Perfect BBQ Sauce Recipe

Perfect BBQ Sauce Recipe is the best blend of tangy, rich, smoky, and slightly sweet flavors!  This BBQ sauce is ready in 20 minutes and perfect on any meat!

Perfect BBQ Sauce Recipe:

The BEST BBQ sauce ever you guys, to go along with my Pulled Pork recipe from Monday!  They’re the perfect combo.  Although we’ve been known to slather this sauce on Baked Chicken Breast, Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs, or even a burger!  I know I’m pulling the Kansas girl card again, but I do know my BBQ sauce!  I’ve been fortunate enough to have Kansas City BBQ whenever I want, and also sampled some different versions from around the country.  I think that my homemade sauce is kind of a mash up of all the things I like best about each sauce.  One thing I’ve never been a fan of is an overly sugary, syrupy, bbq sauce.  Mine has the right amount of sweetness without overtaking the dish and muddying up the other flavors!  Let’s talk about what’s in it!

BBQ Sauce Ingredients:

• You’ll need a cup of tomato sauce, any kind will do.  I try to make sure I get no sugar added, but that’s just personal taste.
• Ketchup!  Don’t run away!!  I don’t even like ketchup, and I promise you this bbq sauce doesn’t taste like it.  But, after testing and testing, I like the tomato sauce/ketchup combo best.  If you really don’t want to use the ketchup, you can use a second cup of tomato sauce.
• Apple cider vinegar.  I don’t recommend any other type for this recipe.  I’ve tried with white vinegar, rice vinegar, and red wine vinegar during testing and apple cider is the best.
• Dark brown sugar:  Light is ok if that’s what you have but keep in mind that dark brown will have a richer flavor.
• Molasses!  Can’t have this bbq sauce without it.  It adds some amazing deep flavor.
• Seasonings:  Worcestershire sauce adds a that salty touch and kind of almost a “meaty” flavor.  Then we use a dab of dijon (don’t worry it adds tang but doesn’t make the sauce taste of mustard), plenty of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika (for that hint of smoky flavor), salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Don’t skip the cayenne, it doesn’t make it too hot!

Keep in mind that I have tested this recipe for years and have had it perfected for well over ten years!  We love this combination of spices and flavors and the savory, sweet, tangy goodness that you get in every bite!  This sauce will be piping hot when done, but of course carefully give it a taste and feel free to add more sugar if you like a sweeter sauce, or more smoked paprika if you like your sauce more smoky…etc.  Once prepared, you can store this sauce in a sealed container for up to one week.  Or, you can freeze the cooled sauce and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months!  I love making a double or even triple batch of this and keeping it in the freezer to have for later, because we’re pretty much always craving it!

Enjoy!

~Nichole

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5 from 10 votes

Perfect BBQ Sauce Recipe

By Nichole

Perfect BBQ Sauce Recipe is the best blend of tangy, rich, smoky, and slightly sweet flavors!  This BBQ sauce is ready in 20 minutes and perfect on any meat!

Servings 16

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 Cup Tomato Sauce
• ▢ 1 Cup Ketchup
• ▢ 1/4 Cup Water
• ▢ 1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• ▢ 1/3 Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Molasses
• ▢ 1 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
• ▢ 1/8-1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Instructions 

• In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes until thickened.
• Remove the pan from the heat and cool slightly before using.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Notes

NOTE:  I've found that this sauce is best with the tomato sauce/ketchup mixture.  The sauce does not taste like ketchup when finished.  If you absolutely don't want to use ketchup, you can use a second cup of tomato sauce.

NOTE:  This sauce, once prepared can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing, thaw in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours before using.

NOTE:  You can substitute light brown sugar for dark if necessary.

Nutrition

Serving: 2TBSP, Calories: 50kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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