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Homemade BBQ Sauce: So Easy, You’ll Wonder Why You Didn’t Try It Sooner!

I’ll be honest, I never thought making my own BBQ sauce could be so simple! Years ago,I loved watching the Neely’s. Their BBQ style always looked delicious, and their BBQ sauce did not disappoint. I still remember my decision to skip the store-bought bottles and just whip up my own at home. The result? A rich, tangy, and perfectly balanced sauce that takes any dish to the next level. Here’s the secret: You probably already have them in your own pantry. All it takes is a medium saucepan and a handful of pantry staples like ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar. I was amazed by how combining these simple ingredients created such a bold flavor!

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Bonus: You can adjust the sweetness with extra brown sugar or corn syrup or make it spicier with cayenne.

Try infusing a flavor that you like. This tasty homemade BBQ sauce is so versatile. Try this recipe, and you’ll never go back to store-bought again!

Quick and Simple Barbeque Sauce

A quick and savory barbeque sauce that's perfect on its own or easy enough to customize to your own tastes!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground whole grain mustard
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 5 tablespoons dark brown sugar light will work great too
  • 5 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered for an hour stirring frequently with a whisk to ensure it doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.

Notes

For a spicier sauce, consider adding 1/8-1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper, a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce, or some red pepper flakes.
 
For a sweeter sauce, add a few more tablespoons of brown sugar or a 1/4 cup of crushed pineapple.  
 
For a more savory sauce add a few cloves of garlic that have been zested using a microplane, or pressed with a garlic press or finely minced.
 
Nutrition: 
Nutritional Information (Per 2 tablespoons serving):
  • Calories: 40
  • Total Fat: 0g
    • Saturated Fat: 0g
    • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg
  • Sodium: 180mg
  • Total Carbohydrates: 10g
    • Dietary Fiber: 0g
    • Sugars: 9g
  • Protein: 0g
These values are based on standard nutritional information for the individual ingredients. It’s important to be mindful of portion sizes, especially if you’re following a specific dietary plan or have health considerations.
For more accurate information, you may want to use a nutritional calculator, inputting the specific brands and quantities of ingredients you use in your recipe.
Keyword barbeque sauce, easy barbeque sauce