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Homemade BBQ Sauce is one of those easy things that you can do to jazz up a regular barbecue dinner. Not only is it simple to make but this Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe is very cost effective as well.

This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!
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Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe takes very little work to prepare.

It is a simple recipe you can throw on the stove while you do other things and you are left with a delicious homemade sauce that compliments beef, chicken, or anything else you want to smother it in.  I rarely buy barbecue sauce from the store anymore.

This simple recipe is much better than anything store bought and cheaper too!

How do you make easy BBQ sauce?

You can easily adjust this basic recipe depending on if you prefer a more vinegary based sauce, a good sweet sauce, or a kickin’ spicy sauce. It is such a simple and easy base recipe that everyone will love.

What ingredients are in barbecue sauce?

If you live in the South, specifically  North Carolina, you probably prefer a more vinegar based sauce known as Carolina Style BBQ. This recipe is easy to adjust by adding a bit more vinegar.

Whatever you prefer, this recipe is so versatile and a really great base recipe that includes ketchup, apple cider vinegar, honey and more!

This Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe is sure to impress the entire family!

It is great to baste but my kids also love it for dipping.  They love Easy BBQ Baked Breaded Chicken Recipe and this is their favorite dipping sauce.

I use these small ramekins to put the sauce in when they are using it for dipping. It is perfect!

This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!

How do you store Homemade BBQ Sauce? 

This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!

We store our BBQ sauce in a pint size mason jar and keep it in the fridge. I like this set because it comes with different sizes and labels.

This is perfect if you plan to make different types- sweet, vinegar etc. It is also great for gifts.

The smaller size is perfect to pop into gift baskets and such.  You can also use these to take a hostess gift.

I also like to put some in a squeeze bottle for the kids. It makes it very convenient and mess free.

This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!

This option is also really good for cookouts. You can order a set of squeeze bottles that also includes a funnel to easily fill the bottles, labels and marker.

I love this set and it’s very frugal buying it together.

Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe makes a fabulous gift!

This is the perfect item to tuck into a grilling theme basket. Add in some grilling tools and a basting brush for the BBQ Sauce with a cute handmade label and you are ready to go.

I think this would be perfect for a handmade Father’s Day gift, one that even the kids can help with.  Most kids love mixing up recipes in the kitchen so it should be a lot of fun to put together.

You might also take a jar of this delicious sauce as a hostess gift. I always like to take something small but thoughtful and this would be perfect!

This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!

Tips for making Homemade Barbecue Sauce:

The recipe calls for chopped onions and I prefer them chopped fine.  You can certainly chop these by hand but I prefer to use my mini food processor so the onion is very tiny.

The kids like it better that way when the onions are practically invisible. 😉

If you need to “hide” veggies like I do, I LOVE LOVE LOVE  this mini food processor here for chopping and “hiding” veggies.

Do you know how to make BBQ sauce with ketchup?

You will not believe just how simple and cheap it is to make such a delicious sauce from ketchup. All of the ingredients come together for the best flavor.

Let’s make this Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe!

This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!

Ingredients for Homemade BBQ Sauce:

  • 1 ½ cups Ketchup
  • 3 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • 3 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1 cup diced onions
  • 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp. Cumin
  • 1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!

How can you make homemade BBQ sauce?

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat,  brown diced onions until they become translucent.
    This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!
    This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!
  2. Stir in all other ingredients, reduce heat down to simmer.
    This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!
    This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!
  3. Cover pot and allow sauce to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!
  4. Allow sauce to cool for at least 15 minutes then ladle into a pint jar.
  5. Store in refrigerator .

*You can also use brown sugar instead of honey depending on what you prefer.  Smoked paprika or liquid smoke can be added for a smoky taste.

Garlic powder can also be substituted for the crushed garlic in this homemade bbq sauce recipe.  Soy Sauce is also another ingredient that goes well in homemade barbecue sauce.

Red pepper flakes or hot sauce can be added for extra heat.  This is a good recipe no matter what you add!

Now that you know how to make BBQ sauce from scratch, it is so quick and easy!

You will absolutely love this delicious sauce. It is perfect for dipping and the kids just love it.

In fact, my kids will even eat more if I serve this sauce with it! No more arguing over dinner.

This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!

Whatever you use this Easy Barbecue Sauce Recipe with ketchup on, it will be so tasty!

This sauce is inexpensive to make and so much better than anything you can buy at the store.

We try to save as much as much as we can and making our own Homemade BBQ sauce is one way we are able to reduce our grocery bill. You can make this Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe for a fraction of the cost of store bought.

Now only does it stretch our grocery budget but it tastes amazing and we love it better than anything you can buy. Once you give this a try, you see just how easy it is and delicious too!

Whether you are making Homemade BBQ sauce for pulled pork or Homemade BBQ sauce for ribs, people will come back for more and more!

I make this amazing Tender Baked Pork Tenderloin and this Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe takes it to a new level! It is so good served as a dipping sauce for this pork tenderloin.

The options are endless and we just all love this sauce. My kids literally go crazy over this Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe.

Since it is so easy, I don’t mind making it and it’s very frugal as well.  It is a winner all around.

Tastes great and saves us money! I am all about that!

Try this easy homemade bbq sauce recipe with some of of our favorite BBQ recipes:

This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy!

Print this Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe below:

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Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe

4.92 from 23 votes
This easy Homemade BBQ Sauce recipe only takes minutes to make. You already have all the ingredients on hand for Homemade bbq sauce. It is so easy.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 10
Cuisine American
Course Sauces
Calories 98

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat brown diced onions until they become translucent.
  • Stir in all other ingredients, reduce heat down to simmer.
  • Cover pot and allow sauce to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Allow sauce to cool then ladle into a pint jar.
  • Store in refrigerator .

Nutrition Facts

Calories 98kcal, Carbohydrates 21g, Fat 1g, Saturated Fat 1g, Sodium 473mg, Potassium 175mg, Sugar 18g, Vitamin A 190IU, Vitamin C 3.1mg, Calcium 17mg, Iron 0.7mg

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Crock Pot Dr Pepper Ribs has the perfect amount of flavor and the meat is so tender from being slow cooked all day.

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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  1. 5 stars
    I canned it and it will work perfectly. Process for30 mins and I made 10x the recipe and then sweetened some and spiced up the other half. I also made mine all 1/2 pints for my Christmas gift baskets. Thanks for the perfect bbq sauce ‘base’ ! 5*’s

  2. The recipe sounds great. How long will it keep stored in the refrigerator? Thank you.

  3. I have kept it in the refrigerator for up to 3 months and it still tasted great.

  4. 5 stars
    I was going to make barbecue chicken on the grill and saw I was out of bbq sauce and made this recipe. I’ll never buy store bought again. It was perfect!