Do you need a signature sauce for chicken, pork, or beef? This is the best easy BBQ sauce recipe. It is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy, is made completely from scratch, and even includes easy canning instructions!
Why You Need This Easy BBQ Sauce Recipe
What’s great about this from-scratch BBQ sauce recipe is that it doesn’t have to be limited to outdoor cooking; it’s delicious served with slow-cooker pulled pork or whole roasted chicken, as a sauce for homemade BBQ chicken pizza, or as a dip for chicken tenders, fries, and onion rings.
Here is why this from-scratch BBQ sauce stands out from the rest:
- Superior Flavor – We make a lot of our own condiments from scratch, such as fermented ketchup, easy from-scratch mustard, nutritious lacto-fermented mayo, and homemade buttermilk ranch dressing. Using fresh, quality ingredients creates an undeniably elevated flavor profile when compared to their store-bought counterparts.
- Improve Cooking Skills – If you are new to cooking from scratch, making your own condiments is a low-effort, yet high-impact way to start transitioning your kitchen to home-cooked meals.
- Real Ingredients – You won’t find artificial flavors, preservatives, or high fructose corn syrup in this recipe. Just real food ingredients you can feel good about feeding to your family.
- Cost Savings – Making homemade barbecue sauce can help you save money on groceries, especially when you grow your own tomatoes and buy ingredients in bulk.
- Convenient – This from-scratch BBQ sauce recipe even comes with canning instructions so you can do the work once to make a large batch, and have several jars stocked in your pantry to use all year!
Ingredients Needed
A full ingredients list, including measurements, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Peeled and Chopped Tomatoes – To make the peeling process easier, follow the directions in “Tips and Tricks” to blanch your tomatoes. Learn how to grow tomatoes in cold climates here.
- Finely Chopped Onion – Use white, yellow, or red onion according to your preference. Learn how to grow onions from seed here.
- Garlic Clove, Minced – You can substitute freeze dried garlic. Learn how to grow garlic here.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – If you are quadrupling this recipe for canning, use 1 ½ cups vinegar, and make sure it is at least 5% acidity.
- Dark Brown Sugar – Do not substitute honey in this recipe. It will change the consistency of the sauce.
BBQ Sauce Instructions
Step 1: Simmer tomatoes, onions, and garlic over medium heat in a large pot for 30 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Step 2: Run the tomato mixture through a food mill or purée until smooth. Return the tomato mixture to the pot and add the remaining ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 1-2 hours until the sauce is dark and thick. Stir occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Canning Instructions
Step 3: Wash the jars, lids, and bands with hot, soapy water. Keep the clean jars warm, fill the canner ⅔ with water and turn it on to warm.
Step 4: Ladle the hot BBQ sauce into hot pint jars, leaving ½ inch (1.25 cm) of headspace. Release all the bubbles, add more sauce if necessary, clean the jar rims, and screw on the bands.
Step 5: Place the jars in the canner, making sure that the water is 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the jars. Once the water has come to a full boil, start a timer for 20 minutes (adjust for elevation). After the full processing time is completed, turn off the heat.
Step 6: Take the lid off the canner and let the jars sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. Using a jar lifter, carefully move jars to a clean kitchen towel to cool completely, for 16 to 24 hours.
Step 7: Check each seal, remove the bands, and clean each jar with room-temperature water. Label each clean jar, and store it out of direct light.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- To blanch your tomatoes, score the bottoms before dropping them in a pot of boiling water. After 30 seconds, remove the tomatoes and immediately plunge them into an ice bath. The skins will slide right off when you remove them from the ice bath.
- You can follow the quantities in the recipe card to make one pint of BBQ sauce, or quadruple the measurements to can 4 pints of sauce.
- If you are quadrupling this recipe for canning, use 1 ½ cups vinegar, and make sure it is at least 5% acidity.
- If you prefer not to can your sauce, you can also freeze it in an airtight container (such as a Mason jar with headspace for expansion) for long-term storage. When you’re ready to use the frozen BBQ sauce, simply thaw it in the refrigerator. Give it a good stir before using, as the ingredients may separate during freezing.
- Don’t skip the simmering step. It is critical for blending the flavors and achieving a thick consistency.
- You can customize your BBQ sauce by using additional ingredients such as Worcestershire sauce for an umami flavor, liquid smoke to mimic the flavor of slow cooking over a wood fire, black pepper in place of cayenne to mellow the spice, coffee for richness, onion powder for a savory touch, bourbon for complexity, or citrus juices to enhance sweetness. However, if deviating from this original recipe, it is not recommended for canning. Freezing your customized BBQ sauce recipe would be a safer option for long-term storage.
FAQs
BBQ sauce begins with a tomato base and combines acid, such as vinegar, for tang, with a sweetener such as brown sugar to balance the acidity and reduce bitterness. Aromatics such as onion, garlic, and a blend of spices enhance the flavor to make the perfect BBQ sauce.
Simmer tomatoes, onions, and garlic over medium heat in a large pot until vegetables are soft. Purée the mixture and return it to the pot. Add sugar and spices, and simmer until the sauce is dark and thick. Ingredient measurements and canning instructions are included in this tutorial.
The secret to good BBQ sauce is to skip store-bought ketchup and make your sauce entirely from scratch, using fresh tomatoes, onions and garlic. The recipe in this tutorial includes easy step-by-step instructions for the best from-scratch BBQ sauce.
The Homestead Kitchen
This from-scratch BBQ sauce recipe was featured in issue No.45 of the Homestead Kitchen magazine. If you desire a life of self-reliance but find yourself scrolling through social media, watching the lives of others who are fulfilling YOUR dream, then this magazine was designed just for you.
Our goal as established homesteaders is to share all we have learned, both the good and the bad, to support you and help you build the confidence you need to chase your homesteading dreams.
Enter the Homestead Kitchen magazine. This beautiful, well-designed magazine, curated with homesteading information like recipes, DIY instructions, tips and tricks, and easy-to-follow guides, will save you time and headaches on your homesteading journey.
The response has been so great that this magazine is now available in print! So subscribe today to have your monthly copy delivered right to your mailbox.
Other Posts You May Enjoy
- Fermented Ketchup (Easy, Homemade, Probiotic & Kids Love It)
- How to Make Mustard From Scratch
- Easy Homemade Lacto-Fermented Mayo
- Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe
- Homemade Vinaigrette Dressing (That Doesn’t Separate!)
Did you try this from-scratch BBQ Sauce recipe? If so, please leave a star ⭐ rating in the recipe card below. Then snap a photo and tag us on social media @homesteadingfamily so we can see!
From-Scratch BBQ Sauce + Canning Instructions
Equipment
- knife
- cutting board
- Saucepan
- wooden wpoon
- Food Processor
- Optional Canning Supplies water bath canner, jars, lids, bands, jar lifter, and funnel
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 Cups Tomatoes peeled and chopped
- 3/4 Cup Onion finely chopped
- 1 Clove Garlic minced
- 1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar If you are quadrupling this recipe for canning, use 1 ½ cups vinegar, and make sure it is at least 5% acidity.
- 1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Celery Seed
- 3/4 teaspoon Mustard Powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper optional
- 1/2 teaspoon Chili Flakes optional
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt We use Redmond Real Salt. Use that link to automatically get 15% off your order!
Instructions
BBQ Sauce Instructions:
- Simmer tomatoes, onions, and garlic over medium heat in a large pot for 30 minutes until vegetables are soft.
- Run the tomato mixture through a food mill or purée until smooth. Return the tomato mixture to the pot and add remaining ingredients.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 1-2 hours until the sauce is dark and thick. Stir occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Canning Instructions
- Wash the jars, lids, and bands with hot, soapy water. Keep the clean jars warm.
- Fill the canner ⅔ with water and turn it on to warm.
- Prepare your preserve. (Refer to “BBQ Sauce Instructions” above.)
- Ladle the hot sauce into hot pint jars, leaving ½ inch (1.25 cm) of headspace.
- Release all the bubbles, add more sauce if necessary, clean the jar rims, and screw on the bands.
- Place the jars in the canner, making sure that the water is 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the jars.
- Once the water has come to a full boil, start a timer for 20 minutes (adjust for elevation). After the full processing time is completed, turn off the heat.
- Take the lid off the canner and let the jars sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
- Using a jar lifter, carefully move jars to a clean kitchen towel to cool completely, for 16 to 24 hours.
- Check each seal, remove the bands, and clean each jar with room temperature water.
- Label each clean jar.
- Store out of direct light.
Notes
- You can follow the quantities in the recipe card to make one pint of BBQ sauce, or quadruple the measurements to can 4 pints of sauce.
- To blanch your tomatoes, score the bottoms before dropping them in a pot of boiling water. After 30 seconds, remove the tomatoes and immediately plunge them into an ice bath. The skins will slide right off when you remove them from the ice bath.
- If you are quadrupling this recipe for canning, use 1 ½ cups vinegar, and make sure it is at least 5% acidity.
- If you prefer not to can your sauce, you can also freeze it in an airtight container (such as a Mason jar with headspace for expansion) for long-term storage. When you’re ready to use the frozen BBQ sauce, simply thaw it in the refrigerator. Give it a good stir before using, as the ingredients may separate during freezing.
- Don’t skip the simmering step. It is critical for blending the flavors and achieving a thick consistency.
- You can customize your BBQ sauce by using additional ingredients such as Worcestershire sauce for an umami flavor, liquid smoke to mimic the flavor of slow cooking over a wood fire, black pepper in place of cayenne to mellow the spice, coffee for richness, onion powder for a savory touch, bourbon for complexity, or citrus juices to enhance sweetness. However, if deviating from this original recipe, it is not recommended for canning. Freezing your customized BBQ sauce recipe would be a safer option for long-term storage.
