How to make a quick and easy homemade bbq sauce that’s sweet and tangy with just 3 ingredients. You can make this simple, vinegar-based condiment recipe in 5 minutes or less, and it’s easily customizable to whatever seasonings and flavorings you want!
Coming from the Midwest, I find myself craving barbecue a lot. I’m thinking my family’s favorite bbq chicken dip, chicken dip pinwheels and sweet chili baby back ribs. Of course I need a good thick barbecue sauce to go with it, but the problem is that most store bought condiments are just so full of junk!
That’s why I started making my own homemade bbq sauce. I don’t have to worry about feeding my kids all the high fructose corn syrup, preservatives and artificial flavors that are found in most grocery store barbecue sauces; not to mention, it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than buying the few “good” brands at the store. This thick and creamy, Kansas City style bbq sauce recipe is perfect for backyard barbecues and grill-outs, summer picnics and all the 4th of July celebrations that are sneaking up so fast!
Ingredients & Substitutions Notes
This recipe uses 3 simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand…
- Ketchup – I use ketchup for the tomato base in my homemade barbecue sauce recipe. Most ketchup already has some sweetener added, which reduces how much sugar I need to add. If you’re trying to be healthy, make sure to avoid any ketchup with high fructose corn syrup!
- Brown Sugar – The secret to making classic Kansas City bbq sauce is in using light brown sugar for just a touch of molasses flavor. You can also use dark brown sugar if you like a tad more molasses flavor.
- White Vinegar – I know so many people prefer to use apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar works just fine, but it’s just a bit too strong for my liking, so I always use white vinegar instead. This adds just a touch of acidity that balances out the sweetness from both the ketchup and the brown sugar in this recipe!
How to Make Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe
Homemade barbecue sauce is an easy one bowl recipe that you can make in just 2 simple steps. Feel free to double, triple or even quadruple the recipe so that you can make a large batch to put back in the freezer.
Making Homemade BBQ Sauce
- Start by adding the ketchup, brown sugar and white vinegar to a small mixing bowl.
- Whisk until well combined, or ’til all of the sugar is dissolved.
That’s it! Your homemade bbq sauce is ready for that backyard barbecue grill-out, or just use it as a condiment for your favorite bbq-themed dinner recipes.
If you’re not using it fresh, use a scraper spatula to transfer your homemade bbq sauce to an airtight container and into the refrigerator. Stored this way, it should last up to 3 weeks!
How to Serve Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Now that you know how to make the sauce, you’re probably wondering what all you can serve it with. Here’s a list including some of my family’s favorite recipes to serve with homemade barbecue sauce…
- Homemade bbq sauce is kind of essential for pork tenderloin. It also adds tons of flavor to a pork roast, especially if you add it to your slow cooker pork roast!
- You actually can’t go wrong with any kind of pork, including maple pork chops…
- If you like pot roasts, you’ll love this slow cooker whole chicken with barbecue sauce. I like to make whole chicken in the Instant Pot.
- Speaking of chicken, you could coat these baked chicken drumsticks with a little bit of barbecue sauce for the ultimate sweet and tangy flavor!
- My oldest son is kind of a barbecue sauce fanatic. He likes to put it on bacon cheeseburgers, ground beef tacos and even shredded chicken tacos.
- Since this recipe is ketchup-based, try swapping out the ketchup with bbq sauce in homemade sloppy joes or CrockPot sloppy joes.
- I always add a splash to my traditional meatloaf recipe. You can make meatloaf in so many different ways. We often make meatloaf with oatmeal, Instant Pot meatloaf and even these bite-sized meatloaf muffins.
- Believe it or not, barbecue sauce is really good on grilled fish fillets.
- Last but not least, homemade bbq sauce makes a great addition to CrockPot hot dogs!
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, this is a gluten free bbq sauce because all of the ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten free. Sometimes ketchup can contain gluten, but the ketchup I use is gluten free. That’s one reason I prefer to make my own condiments– Sometimes it can be very challenging to find gluten free bbq sauce in the grocery store! As always, just be sure to check the ingredient labels over to ensure that they are truly gluten free.
Yes, it’s really easy to make homemade sugar free bbq sauce. First, you’ll need to use a ketchup with no sugar added. There are also numerous sugar free brown sugar substitutes in most grocery stores today. If you’re using any other additional ingredients, just be sure to check the labels over to ensure that they’re truly sugar free.
I recommend storing your homemade barbecue sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stored this way, it can last for up to 3 weeks.
Yes, you can freeze barbecue sauce. Once everything is mixed together, spoon your barbecue sauce into an airtight container or jelly jar with a lid, making sure to leave some space at the top for ice expansion in the freezer. Then place it into the freezer, where it should keep for up to 3-4 months before going bad. Be sure to let it thaw out in the refrigerator overnight before you need to use it!
Optional Add-Ins & Variations
The great thing about homemade barbecue sauce is that it’s so easily customizable to your own preferences. Here are a few ideas as to what you could add for extra flavor…
- Looking for a spicier barbecue sauce recipe? Try adding a few drops of your favorite hot sauce to this recipe!
- In addition to the hot sauce, you can add chili powder, cayenne pepper or even smoked paprika for a little extra kick.
- Try adding a touch of onion powder, garlic powder or cumin for extra flavor.
- My kids love to add a squirt or two of mustard to their barbecue sauce for an extra tangy flavor….Add some honey to make it a honey mustard bbq sauce!
- If you like a stronger barbecue sauce, you might try adding some molasses or even soy sauce to this recipe.
- Finally, add a splash of liquid smoke for that classic smoky barbecue flavor!
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Homemade BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Ketchup
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 4 teaspoons White Vinegar
Instructions
- Start by adding the ketchup, brown sugar and white vinegar to a small mixing bowl.
- Whisk until well combined, or 'til all of the sugar is dissolved.
- That's it! Your homemade bbq sauce is ready for that backyard barbecue grill-out, or just use it as a condiment for your favorite bbq-themed dinner recipes.
Thank you for posting this easy BBQ Sauce recipe! I am about to go on a 21 day fast and wanted bbq ribs for my last hoorah- I went to Costco and Sam’s club this week and saw the bbq sauce but was for sure that I already had at home, nope.
I didn’t want to go tot he store nor did I want to be cooking bbq sauce. This recipe is simple and easy and with just 3 ingredients, it is delicious! I only had apple cider vinegar and put a little mustard like I saw in the notes for an added zing and its a winner!
Thank you again- I hope someone makes it and enjoys it just as much as I did
Good choice… Just about anything you like can be added to your recipe… Onion bits, garlic powder or bits… Anything you want or like on your meat to be either cooked in the oven or on the grill. Don’t forget the Worcestershire sauce!!