Homemade BBQ Sauce

the only homemade BBQ sauce you will ever need!

We love to BBQ on the Big Green Egg and this homemade BBQ Sauce is our absolute favorite. One year I had everyone give the hubby gift cards to the Big Green Egg store for his birthday and Christmas. After the holidays were over, we put a little more with it and bought one. It’s a purchase we’ve never regretted. It cooks as fast as a gas grill but has all the taste of charcoal. It doesn’t rust and need to be replaced every 2 years like most gas grills we have had. I have yet to learn how to light it, but I think the hubby likes it that way, he’s just a little overprotective of his egg!

Our favorite BBQ Sauce, you'll never need another recipe!
This recipe is adapted ever so slightly (and I do mean slightly) from the Neely’s recipe on Food Network. They are famous for their Memphis BBQ restaurant. We like a little kick in our sauce. This is a smokey but sweet homemade BBQ sauce that is perfect for ribs, pulled pork, chicken or shrimp. (You may or may not even want to dip your fries in it) I just love the sticky sweet taste and how the kids get it all over their fingers and faces. Serve it with my crispy cole-slaw to cool the bit of heat you get from the hot sauce.

Homemade BBQ Sauce with a little kick, you won't need the bottled stuff ever again!

This sweet and spicy homemade BBQ sauce is delicious and I promise you won’t want that bottled stuff in the grocery store once you see how easy it is to make.

5 from 3 votes
Our favorite BBQ Sauce, you'll never need another recipe!
Print It Now!
Homemade BBQ Sauce
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 
The only BBQ sauce you'll ever need
Course: Sauce
Author: Kelley @ Miss Information Blog via The Neely's
Ingredient List
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
  • 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 5 tablespoons sugar
Directions
  1. Mix together the ketchup, water, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce and lemon juice.
  2. Bring to a boil.
  3. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and turn to low.
  4. Simmer, uncovered for 1 hour

Just make sure when you are grilling you don’t add the sauce until the end of your grilling or you will burn the sauce and it will just taste like charred meat instead of juicy saucy BBQ. Oh you might also want to try this on our BBQ Pizza, it’s amazing and a perfect way to use your leftovers! What is your favorite thing to put BBQ sauce on?

the only homemade BBQ sauce you will ever need!

Want more yummy BBQ Recipes? Check out my BBQ Pinterest Board!

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24 Responses

  1. Very good! I did use 1/2 teaspoon (rather than tablespoon) of mustard, onion powder and pepper though. Very easy and very good
    Reply
  2. Pretty satisfied with this recipe. I added a half a teaspoon of alderwood smoked salt to the ingredients and a little crushed red pepper flake. Pretty good stuff.
    Reply
  5. Such a good recipe! I made this tonight and added liquid smoke to give a smokey flavor to the BBQ sauce. Thanks for sharing! xo, Veronica
    Reply
  6. Jenn ErichClum says:
    My husband...let me start over. *BEST BBQ SAUCE EVER** My husband, self-proclaimed BBQ sauce affectionado (sp.) was skeptical when I said we would make our own BBQ sauce. Let's face it, I think he's a snob. So, when the ribs had been cooking for 4 hours already and we discovered that we were out of bottled sauce, I proclaimed that we could make it. Well, everyone, and I mean the pickiest of the picky, were licking their fingers. My only recommendation was that it needed more than an hour to simmer or it really needed a more rapid boil. After 2 hours the sauce thickness was PERFECT! I would make no other adjustments (which is usually not my style - I usually "addend" everything. Thank you for this simple, yet succulent recipe. Now, the only thing on my shopping list is ketchup!!
    Reply
  7. I came across this when looking for DIY BBQ sauce because I ran out of store bought. This BBQ sauce is amazing! I'm already on my second batch. This is now my new favorite sauce
    Reply
  8. I made this using a blackberry cider reduction ( 2 cups reduced to 1 cup) instead of the water and sirracha instead of the Tabasco because it was what I already had on hand and the flavor was amazing. Definitely my favorite barbecue sauce now by far.
    Reply
    1. That sounds amazing Jeff! I'm going to try that the next time I make it thanks for sharing and glad you liked it!
      Reply
  9. Hey would this last a while if so how long approx in a sterilized seal jar ? Thanks
    Reply
    1. If it was in a sterilized sealed jar as in using canning methods I would guess about 6 months.
      Reply
  10. can you can this sauce, and if so, how long would the shelf life be?
    Reply
    1. Hi Helen, I am sure you can, but the only thing I have ever canned is jelly so I may not be the best authority on that question. You may want to check out Ball Jars website they have all kinds of info on canning and you might find something there. If you do let me know how it turns out!
      Reply
    2. If you get the sauce really hot like bubbling hot and put it in a stralized jar then your lids like you do for canning it should self seal. If not put it on your boiling bath for about 10 min or whatever you normally do for canning.
      Reply
  11. Just wondering how much this makes in the end? It seems like it would be around a pint
    Reply
  12. How long is this bbq sauce good for in the fridge? Great sauce, thanks
    Reply
      1. This is a really good recipe! Does it freeze well?
        Reply
        1. Honestly, I've never tried freezing BBQ Sauce! But let me know how it does if you try it.
          Reply
  13. always make my own BBQ sauce never buy any this isn't much different then what I do will have to try it
    Reply
  14. I love making my own BBQ sauce - this looks fabulous!! Pinning! ang
    Reply

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