Name: Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup lower-sodium chicken broth; 1 cup ketchup; 1/3 cup molasses; 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard; 1 Tablespoon liquid smoke; ½ teaspoon onion powder; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon cumin; kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (- to taste)

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My Homemade Barbecue Sauce Recipe combines a combo of sweet and smoky ingredients and is perfect for all your BBQ sauce needs. This cooks in less than 30 minutes, and you can use it on sandwiches, ribs, pork shoulder, chicken, or just eat it by the spoonful. Either way, you’re gonna love it!

Be sure to lather this sauce on some of my Barbecue Baby Back Ribs or my Slow-Baked Pulled Pork. You can also add it to some grilled chicken or my Pressed Cuban Sandwiches! So many choices, friends.

The BEST barbecue sauce!

After making Reese Witherspoon’s barbecue sauce recipe a couple years ago, I decided to adapt it to make THIS one. My recipe makes ONE jar (as pictured ) but it’s very easy to double it to make two (or even more).

This barbecue sauce can be explained in three (ok, four) words.

Smoky – Due to using liquid smoke and the right combo os spices.
Slightly Sweet – The molasses provides a perfect sweetener while acting as a thickening agent.
Tangy – The apple cider vinegar/Worcestershire sauce are necessary ingredients for great barbecue sauce.

Side shot of a jar of homemade barbecue sauce.

BBQ Sauce Ingredients:

Chicken Broth – Use a lower-sodium broth to control the sodium.
Ketchup – The base of barbecue sauce is almost always ketchup, which we love.
Molasses – This adds some sweetness and a thicker texture to the sauce.
Worcestershire Sauce – Provides savory, sweet, and tang to the sauce.
Apple Cider Vinegar – Acts to balance the other ingredients.
Yellow Mustard – You can use dijon or yellow mustard here.
Liquid Smoke – Adds that mysterious smoky flavor!
Seasonings – A combo of onion powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

A tray of the ingredients for homemade barbecue sauce.

How to make this sauce:

Barbecue sauce is super EASY to make. Just dump, cook, and store. Simple, huh?

Combine ingredients. In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and stir well. Cook over medium-high heat until boiling, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Let the sauce cook down by approximately 1/3.
Store. Store the sauce in the refrigerator in an airtight container or a mason jar (as pictured).

A plate with a pulled pork sandwich, with coleslaw and barbecue sauce.

Potluck Ideas:

So you’ve made the sauce, the smoked pork butt, and the creamy coleslaw. What else do you need?

Appetizers – You can never go wrong with Cowboy Caviar with Avocado or The Best Healthy Hummus.
Salads – How about my mom’s Creamy Potato Salad or her Creamy Cucumber Salad?
Veggies – These Easy Roasted Brussels Spouts with Bacon are always a hit!
Dessert anyone? Try my current fav Brown Butter Toffee Cookies or a batch of Texas Sheet Cake Brownies (a fan favorite!)!

Since I’m participating in BBQ Week with a whole bunch of other fabulous food bloggers, I’ve got tons of other ideas below! Head there now!

A spoonful dripping some barbecue sauce.

Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)

Please let know if you try this recipe. Be sure to comment and leave a review on the blog so I can see what you think. You can also like my Facebook Page, follow me on Pinterest, and catch me on Instagram.

xoxo ~Sue