This homemade BBQ sauce with ketchup has the thick, glossy consistency of bottled barbecue sauce, but its sweet, tangy and gently spiced flavor comes from everyday pantry ingredients.
Everything simmers together for just 10 minutes, so you can make a batch whenever you need something better than the bottle hiding in your fridge.
I started making more of my own sauces when my husband began having stomach issues a few years ago and we started paying closer attention to ingredient labels. Along the way, I discovered that homemade versions often taste even better. This BBQ sauce and my copycat Arby’s sauce are two that never last long in our house!
After making this recipe dozens of times, I’ve learned that good homemade barbecue sauce does not require a complicated process. The secret is balancing the ketchup and brown sugar with enough apple cider vinegar, dry mustard and Worcestershire sauce to keep it sweet without tasting like straight sugar.
This is the version I return to because it is thick enough to cling to chicken, burgers and brats, but still easy to brush or spoon over whatever we are grilling.
The cayenne adds gentle warmth rather than serious heat, and you can easily adjust it to suit your family. I always think I might save part of the batch for later, but somehow we find plenty of things to slather it on!
Why This Recipe Works
- It uses ingredients I almost always have on hand. Ketchup creates the smooth tomato base, while brown sugar, vinegar and a handful of seasonings transform it into a homemade sauce without a long simmer or special ingredients.
- It has the sweet and tangy balance I want from BBQ sauce. I love a sweeter sauce, but not one that tastes like straight sugar. Apple cider vinegar, dry mustard and Worcestershire sauce add enough tangy, savory flavor to balance the brown sugar and honey.
- The consistency is just right. After 10 minutes of simmering, the sauce becomes thick and glossy but remains easy to brush onto chicken, spoon over burgers or slather onto brats.
- My family can handle the heat. The cayenne adds a little warmth without making the sauce truly spicy. When I’m serving someone who prefers no heat at all, I just leave it out.
- It works with much more than grilled meat. We love it with chicken, burgers and brats, but I also spoon it over pulled pork, meatloaf, ribs, meatballs and sandwiches. A batch is never difficult to use up in our house!
Recipe Ingredients
Ketchup – Ketchup creates the smooth tomato base for this sauce, so use a brand you already enjoy. Because its sweetness and seasoning vary by brand, the ketchup you choose will influence the final flavor.
Brown sugar and honey – These give the sauce its signature sweetness and help create a thick, glossy consistency. For a less sweet BBQ sauce, omit the honey and reduce the brown sugar. I recommend starting with 1/2 cup brown sugar, then adding more to taste.
Apple cider vinegar – This provides the tang that balances the ketchup, brown sugar and honey. White vinegar can be used in a pinch, but I prefer the slightly fruity flavor of apple cider vinegar in this recipe.
Worcestershire sauce – This adds savory depth and keeps the ketchup-based BBQ sauce from tasting one-dimensional.
Paprika – Regular paprika adds mild pepper flavor without making the sauce spicy. Replace it with smoked paprika or add a few drops of liquid smoke for a smokier BBQ sauce.
Dry mustard – Dry mustard adds a subtle sharpness that complements the vinegar and cuts through the sweetness. If you do not have dry mustard, replace it with 2 to 3 tablespoons of prepared yellow mustard, beginning with 2 tablespoons and adding more to taste.
Garlic powder, salt and pepper – These simple seasonings round out the sauce and enhance its sweet, tangy and savory flavors.
Cayenne pepper – The small amount used gives the sauce gentle warmth rather than serious heat. Leave it out for a mild BBQ sauce or add more for extra spice.
How To Make BBQ Sauce With Ketchup
- Combine the ingredients. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to a medium saucepan. Stir until well combined.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to gently bubble.
- Let it thicken. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should become slightly thicker and glossier as it cooks. Keep in mind that it will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Cool and store. Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool before using or transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Recipe Notes
- Add more smoky or spicy flavor. Stir in 1 teaspoon of chili powder for a bolder flavor, or replace the regular paprika with smoked paprika. You can also increase the cayenne if you prefer a spicier BBQ sauce.
- Adjust the seasonings. Add 1/2 teaspoon onion powder along with the garlic powder for more savory flavor. I prefer using both rather than replacing one with the other.
- Make it tangier. The apple cider vinegar gives this sauce plenty of tang, but you can add a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice after simmering if you would like a brighter finish.
- Brush it on toward the end of grilling. Because this BBQ sauce contains brown sugar and honey, it can burn over high heat. Brush it onto chicken, ribs or wings during the final 5 to 10 minutes of cooking. For burgers and brats, I prefer spooning it on just before serving.
- Use it as a finishing or dipping sauce. Spoon it over pulled pork, meatloaf or meatballs, or serve it on the side with chicken tenders, fries and grilled meats.
- Try it on BBQ chicken. This is my favorite way to use a fresh batch! Brush the sauce over the chicken near the end of grilling so it becomes sticky and caramelized without burning.
How Long Does Homemade BBQ Sauce Last?
Homemade BBQ sauce lasts for up to one week in the refrigerator when stored in a clean, airtight container. Because it does not contain the preservatives found in many bottled sauces, keep it refrigerated and use a clean spoon each time you serve it.
For longer storage, freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. Head to my complete guide to learn more about how long BBQ sauce lasts, including signs that it should be discarded.
How To Thin BBQ Sauce
This sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. If it becomes thicker than you prefer, whisk in water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
You can also use apple cider vinegar for a tangier sauce or a little apple juice for added sweetness. My guide to how to thin BBQ sauce includes more options based on the flavor and consistency you want.
18 Easy Homemade Sauces
Once you see how quickly this BBQ sauce comes together, that bottle from the grocery store becomes much less tempting! Making sauces at home lets you adjust the sweetness, heat and consistency while knowing exactly what went into them.
Explore my collection of 18 homemade sauce recipes to find more easy sauces you can use right away or freeze for later.
FAQ About BBQ Sauce
What is BBQ sauce used for?
BBQ sauce can be brushed onto grilled or smoked meats, spooned over cooked meat or served as a dipping sauce. Because this homemade version contains brown sugar and honey, brush it onto meat during the final few minutes of grilling to prevent the sauce from burning.
Is this BBQ sauce vegetarian?
This homemade BBQ sauce is vegetarian only if you use a vegetarian Worcestershire sauce. Traditional Worcestershire sauce generally contains anchovies, so check the ingredient label before using it.
Can I make this BBQ sauce less sweet?
Yes. Omit the honey and begin with 1/2 to 3/4 cup brown sugar, then taste the sauce after it has simmered and add more if needed. Reducing the sugar may make the sauce slightly thinner and more tangy.
Uses for BBQ Sauce
If you have extra homemade BBQ sauce, you will have no trouble finding ways to use it:
- Brush it over chicken wings during the final few minutes of cooking.
- Spread it over meatloaf during the final 15 to 20 minutes of baking.
- Add it to a slow cooker with cooked meatballs for an easy appetizer.
- Serve it as a dipping sauce for French fries, chicken tenders or onion rings.
- Use it instead of tomato sauce on BBQ chicken pizza.
- Spoon it onto burgers, pulled pork or grilled chicken sandwiches.
- Stir it into baked beans for extra sweet and tangy flavor.
- Whisk it with ranch dressing for a BBQ chicken salad.
More Delicious Homemade Sauces
Once you discover how easy it is to make BBQ sauce from scratch, try one of these other homemade favorites:
- Copycat Arby’s Sauce – This tangy, slightly sweet sauce is perfect for roast beef sandwiches, burgers, fries and anything else that needs a little extra zip.
- Enchilada Sauce – A rich, flavorful sauce that comes together quickly and makes homemade enchiladas even better.
- Alfredo Sauce – This creamy homemade Alfredo sauce tastes so much better than anything I’ve found in a jar, and it is surprisingly easy to make.
- Pizza Sauce – Keep this quick recipe nearby for those nights when an unplanned pizza craving strikes!
- Pasta Sauce – A dependable homemade tomato sauce that makes pasta night feel a little more special without adding a lot of work.
- Taco Sauce – This one is perfect for drizzling over tacos and nachos or serving as a dip for taquitos and quesadillas.
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Homemade BBQ Sauce With Ketchup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to a medium saucepan. Stir until well combined.
- Bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to gently bubble.
- Thicken the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will become slightly thicker and glossier as it cooks and will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Cool and store. Remove from the heat and let cool before using or transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to one week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- For smoky flavor, replace the regular paprika with smoked paprika or add a few drops of liquid smoke.
- For a spicier sauce, add 1 teaspoon chili powder or increase the cayenne pepper.
- For a less sweet BBQ sauce, omit the honey and begin with 1/2 to 3/4 cup brown sugar, adding more to taste. The finished sauce may be slightly thinner.
- For more savory flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon onion powder along with the garlic powder.
- Because the sauce contains brown sugar and honey, it can burn over high heat. Brush it onto chicken, ribs or wings during the final 5 to 10 minutes of grilling. Spoon it over burgers and brats just before serving.
- If the sauce becomes too thick after cooling, whisk in water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency.For the best consistency, simmer the sauce uncovered for the full 10 minutes, then let it cool before deciding whether it needs to be thicker. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Nutrition
Megan Porta is a comfort food recipe creator who specializes in easy family meals and Instant Pot desserts, and the founder of Pip and Ebby. She has been cooking for three decades and developing recipes for over fifteen years, helping home cooks make reliable, cozy recipes for real life.
I ran out of BBQ sauce and my grandson was visiting and I honestly didn’t want to run to the store. I didn’t have dry mustard or apple cider vinegar, so I subbed regular yellow mustard and white wine vinegar! I have a BBQ seasoning rub that I made that happens to have all of the powdered seasonings (except dry mustard of course!) and it came out great! I ended up adding a bit more honey and brown sugar in the end. This 2 yr old is picky and he loved it with his nuggets!
Wow, even the 2-year-olds gobble it up. That’s amazing! Thank you for sharing!!
Made the recipe with just one substitution using yellow mustard instead of the dry mustard by doubling the amount and it came out great. Picky husband loved it. I am saving this recipe to make again. No need to buy bottled.
hanks for sharing, Anita! I appreciate it.
followed the recipe and it was GREAT!
thanks for sharing will use again and experiment a little just for fun!
THANK YOU!
It’s my pleasure, Joe! Thanks for the note!
Cut back (half) on the brown sugar and subbed low sodium soy sauce for the Worcestershire sauce. Added some squeeze from a fresh picked lemon and the resulting blend was outstanding.
I’m so glad you took this recipe and made it work for you, Barb! Thank you for sharing.
Made this months ago & it was OH SO GOOD! We lost the recipe & my husband & I have been digging through the internet for the past two hours searching for it until we FINALLY found it! Yayyyy! We LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! We used it a couple of times at home, made it for some friends one night when we cooked out one evening & it was a HIT! We GLADLY share this recipe with others! Thank you so much! This is DEFINITELY our GO TO BBQ sauce recipe!
Ha! Oh my goodness Melissa! Thank you for sharing this story. I’m glad you found it again and thankful you share with others! 🙂
This is REALLY tasty. I always swore that I wouldn’t leave a rating for a recipe if I didn’t make the recipe EXACTLY as written but … I have to leave a rating for this recipe even though I changed the recipe slightly because it is so yummy. I didn’t have paprika or cayenne so I omitted those spices and used about 1/8 tsp of powdered chipotle instead. Yum. I think that you could cut the sugar back a bit and still have a very tasty sauce.
Thank you for sharing, Margaret – it’s appreciated! I like that you didn’t shy away because you didn’t have one and used the chipotle powder. Sounds delicious! The smokiness is perfect.
This is such a great recipe and came together quickly. It reminded me of the barbecue sauce I had with brisket at a popular smokehouse restaurant in Texas.
Hi Megan, yep, I made the recipe but I had to substitute a few ingredients that I didn’t have the originals. I used Agave syrup instead of honey, and used spicy Spanish paprika and no cayenne, also added fresh garlic and onion powder and mascabado sugar instead of brown sugar, ah and no salt. Came out just great. I think I’ll keep it that way in the future.
Thanks for the substitutions that worked. I love that you just dove in and made it that way. Others will appreciate it too.
This is an excellent BBQ sauce! I made a large crockpot of meatballs to take to a potluck dinner and needed a BBQ sauce. I decided to try this one since I had all of the ingredients on hand. I tripled the recipe for enough sauce to cover the meatballs and was very pleased with the result. The BBQ meatballs were a hit at the dinner and I took home an empty crockpot.
It’s a win, Nancy! When all the ingredients are there and it’s enjoyed! Thank you for sharing!
This was very good. I added 1/2 tsp cinnamon and about 2 taps of apple cider. I will be making it from now on! My husband loved it!!
Great suggestion on apple cider – thank you for sharing, Barb!
Why do I need to go through an entire frikken encyclopedia of crap to get to the bloody recipe!? Give me strength.
Good news! Click on the JUMP TO RECIPE button and you can skip the tips, recipe clarifications and substitutes that I take the time to share with those who need/want it. Thanks for stopping by!
Who hurt you Karen?
Second time making this great go to barbecue sauce. Didn’t change a thing except I used smoked paprika. This is easy and delicious and my 34yr old son told me that he no longer uses bottled sauce, we Texan’s love our barbecue. Thank you!
Made the sauce for pork short ribs: delicious. Next time i will add finely grated raw Vidalia onion.
Thank you Lois for that tip. Sounds amazing and I definitely want to try it with the onion added now as well!
Barb I tried your BBQ sauce & it was awesome made ribs did not have dry mustard nor Worcestershire sauce. Still hade awesome taste. Thanks for sharing 5 star
Thank you, Barb. I’m so glad you tried it out and found it to be delicious. I think of chicken all the time, but it IS a great sauce for ribs. Inspired!
I made this BBQ sauce, tried it on some chicken. My husband really likes it, i did add chili powder and will tweak it a bit more!!
Hi Joyce – thanks for trying it out! I’m glad you tweaked it to the way you like, that’s what cooking is all about.
I started with Trader Joe’s Organic Ketchup: no corn syrup, little sugar. No ingredients that I did not recognize. Then I cut back on the brown sugar and used turbinado sugar instead. Added to your ingredients a good dollop of prepared spicy ginger, maple syrup not honey, and about 1/2 cup of Kroger’s jellied cranberries for a deep berry taste with a natural source of pectin to boot as an easy thickener.
Sounds great! Thank you Norman for sharing that detail.
Sorry Norman, did not get your recipe. I made a tiny bit to try but my entire family hated it.
I’m
Excellent recipe. I put it over pork chops and air fried them it was deeelicious!!
Great use of the air fryer – thanks for sharing!