• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Out Grilling logo

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Contact

July 15, 2020

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Jump to Recipe
331shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Homemade BBQ Sauce

Homemade BBQ Sauce is a must-have for grilling and your favorite pulled pork sandwiches. This is a rich and hearty Memphis style sauce that is sweet and tangy, perfect for coating chicken, pork and beef. Of course it is also the perfect dipping sauce!

Homemade BBQ Sauce

BBQ sauce could be it’s own food group around our house. So much so that we even owned our own barbecue sauce company back before the days of blogging! This sweet and tangy sauce just might be my all time favorite bbq sauce! 

 

PIN IT TO PINTEREST NOW!

Homemade BBQ Sauce with spoon dipping into the jar

How to Make Homemade BBQ Sauce:

Pan of homemade bbq sauce - overhead view

  • Add 2 cans of beer (we used Bud Light) or ginger ale to a large sauce pan. 
  • Whisk in ketchup, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, molasses, and spices.
  • Cook over medium heat and bring mixture to a boil. Cook at a low boil for about 30 minutes, whisking often. 
  • Lower heat to a simmer and cook another 30 minutes, whisking often. 
  • Remove from heat and cool slightly. 
  • Store homemade bbq sauce in mason jars in refrigerator up to 3 months. 

Barbecue Sauce in a mason jar made with Bud Light Beer

We made our bbq sauce with a ketchup and beer base. If you don’t have beer on hand, ginger ale or club soda is a great substitute. 

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

We have been purchasing spices from Spiceology. Many of their spices can be ordered through Amazon and they have a vast selection on their website. If you are looking for quality spices, check them out. 

Spices for Homemade BBQ Sauce:

  • Granulated Garlic
  • dried onion flakes
  • smoked paprika
  • black pepper
  •  dry mustard
  • kosher salt
  • red chili flakes (optional

Thick BBQ Sauce on a spoon from a mason jar, black and white check napkin to the side

Pro Tips:

When we made large batches of barbecue sauce for our business, I learned to mix the spices together before adding them to the liquid mixture. This will keep the spices from clumping and help the mixture blend evenly. 

Use a rubber spatula to scrape the edges and bottom of the pan as it cooks to blend as it begins to thicken. 

A whisk works best for stirring to break up any clumps of brown sugar and makes a smooth sauce. 

How to Make Smoky BBQ Sauce:

We use this sauce primarily for grilling and smoked meats. So we do not add in any liquid smoke. If you are using it for oven cooked or crockpot recipes, you can add in about 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke to get a smoky bbq sauce. 

Continue to Content

Our Favorite BBQ Recipes

Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Pulled pork sandwiches slathered in bbq sauce is one of the top barbecue dinners at our house. This pork shoulder is cooked slow on the grill or smoker to make the most tender and delicious sandwiches ever.

Grilled BBQ Chicken

Brined whole chicken breasts are grilled and smothered in homemade bbq sauce for a tender, juicy and delicious chicken dinner,

BBQ Stuffed Potatoes

The whole family will love these filling and delicious stuffed baked potatoes. Tenderized round steak is quickly grilled with barbecue sauce to top fluffy baked potatoes for an easy weeknight dinner.

Grilled BBQ Meatloaf

Meatloaf is always comforting and delicious and a real family favorite. It is even more delicious on the grill for flavorful dinner that is likely to be a dinner staple.

BBQ Burgers

My kids would eat grilled burgers every single day and these burgers are coated in bbq sauce and topped with crispy fried onions.

This thick and rich Memphis style homemade bbq sauce is a great addition to your next cookout and fantastic to have on hand for any bbq dinner. It’s so good that everyone will be wanting you to make a double batch to share!

Homemade bbq sauce in a mason jar, spoonful to the side on a white plate

FOLLOW OUT GRILLING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

FACEBOOK  * PINTEREST * INSTAGRAM * TWITTER

IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE AS MUCH AS I DO, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AND A FIVE STAR REVIEW, AND BE SURE TO HELP ME SHARE ON PINTEREST!

Continue to Content
Homemade BBQ Sauce in a mason jar
Yield: 48 ounces

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Homemade BBQ Sauce is a must-have for grilling and your favorite pulled pork sandwiches. This is a rich and hearty sauce that is sweet and tangy, perfect for coating chicken, pork and beef. Of course it is also the perfect dipping sauce!

Ingredients

  • 24 ounces beer or ginger ale
  • 3 cups ketchup
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup dried onion flakes
  • 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Pour beer or ginger ale into a large sauce pan with ketchup, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and molasses.
  2. Whisk in brown sugar.
  3. In a separate bowl combine the spices: onion flakes, garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, dry mustard, salt and chili flakes.
  4. Whisk seasonings into sauce mixture and cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Cook at a low boil for 30 minutes, whisking often. Use a rubber spatula to scrape bottom and side occasionally.
  5. Lower to simmer and continue to cook for 30 minutes or until sauce is thickened to your likeness. Whisk often and use a rubber spatula to scrape bottom and sides of the pan.
  6. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
  7. Store in tightly sealed mason jars in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

2 tablespoons

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 105Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 506mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 1g

Nutritional information is estimated and may not be accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag us on Instagram @outgrilling

© Milisa
Cuisine: American / Category: Sauces

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Sauces Tagged With: bbq sauce, Memphis style barbecue sauce

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deb west says

    September 12, 2020 at 1:34 am

    Sounds great. I have a high garden and I’ve been canning tomatoes for 3-4 weeks. I make v8 juice, spaghetti sauce, Bloody Mary mix and bbq sauce. I can’t perfect the bbq but yours sounds great. I’ll be making 2 gal of thick juice into it. Not sure how much spices to add, but will taste along the way. Plus a beer! Thks for spice list

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Us:

We are here to make backyard grilling approachable for everyone. Easy and delicious recipes that you can make again and again.

Don’t Miss These!

Grilled Chicken thighs with peanut sauce
2 Apple Cider Smoked Whole Chickens on a platter with fresh rosemary garnish
Jalapeno Poppers with Brisket & Bacon
Ribs glazed with maple barbecue sauce
Spinach and mushroom stuffed and grilled pork tenderloin sliced on a platter
Cajun Butter Smoked Chicken
Honey Mustard Pork Steaks with pasta and zucchini
Lemon Garlic Fish and Shrimp with corn on the cob on a plate, lemon wedge garnish
Smoked whole chicken on the grill

Categories

  • Appetizers
  • Beef
  • Burgers
  • Chicken
  • Fish & Seafood
  • Grilling
  • Marinades
  • Pork
  • Ribs
  • Rubs and Spice Mixes
  • Sauces
  • Side Dishes
  • Turkey
  • Venison

Stay Updated

Footer

My Favorites

Bowl of honey garlic grilled shrimp - close up view
Peach BBQ Ribs sliced, on a sheet pan
Stuffed shrimp appetizer on a platter

stay connected

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

COPYRIGHT © 2020 OUT GRILLING PRIVACY POLICY