in a squeeze bottle.
After trying many different recipes, I finally came up with one that I really enjoy. First of all, it is a very easy homemade bbq sauce recipe. The ingredients are typically in every household, which keeps things simple. This is a very mainstream / classic bbq flavored sauce, but don’t be fooled, it is full of flavor and works well with so many dishes. We enjoy it on ribs, chicken, taco’s, fajitas, and scrambled eggs. This is an extremely universal bbq sauce. I typically like spicy sauces, but this is one of the few low spice level sauces that I can enjoy with my 8 and 10 year old daughters. And since it’s a favorite of my daughters, it becomes extra special, if I use the pink piggie spatula!
This homemade barbecue sauce only takes 25 minutes to make so you have something to do while your meat rests in the cambro!
Table of Contents
Equipment
- Medium sauce pan
- Spatula
- Funnel
- Squeeze bottle
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup Ketchup “I use French’s”
- 2 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp Chili powder subsitute with chipotle chili powder to increase the heat
- 1 tbsp Cumin Secret Ingredient!
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground pepper
- 2 tsp Brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/4 cup White vinegar
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Instructions
- Simply mix all the ingredients into a sauce pan. Mix over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Do not boil.
- Let cool. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and refrigerate. The sauce will last approximately one month if refrigerated. Enjoy.
Homemade BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- Medium sauce pan
- Spatula
- Funnel
- Squeeze bottle
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup Ketchup "I use French's"
- 2 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp Chili powder subsitute with chipotle chili powder to increase the heat
- 1 tbsp Cumin Secret Ingredient!
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground pepper
- 2 tsp Brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/4 cup White vinegar
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Instructions
- Simply mix all the ingredients into a sauce pan. Mix over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Do not boil.
- Let cool. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and refrigerate. The sauce will last approximately one month if refrigerated. Enjoy.
7 thoughts on “Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe”
Most bbq sauce recipes I find call for a lot more sugar. Would you say it’s significantly less sweet then most sauces you have had?
Hi Tucker, You are right, this isn’t a sweet BBQ sauce. It is more acidic (apple cider vinegar) but not bitter by any means. It is similar to what you would find in a central Texas sauce. Personally, it is my favorite and I use it on everything. Give it a shot and see what you think. You will not be disappointed.
Holy smokes. I smoked my first brisket and a couple racks or ribs. This sauce ended up being a phenomenal addition to our weekend bbq meals. Thanks!
Incredible taste. The cumin really is the secret ingredient!
It is the secret ingredient. Glad you enjoyed it.
I have a similar recipe for BBQ sauce that has fresh onions and garlic. But the big difference is I’l replace the 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup of drippings from the meat I’m cooking. No sense in wasting all that good flavor.
That sounds delicious Jerry. I’ll have to try that sometime.
Michael