Heat up the grill this weekend and make a batch of this finger lickin' homemade BBQ Sauce to pour over, well, everything.
This easy, homemade recipe makes two cups of delicious, smooth smoky barbecue sauce that can be stored in your fridge for 7 days. Use it to add extra flavor to meat casseroles, sauce up your burgers, use as a marinade, or a quick dipping sauce.
What Replaces the Ketchup?
Instead of starting with bottled ketchup, this homemade BBQ sauce builds its flavor from scratch. Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste create the rich tomato base, while maple syrup adds sweetness and apple cider vinegar brings the familiar tang you expect from barbecue sauce. Smoked paprika rounds everything out with a warm, smoky flavor.
Making the sauce this way also gives you more control over the final taste. You can adjust the sweetness, acidity and smokiness to suit your preference rather than relying on the balance already built into ketchup or a store-bought sauce. The result is a true from-scratch BBQ sauce that is easy to customize for grilled chicken, burgers, ribs, pulled pork and more.
Smoky BBQ sauce is one of those luxury items that you don't miss until you realize you're out. It's a go-to burger sauce and I use it in marinades and as an easy pizza topping.
Make Ahead for Camping or RV trips
This BBQ sauce is easy to prepare before a camping or RV trip. Let it cool completely, transfer it to a sealed jar or squeeze bottle, and keep it refrigerated or properly chilled until you are ready to use it. Pack it for burgers, grilled chicken, ribs, pulled pork or dipping fries around the campsite.
Homemade vs Store-Bought BBQ Sauce
I'm not a fan of making EVERYTHING from scratch and I try and save time by choosing to buy certain products instead of making them at home. BBQ sauce would normally fall into that category.
If you are near a larger store, or can wait for delivery, then Primal Kitchen has a really good, clean-ingredient barbecue Sauce that tastes amazing. It's made with 100% whole ingredients (the kind of stuff you have in your own kitchen) and it's sugar-free and gluten-free.
Looking for more great sauce & dip recipes? Try these:
Homemade BBQ sauce from scratch
And for those times when you can't get hold of a good store-bought sauce, then making a homemade sauce from scratch is a good alternative. Or if you've got a spare hour then it's fun to make anyway, and it tastes smoky barbecue-y amazing.
The recipe isn't hard to make, and the ingredients are of the everyday variety.
What to Serve With Homemade BBQ Sauce
Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipe
You most probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry right now. I use bottled ginger as it saves me on prep time and we use it quite often. Prepping fresh ginger can be a pain, plus I don't always have fresh ginger handy.
Also, when you are choosing Dijon mustard - read the ingredients. Dijon mustard varies considerably by brand, so check the label if avoiding added sugar or if you need a gluten-free option. This mustard is an example of a good Dijon.
I forgot to add oil to my ingredients picture above. I use olive oil when frying pretty much anything (lower heat), and avocado or canola oil for high heat cooking.
How long does homemade BBQ last in the fridge?
This homemade BBQ sauce will last for up to 7 days in the fridge. I like to store it in these glass bottles, it makes it look appealing and I like them, plus they have screw tops and make storage easier. They're also quite small, which means I can have a couple of bottles in the fridge and not have to open one until the others are all used up. But you can store this BBQ sauce however you like, just keep it sealed in the fridge.
- Superior Quality - Crafted from a high food grade glass which is not only resistant to strong levels of heat or cold temperatures, it is also lead free, and 100% food safe
Can I freeze homemade barbecue sauce?
I don't like to freeze this sauce. The consistency doesn't return and the only way I could get it back to somewhere near it's original consistency was to reheat it on the cooker top. Which to me, is a total waste of time and so I don't freeze it. In addition, I am not a fan of freezing glass as it's too easy for the bottle to crack or split.
How to Make Homemade BBQ Sauce
Fry your onions in a little canola oil (or olive oil if you're using a lower heat) until they have softened and slightly browned.
Add the smoked paprika, garlic and ginger and fry gently for 1 - 2 minutes to release all those delicious flavors and smells. Your kitchen will smell amazing - and the family will start to hover.
If your mix gets too thick, sticks together, or is hard to stir, you can add a little more oil or a couple drops of water.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.
Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes on a medium heat.
Blend until smooth. I use my handheld immersion blender (fancy name for a stick blender), but if you don't have one of these then you can transfer the sauce to a regular blender. Process until the sauce is smooth.
- No More Lumpy Chunks: Equipped with a strength 1100W full copper motor, providing for several times significantly stronger blending and chopping capabilities in seconds to create velvety smooth puree results.
Quick Note on Stick Blenders: If you don't have one, get one! This is one of those kitchen tools you don't know how much you will love it until you have one. I whip mine out often to puree tomatoes, soups, sauces, lattes, or make a quick smoothie.
If you want a thicker sauce, return to the pot and simmer (without a lid) for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Pour your sauce into a jar or bottle and allow to cool. You can store your sauce in the fridge for up to 7 days.
And that is it!! Two generous cups of smooth and smoky, homemade BBQ sauce ready and waiting for the weekend.
Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe (no ketchup)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon crushed garlic)
- ½ tablespoon ginger, chopped (I use bottled, crushed ginger)
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 11/2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup crushed or chopped tomatoes
Instructions
- Heat up oil in a pan. Add onion and fry until softened (around 3-5 minutes).
- Add garlic, ginger and smoked paprika. Fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add all remaining ingredients. Simmer, with the lid on, for 15 minutes.
- Blend sauce until smooth. (See my recipe notes)
- Pour into a jar or bottle. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
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