The Best Homemade BBQ Sauce

This easy homemade BBQ sauce is perfectly tangy with just the right amount of sweetness. Mix up a batch for your next cookout or use it as a dipping sauce. It’s finger-licking good!

I’ve posted A LOT of homemade sauce and dressing recipes over the years. From Homemade Italian Dressing to Sweet and Sour Sauce to Pizza Sauce, you might be wondering if I do nothing all day but experiment in my kitchen!

I don’t, but I sure would like to!

I make time for the things that are important to me, like making our own bread, cooking good food (both that tastes good and is good for us), and having homemade BBQ sauce on a tri-tip sandwich. Yep, that last one is what led to the discovery of this easy homemade BBQ sauce recipe.

I ran out of bottled barbecue sauce, so I went searching in my all-purpose cookbook for a recipe. I didn’t have a few of the ingredients, and there were a couple that didn’t even make sense for BBQ sauce. So, I made some adjustments based on what I had, threw everything in a saucepan, and hoped for the best.

And it was. I ended up with a delicious slightly sweet, slightly tangy BBQ sauce that would rival any BBQ joint.

WHY MAKE THIS BBQ SAUCE RECIPE

While you can normally find bottled barbecue sauce for pretty cheap at the store, it’s definitely worth your time to make your own.

• Cheaper. Made up of mostly pantry staples, you’ll probably still save money over the lowest price at the grocery store. And in this case, it’s not just about price…
• Healthier. No high fructose corn syrup or preservatives here! Just simple, real food ingredients.
• Easy to adapt to your tastes. Just like everyone has a favorite ranch dressing, most people have a favorite style of BBQ sauce. I’ve got plenty of tips in this post to make this barbecue sauce recipe your own.
• So so yummy! Seriously, you’ll be licking this stuff off your fingers.

HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE INGREDIENTS

Although the ingredients list for homemade BBQ sauce looks long, it’s actually mostly pantry staples and condiments.

• Ketchup (consider making it from scratch)
• Apple cider vinegar (you can make this from scratch too, and it’s so easy!)
• Rice vinegar. Use all apple cider vinegar if you don’t have rice vinegar on hand.
• Soy sauce. Substitute coconut aminos if you’d like.
• Worcestershire sauce. This adds a salty depth of flavor to the finished sauce.
• Brown sugar. Honey or molasses will work as sweeteners too.
• Yellow mustard and spicy mustard. Use both or just use one or the other.
• Seasonings: Ground ginger, garlic powder, paprika, and chili powder

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BARBECUE SAUCE RECIPE

Step 1: Mix all barbecue sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan. Whisk ingredients together to make the sauce smooth.

Step 2: Simmer, stirring often, for 5-10 minutes. It should have a slightly thickened consistency. Cool slightly before serving.

Store any leftover BBQ sauce in a mason jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

BBQ SAUCE RECIPE TIPS

This BBQ sauce recipe is easily adaptable.

• Switch up the vinegar. The original recipe called for 1 cup of apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar. I only had ⅔ cup of apple cider vinegar and was feeling stingy with the red wine vinegar, so I opted for the smooth, lighter taste of rice vinegar. Use what you have on hand, but I wouldn’t recommend using white vinegar. You can also use all apple cider vinegar and skip the rice vinegar.
• Adjust the spices. Add more or less ginger, garlic, and chili powder to your liking! A little ground black pepper is tasty too!
• Try fresh garlic and ginger instead of ground.
• Swap sweeteners. Try honey instead of brown sugar to get a sweeter flavor or use molasses for a deeper taste.
• Change up the mustard. Use all spicy brown mustard, all yellow mustard, or even double the quantity.

HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE TRI-TIP SANDWICHES

My absolute favorite way to use this homemade sauce is on tri-tip sandwiches.

Allow yourself about 2.5 hours of total cooking time for these amazing sandwiches. In case you’re wondering, here’s how a typical night of BBQ tri-tip sandwiches looks in our house. Assuming dinner is at 6 pm:

1. Start the bun dough around 3:30 pm – warm the milk and add to yeast.
2. While the yeast is proofing, light the grill to get the charcoal hot.
3. While waiting on the charcoal, finish the dough and let it rise.
4. The grill should be hot, so put on the meat.
5. Make the garlic butter: Mix 4 Tablespoons of softened butter with 2-3 minced garlic cloves and ½ teaspoon of salt.
6. Make the BBQ sauce (as directed in this post).
7. Be productive for an hour… like making Macaroni and Cheese or Sautéed Green Beans or Greek Pasta Salad to serve alongside your tri-tip sandwiches.
8. Check the meat, and flip if necessary.
9. Check the dough. Turn out the dough, shape the buns, and let them rise a second time.
10. Be productive for 30 minutes or check the meat and pull it off the grill if it’s done. Let it rest.
11. Put the buns in the oven to bake.
12. Be productive until the timer goes off.
13. When the buns are done, cool them slightly before using a bread knife to slice them in half.

Assembly: Coat each half of the bun with ample garlic butter – don’t skimp out! Layer the thinly sliced tri-tip on top, douse with homemade BBQ sauce, and dig in.

The official best homemade BBQ sauce and best tri-tip sandwich on the face of the earth.

And no, I’m not biased. 😉

Enjoy with sides like Baked Beans, Broccoli Salad, and Pasta Salad!

MORE DELICIOUS WAYS TO SERVE THIS BARBECUE SAUCE RECIPE

If you’re not enjoying this barbecue sauce recipe on tri-tip sandwiches, try these instead!

HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE RECIPE FAQS

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WATCH HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE