Homemade Sweet BBQ Sauce
This homemade sweet BBQ sauce is perfectly sweet and not too overpowering. Easy and quick to make, it adds a delicious sweet and smoky flavor to a variety of dishes, from ribs to veggie burgers.
Equipment
- 1 2-quart saucepan
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1.5 cups ketchup thick and tangy
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar for sharp zip
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 0.25 cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce provides umami
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard adds subtle heat and tang
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika for smoky depth
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder brings cozy flavor
- 0.25 cup water plus more as needed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Instructions
- Grab a medium saucepan and dump in ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and that ¼ cup water.
- Whisk everything together until it looks smooth and blended – no big clumps allowed.
- Put it on medium heat and watch it come up to a gentle simmer, stirring every now and then so it don’t stick.
- Once simmering, turn heat down low and let it bubble gently for 20 to 25 minutes. Keep stirring a bit so it thickens nice and even.
- You’ll know it’s thick when it coats the back of your spoon and looks glossy. If it gets too thick, add a splash more water to loosen it up.
- Taste test time – sprinkle in salt and pepper until it sings to your liking. This step’s real important so don’t rush.
- Take it off the heat and let it cool down so flavors settle and mellow out.Pour it into jars or containers if you’re saving it, or just grab your brush and dive in right away.
Notes
Adjust ingredient quantities to taste: Sweeter – Add more brown sugar. Thicker and sweeter – Add more molasses and ketchup, simmer down 5 additional minutes. More tangy – Add more vinegar. Thinner – Add more water a few tablespoons at a time. More flavor – Add more Worcestershire sauce or Dijon mustard. Smokier – Add more smoked paprika or a dash of liquid smoke. Make ahead and storage: Let cool completely, store in sealed container in fridge up to 2 weeks, freeze up to 3 months. Substitutions: Distilled white vinegar for apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard for Dijon, light brown sugar for dark brown sugar (do not use granulated sugar).