A homemade BBQ sauce recipe with ketchup and brown sugar that’s not only delicious, it’s also easy to make. You’ll never go back to store-bought BBQ sauce after you have tried this homemade BBQ sauce!
We go through so much BBQ sauce in our house it’s crazy. My kids eat it with pretty much everything, especially my son. If he can dip it in sauce, he will. This includes everything from chicken to potatoes.
We use this homemade barbeque sauce for dipping fries, chicken, and other finger foods. We also use it for ribs, hamburgers, pork, and to make BBQ chicken. We typically even put some extra BBQ sauce on the side, so we can have extra BBQ sauce to dip the food in.
The one thing we have not tried it on was chicken cooked in the air fryer. So if you do, please let me know how it goes!
This BBQ sauce recipe is a huge it at our 4th of July and holiday gatherings. We always have a cookout with tons of delicious food and drinks that we have with friends and family and then we watch the fireworks that night.
The drinks and desserts are my favorites! If you are looking for a festive 4th of July drink, I have an extremely easy red, white and blue drink you will love.
We also use this ketchup-based BBQ sauce for our Labor Day get-togethers and weekly barbecues that we have.
Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe with Ketchup and Brown Sugar
If you’re looking for a homemade BBQ sauce recipe, it doesn’t get much easier than this. Made with common ingredients and spices you most likely already have at home, this comes together super quick.
BBQ Sauce Ingredients
You will need:
2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
3 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon mustard powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Here is the easy part of putting it all together.
Now, before we go further, my daughter and I have had a bit of a debate about how to mix the sauce properly. She has her way and I have my easier way.
I’ll list both below, even though the only difference is the order of how you mix the ingredients!
Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix it until everything is all nice and stirred up.
The preferred way:
First, mix the ketchup and the brown sugar together. Make sure it’s stirred well so that everything is combined.
Next, add the mustard powder and paprika and stir until it’s all combined. The last part would be to add the Worchestershire sauce, stir, then add the vinegar. Add any salt or pepper to fit your taste.
If you happen to try it both ways, please let me know if you like it better one way or another. It’s something I really need to know!
What To Use BBQ Sauce for:
BBQ sauce for ribs
BBQ Chicken (or as a dipping sauce for chicken)
Meatballs
Holiday appetizers
As a dip for meat, chicken, or fries
For BBQ pizzas
Turkey (my son loves dipping any meat, even turkey, in BBQ sauce)
As a meatloaf glaze
Grilled Foods
Tailgating recipes (don’t forget the tailgating dips!)
I have known some to use this BBQ in sweet potato recipes (not sure how I would feel about BBQ and sweet potatoes though)
When to add BBQW sauce while grilling?
As a tip for grilling, wait to put on any BBQ sauce on your meat until you have about 10 minutes of cooking left. This will allow the BBQ to glaze over the meat well without having the sugar burn or not soak up the BBQ flavor.
Using Homemade BBQ Sauce In A Smoker
If you are using it in a smoker, since the smoker slow cooks the meat, putting the sauce on early is OK since it won’t burn the sauce.
With this simple barbeque sauce recipe, you can taste and adjust to your personal preferences which is great for picky eaters or those who like their BBQ with a certain zing to it.
How to store homemade grilling sauce?
Store the sauce in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 2 months. You can also use these fun BBQ sauce bottles.
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Print and save this recipe for future use!
Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce with Ketchup & Brown Sugar
A simple, easy homemade BBQ sauce that can be whipped up in a matter of minutes.
2 c ketchup
1/3 c brown sugar
1/3 c apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
3 tsp paprika
1 tsp mustard powder
salt & pepper to taste
Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix it until everything is all nice and stirred up.
Store the sauce in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Ketchup is the base of the sauce, Worcestershire sauce adds umami, light brown sugar brings sweetness, vinegar brings tang, and two spices, paprika and cayenne pepper, add a smoky flavor and some heat.
The brown sugar creates a nice bark. This recipe makes enough to cover two 8-pound pork butts or 6 racks of ribs. The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen.
Adding garlic or onion powder are standard flavors for barbecue, but get a little creative and try out different chile powders, peppers, cumin, or dried herbs to add body to the sauce.
The base ingredients of barbecue sauce usually include tomato sauce or ketchup, vinegar, and sweeteners, such as molasses or brown sugar. Other common ingredients include Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, onion powder, and various spices, which can include paprika, cumin, and chili powder.
Most homemade barbecue sauces start with ketchup, but I prefer to strip it back further and start with a small can of tomato paste. It's usually under $2, and it's easy to keep stocked in your pantry. Plus, adding your own sugar, instead of using sugary ketchup, gives you control over the sweetness of the sauce.
That added molasses in dark brown sugar is what gives it more depth of flavor, which is why you'll see it in recipes where it's an important ingredient like when you make barbecue sauce.
Bursting with brown sugar, molasses and smoky hickory flavor, This sweet and savory BBQ sauce delivers mouthwatering flavor in every bite. This brown sugar BBQ sauce is thick enough for spreading or dipping, and it makes a great meat marinade.
Since we don't sauce these ribs, doing a foil wrap for the last hour of cooking gives the butter and brown sugar and honey time to combine and time for the meat to tenderize more thanks to the additional moisture that gets trapped in the foil wrap. This results in a super moist, tender rib that doesn't "need" sauce.
The problem is that most store-bought barbecue sauces just aren't that stellar. They're off-the-scales sweet, packed with fake "smoke" flavor, or weirdly viscous like butterscotch. If you want to really elevate your barbecue, you're going to have to make your own sauce.
Spices and seasonings: A variety of spices and seasonings are added to BBQ sauce to enhance its flavor. Common spices include paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and mustard powder. These ingredients contribute to the distinct taste and aroma of the sauce.
Generally, barbecue sauces is categorized into four varieties: tomato-based sauces, vinegar-based sauces, mustard-based sauces, and mayonnaise-based sauces. Each category can have a range of BBQ sauce styles, ranging from sweet and tangy to hot and spicy.
An excellent alternative to the barbecue sauce is this Asian sauce made from vinegar, honey, sesame paste, flour, chilies and soy sauce. Known for its texture and the thick glazed appearance like the BBQ sauce, the Chinese-inspired Hoisin sauce is excellent for the ones who love spicy baby ribs.
The 4 common types of BBQ base include tomato, vinegar, mustard, and mayonnaise-based BBQ sauce. These BBQ bases can range from sweet and spicy to tart and tangy.
Stir together ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt, and hot pepper sauce in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before brushing on your favorite meat.
Common spices include paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and mustard powder. These ingredients contribute to the distinct taste and aroma of the sauce. Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce is a savory condiment commonly used in BBQ sauce.
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