30 Minute Barbecue Sauce
on May 25, 2016, Updated Aug 22, 2024
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Barbecue Sauce is a staple condiment in many homes, and what is better than making it yourself! This recipe is easy to follow, uses common ingredients, and tastes amazing with anything you pair it with.
Homemade barbecue sauce is not a necessity, but it can definitely make a huge difference in your dish! The flavors are bright and fresh and will elevate whatever you choose to use it on. I love that you have some control over the flavor of this sauce that you don’t have with store-bought.
Whether you want to make it spicy or keep it more mild it is your choice, plus you know exactly what ingredients are going in which is always nice. All of the basic ingredients work together well to create a sauce that is perfectly balanced with sweet, savory, and umami flavors. With a recipe this easy, you will want to keep a bottle of this sauce in your fridge at all times!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is easy to make! The sauce can be done in less than 20 minutes.
- You can use the sauce for anything, it is very versatile.
- The flavor is bright, bold, and fresh!
Recipe Ingredients
- Olive Oil—You’ll only need a little to cook the onion and garlic.
- Onion—Finely chopped.
- Garlic—Minced. Fresh works best, but canned garlic or dried garlic can be used in a pinch.
- Ketchup—Most barbecue sauces have a tomato base, and ketchup works perfectly!
- Brown Sugar—To add a signature sweet flavor to your sauce.
- Honey—This will add some natural sweetness and help give your sauce a smooth texture.
- White Vinegar—Adds some acidity to balance out the sweetness.
- Worcestershire Sauce—Helps tie all the other flavors together.
- Spicy Brown Mustard—For a little extra tang.
- Chili Paste—This is optional, but it will make your BBQ sauce a little bit spicy!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Popular Substitutions and Variations
I love this barbecue sauce recipe because you can use it in so many different ways that will add flavor and depth to any dish. Try out new things and find what you love! Here are some ways I typically use it:
- Sandwiches—Use the sauce on a variety of sandwiches including grilled chicken sandwich, pulled pork or beef sliders, or hamburgers.
- As a dip—You can use barbecue sauce as a dip for chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, french fries, or jalapeno poppers.
- Pizza—Use BBQ instead of tomato sauce for a chicken BBQ pizza. Top with mozzarella cheese, diced chicken, red onion, and an extra drizzle of BBQ sauce to finish it off.
- Marinade—Spread it onto meat for a quick marinade. Try it for any meat, seafood, or poultry for a nice flavor.
How to Make Barbecue Sauce
Step #1. In a medium saucepan, cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onion softens. Stir frequently. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
Step #2. Allow the mixture to simmer. You can use the sauce as is, or make it more smooth by blending it in a blender. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
The reason we simmer the barbecue sauce is to allow much of the liquid to be released, therefore thickening the sauce. You can simmer it for longer than 20 minutes if you are noticing that it is not as thick as you would like it to be. But, be careful not to burn the barbecue sauce by keeping it on the heat too long. If you are not seeing the results you want, you can also thicken the sauce by adding 1 tablespoon of flour or cornstarch. Mix it with a little water before you incorporate it, and then continue stirring until there are no lumps.
Yes, it is possible to burn this barbecue sauce. Although it might be tempting to speed things up, you want to keep the temperature at a simmer once you have all of the ingredients combined. Because of the sugar in the sauce, it will caramelize if the heat is too high or it is cooking for an extended period of time. This will ruin the texture and can’t be fixed. It shouldn’t take too long to cook the sauce, so just be patient.
That is totally up to you! The onion and garlic will still be about the same size you cut them into once the sauce is done. If you don’t mind having a chunky BBQ sauce, then you can take it right off the stove, let it cool, and serve. But, if you prefer a more smooth sauce, then I recommend blending it. Allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before putting it in the blender and process until smooth. Either way you can’t go wrong, and the sauce will have the same flavor!
Expert Tips
- Be careful not to burn the onions as you cook them with the garlic to avoid a bitter flavor! Keep an eye out and stir often.
- The longer the sauce sits, the more the flavors will incorporate together. Make this a day or two in advance of when you want to use it to add the best taste.
- For ease of applying the barbecue sauce, you can buy a plastic squeeze bottle that has a lid to make this sauce just like the real deal!
- If you like your barbecue sauce on the spicy side then you can add a teaspoon of chili paste.
- Make sure your sauce is stored in an airtight container to keep it fresh as long as possible.
- You can use dark or light brown sugar in this recipe.
- For a smoother sauce, try blending the mixture after it is finished cooking to break down the onions.
How Store Barbecue Sauce
This homemade barbecue sauce can be used right away, or refrigerated until you need it! I usually keep mine in a mason jar or airtight container. The sauce will last for about 2 weeks in the fridge, so you can use it multiple times before you have to make another batch!
More Condiment Recipes To Consider
Condiments, Marinades & Spreads
Easy Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
Pasta Dishes
Pumpkin Alfredo
Condiments, Marinades & Spreads
Alabama White Sauce
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Simple 30 Minute Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 4 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
- 1 teaspoon chili paste, optional if your BBQ sauce a little spicy
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Take care not to burn the onions and garlic and stir often. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
- The onion and garlic will still be about the size you cut them into. If you don’t mind a chunky BBQ sauce then you are ready to use your homemade sauce. If you like it smoother (which I prefer) let the BBQ sauce cool for 10-15 minutes, carefully place it in a blender jar and process until smooth.
- The barbecue sauce can be used right away or refrigerated until you are need it. This will last about 2 weeks in the fridge.
Notes
- Be careful not to burn the onions as you cook them with the garlic to avoid a bitter flavor! Keep an eye out and stir often.
- The longer the sauce sits, the more the flavors will incorporate together. Make this a day or two in advance of when you want to use it to add the best taste.
- For ease of applying the barbecue sauce, you can buy a plastic squeeze bottle that has a lid to make this sauce just like the real deal!
- If you like your barbecue sauce on the spicy side then you can add a teaspoon of chili paste.
- Make sure your sauce is stored in an airtight container to keep it fresh as long as possible.
- You can use dark or light brown sugar in this recipe.
- For a smoother sauce, try blending the mixture after it is finished cooking to break down the onions.
OH NO…its Sunday, I am out of bbq sauce and the store is closed….but then I remembered! Made up a batch….didn’t have any chili paste so I used a couple of teaspoons of ancho chili powder(I am a wuss) and then about a teaspoon of hickory smoke…..oh this is good stuff! Thanks for saving the beans!! Happy day!
Hooray for saying the beans! Your additions sounds amazing!
Think you mean “spicy brown” vs. “spicy grown” mustard in the recipe. Looks like a good recipe!
Ha! Yes! Thanks for pointing that out. I fixed it…
Ya think I could make a massive batch of this and can it? Just bought a water bath canner…..figured it was cheaper than a freezer! You are killing me with these recipes…..I wanna play in the kitchen now but its nice outside so I wanna play outside!!!