Easy BBQ Sauce Recipe
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Full of flavor and seasonings, this easy bbq sauce recipe is a stand-out condiment that knows how to make a meal special.
You can go to any grocery store and pick up one of a vast array of bottled barbecue sauces if you like. Some are better than others and they’re all pretty good, but few stand out from the crowd as really unique.
So a couple of years back, I spent a few weeks developing my own homemade bbq sauce recipe (this is it). I made a different recipe each day for about a week until I came up with the base flavor I liked. Then I spent another week or so tweaking it to get the flavors just right. In the end, I think I made the perfect bbq sauce, with a hint of sweet, the right cider vinegar tang, a slight underlayer of heat, and an overall flavor that was entirely different from anything I had found on the shelves.
This version of bbq sauce stands out and makes a meal special. I’ve never served it that I wasn’t asked where I got it after a guest took the first bite.
I so wish I could give you a taste of this sauce but you’re gonna have to make it yourself. I shared this recipe in my first book, published by Harper Collins, Southern Plate: Classic Comfort Food That Makes Everyone Feel Like Family. The recipe in my book makes 3 cups but today I’m sharing my larger quantity recipe with ya, which makes about a gallon – just enough to last you through numerous summer barbecues.
Do me a favor and make this easy bbq sauce recipe soon!
Recipe Ingredients
- Golden Eagle or Yellow Label syrup
- Dark brown sugar
- Salt
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Black pepper
- Cornstarch
- Ketchup
- Water
- Apple cider vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- White vinegar
How to Make My Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe
Place all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Stir those together until well blended.
Combine all of the wet ingredients in your cooking pot.
Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
Place on stovetop and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a low boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Oh if only you could taste this now!
Now at this point, you can allow it to cool slightly and then ladle it into Rubbermaid-type refrigerator containers or jars and store it in your fridge for up to two months. It will last you all summer!
I’m going to can mine, though, so I can keep it in my pantry. Canning is really simple, much easier than you imagine. To see the method I’m using for my barbecue sauce, click here to visit my canning tutorial.
Canning BBQ sauce
So I got to use my canning ladle (click here for information on how to get one) again for this post! The hook you see allows it to hang on the side of the pot so it won’t fall in, it scoops the exact amount you need to fill an 8-ounce mason jar, and it is even shaped so it can scrape the bottom of the pot clean.
Truly, you need one.
Dips a perfect 8 ounces…
Into your canning jars.
If you do decide to put it in canning jars (whether to can it or just to store it in the fridge), make sure you use a canning funnel for ease. I am using mostly eight-ounce jars so one scoop for each jar gives me enough to fill it.
This recipe makes almost one complete gallon or 15 cups.
See? My ladle gets the last little bit out of the pot.
This divinely distinct barbecue sauce is perfect on pretty much anything.
Chicken, ribs, burgers, pulled pork, and shredded beef. Sometimes I even just smear a little bit on some wheat bread!
Storage
- Store homemade barbecue sauce in the fridge for up to 2 months.
- When canned, this bbq sauce will last for several months in a cool dark place like the pantry.
Recipe Notes
- To make this recipe safe for canning, make sure you use Clear Gel Brand cornstarch specifically made for canning.
- If you can’t find Golden Eagle or Yellow Label syrup where you are, you can substitute it for 2 cups of light corn syrup and 1 cup of honey.
- Here are some variations to make this easy bbq sauce recipe suit you and what you have on hand:
- Swap the chili powder for smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or simply a dash of hot sauce for that touch of heat.
- Substitute the white vinegar for white wine vinegar.
- Use light brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar.
Recipe FAQs
How do you serve homemade bbq sauce?
My homemade barbecue sauce tastes delicious on so many different meals:
- Spread it on burgers like meatloaf burgers and smoked burgers.
- Serve it with barbecue meat, such as pulled chicken, a pulled pork sandwich, beef brisket, and crockpot beef ribs.
- Enjoy it as a dipping sauce with fries, sweet potato wedges, or grilled chicken tenders (also see my recipes for ranch fried chicken tenders and chicken planks).
- Spread it on a pizza for the most delicious BBQ chicken pizza.
You may also enjoy these sensational homemade sauce recipes:
Comeback Sauce (3 Ingredients Only)
Homemade Thousand Island Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 cups dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 8 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 cups ketchup
- 4 cups water
- 3 cups Golden Eagle or Yellow Label syrup
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. It is very important that you mix all of the dry ingredients together at once before adding them to the wet. If you don't add your cornstarch during this step, it will not dissolve later.2 cups dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 3 tablespoons ground black pepper, 8 tablespoons cornstarch
- In the pot you are going to cook in (I prefer a heavy dutch oven so it doesn't scorch), mix together all the wet ingredients. Then whisk in the dry mixture.4 cups ketchup, 4 cups water, 3 cups Golden Eagle or Yellow Label syrup, 2 cups apple cider vinegar, 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- Place over medium-high heat and stir constantly until it comes to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Allow to cool slightly and place in containers to store in the refrigerator until ready to use, or can in mason jars using the canning method mentioned in the post.
Nutrition
When faced with a situation (in the Army) that made me very angry but I couldn’t say anything, a dear friend said these wise words to me. “So compared to World War II, how important is this?” I try to keep this one in mind many times.
Submitted by Sara. Click here to share your wisdom.
Can’t wait to try this recipe! I am from northeast Mississippi.we grew up eating Golden Eagle Syrup. Coincidently neither me nor anyone in my family are obese. I love your website because it’s real good I would really eat. Thank you for all your hard work and efforts!
Real ***food we would really eat.
Thank you Karen!!
Being a Western girl, I have never heard of Golden Eagle or Yellow Label syrups, except here! Still cannot find it, so thank you for giving me a way to substitute what I can get! On the canning of the BBQ Sauce…I use a pressure cooker for all my canning (living on my husband’s family farm I inherited his grandmother’s canning supplies) but I am not sure how long to keep the pressure on and to what poundage (the pressure cooker gives me the option of 5, 10, 15 and 20 pounds of pressure). I’m looking forward to giving BBQ sauce for Christmas this year!!! Thanks for sharing this fabulous recipe!!!
I don’t use a pressure canner for mine so my best advice would be to consult your manual. I just water bath can my BBQ sauce. Since it is so high in acidic content, pressure canning isn’t necessary.
can you tell me how long you process your bbq sauce…and you make it in pints or qts…
Christy, I cant wait to try this it sounds like a BBQ sauce that we will love! I had never heard of Golden Eagle syrup being from the North and all, lol. Now that we are living in N. GA, I bought it on clearance at Walmart just after the holidays, but wasnt sure what it was or what to use it for. We opened it up and tasted it, but I couldnt tell what it taste like…I wasnt supposed to refrigerate it after opening was I?? Looking forward to making this! Thanks Christy!
No, it doesn’t have to be refrigerated, it is shelf stable so no worries!!
I’ve made a balsamic barbecue sauce that I really like on chicken but I know my husband sometimes prefers a more traditional one. Even though I know how easy it is to make I didn’t have a good recipe for one & just haven’t felt like experimenting though I usually enjoy it. This sounds perfect, I think he’ll love it. Thank you for doing the experimenting for me! On another subject-I just ordered your Come Home To Supper book. It’s been on my Wishlist since it came out but like always there’s always other things we need so I put things like that off, but I was luck enough to win an Amazon gift card com a blogger I follow. (Not as good as winning a trip to your hometown but still pretty nice.) after saying how it might come in handy when we’re ordering things for Christmas, my husband said forget that & get what I wanted. So I did! I wonder if it’s still possible to get the autograph from you to add? It would make it even more special! I love & collect cookbooks, both old & new & lots of church, school & community cookbooks. I love them, my grandmother always had a lot of those I think it comes from her. I almost always buy them used at yard sales, library sales & some were given to me by people who knew I loved & read them all. So I rarely buy cookbooks new, but my husband saw me reading the ad for your special autographed magazine & ordered it for me so I was lucky enough to get that. I can’t wait to get your book the autograph would just add to it. Either way I can’t wait to read it & pick out all the recipes to try. Thank you for great recipes, good advice, speaking out on depression & all the good you do. I try hard to stay positive as you talk about, it’s very difficult with severe Fibromyalgia sometimes I think of all I can’t do any more & start heading downward. My husband works hard to prevent it. & I try to remember your advice. Thanks for everything!
I am so glad you were able to order it!! I sure hope that you enjoy it!!!
Have you ever used Golden Eagle or Yellow Label to make your caramel puffed corn? It seems as if it would work. I’ll have to try that, and I’ll definitely try this sauce.
Oh Philippa, I haven’t and it is such a wonderful idea!!! I bet the flavor would be out of this world!
Moderation is the key. There’s nothing wrong in eating anything as long as it’s done in moderation. Over indulgence & lack of exercise is why there is obesity. Your recipe looks great, Christy. I plan on making it soon.
Thank you Tricia!! ~HUGS~
Can’t wait to try, Angelo’s bbq sauce is a family favorite! Thanks for all your great recupes.
Thank you Laura, I hope you enjoy it!