Homemade BBQ Sauce

This 5 minute homemade BBQ sauce is made from a blend of ketchup, brown sugar, water, red wine vinegar, ground mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and paprika.

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About Homemade BBQ Sauce

I have a few store-bought BBQ sauces that I absolutely love, but there have been times when I’ve “somehow” managed to run out right when I need it the most. And by “somehow” I mean I routinely spend whole weeks putting BBQ sauce on everything I possibly can so of course all the sauce is gone because I’ve eaten all of it.

Because, why not drizzle BBQ sauce on everything? It’s one of the best sauces out there!

So, seeing as this tasty red blend tends to be an endangered sauce in my house, I had to get my hands on a homemade version that no only 1) tasted just as good as my favorite store-bought and 2) didn’t include extra cooking time.

And out of all the need-it-now BBQ sauce recipes I’ve tried, this one was by far the winner.

You can whip it up in a blender in less than five minutes!

Is it BBQ, barbecue, barbeque, bar-B-Q, or bar-b-cue?

I was surprised to discover there are some strong opinions on how to spell the name of this tasty red sauce, so I did a little digging to determine what the “proper” moniker was.

And no matter what method you prefer, I have some good news for you:

All of the above spellings are acceptable.

Most dictionaries will use either “barbecue” or “barbeque” as the root word, but the slang forms (meaning BBQ, bar-b-q, and bar-b-cue) have become so common practice that they’re accepted by most spellchecks and grammar fans.

Being from the south, I grew up knowing and reading this sauce as “BBQ”, and it’s still what I prefer to this day.

What’s in homemade BBQ sauce?

In order to make this recipe, you’ll have to collect the following ingredients:

• Ketchup – Use your favorite brand (or even homemade) to give this sauce a base you’ll love.
• Light brown sugar – Adds a bit of sweetness. Plus, the molasses deepends the favor.
• Red wine vinegar – Give the sauce some tang.
• Ground mustard – Another addition of subtle tang, balancing out the sweetness of the brown sugar.
• Worcestershire sauce – Adds a tash of unami flavor, similar to soy sauce.
• Paprika – Adds a fruity, smoky flavor with a touch of heat.
• Salt & Water

Do you have to cook this sauce?

Nope! This sauce does not need to be cooked and comes together by thoroughly blending it in a food processor.

What can you make with BBQ sauce?

I think the easier question here is what can’t you make with BBQ sauce. It’s just one of those garnishes that manage to make everything better.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Cranberry BBQ Drumsticks
• One Pan BBQ Chicken
• Sweet Pulled Pork
• BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza
• BBQ Brisket Nachos

Should you refrigerate homemade BBQ sauce?

For best results, this sauce should be stored in a sealed container and kept chilled.

It should stay good in the refrigerator for one to two weeks.

Can you freeze BBQ sauce?

Yes, you can freeze BBQ sauce, but the quality may vary once thawed. I have only ever made this sauce using “mainstream” brand ingredients (Heinz, etc) and the sauce was still good once thawed. I have not tried other brands or substitutions to know how they would perform. If you have any doubts, be sure to research any of your preferred ingredients.

Once you’re ready to freeze, transfer the BBQ sauce to a freezer bag, taking care to remove as much air as possible. BBQ sauce can be frozen for up to three months.

Notes & tips for BBQ sauce

• You’ll need a trusty food processor for this recipe. A hand mixer on high speed should also work, but I’ve personally never tried it.

More great sauce recipes

How to make BBQ sauce

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – In your favorite food processor, add ketchup, brown sugar, water, red wine vinegar, ground mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and paprika.

Step 2 – Blend everything together until creamy and incorporated, about two to three minutes.

Step 3 – Serve as desired!