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Homemade BBQ Sauce

By John Willoughby

Updated Feb. 9, 2024

Homemade BBQ Sauce
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(4,041)
Comments
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Smoked paprika is the secret weapon in this simple barbecue sauce, which goes beautifully with pork and chicken. If you’re painting the sauce onto cooking meat, thin it out with water to about a one-to-one ratio, which will keep the sugars from burning too quickly over the fire. Serve the full-strength stuff alongside the finished meat.

Featured in: Mixed Grill, the American Way

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Ingredients

Yield:About 1½ cups
  • ⅔cup ketchup
  • ½cup cider vinegar
  • ¼cup brown sugar
  • 2teaspoons pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika)
  • 1teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (3 servings)

117 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 23 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 492 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
4,041 user ratings
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Comments

David Blackwell

I would not change a thing. Except split the ½ cup cider to be ¼ cup cider + ¼ cup bourbon. Very good as a general cooking sauce. It is also a great way to take leftover grilled flank steak (or any cut of steak or pork), place it in the bottom of a slow cooker, pour this sauce over, and heat on high for two hours, or low for three or more. It becomes a very easy pulled steak or pork bbq sandwich.

So - I guess I did change a thing...

Erich Hayner

As almost everyone who has commented here has said, make your BBQ sauce YOUR BBQ sauce! I have never made the stuff the same way twice and never will. Experiment! One of the most admired sauces I have ever made consisted of blackberry puree and jam instead of ketchup. Rummage people!

Kevin Osinski

Sauce was good, particularly if, as suggested, you add some spicy paprika or cayenne. I wasn't so fond of it diluted and used as a mop, however. Thinning by 1:1 made it too dilute and flavorless. One part water to two parts sauce might be a better ratio.

Marta

I didn’t have any ketchup and used tomato paste instead and it came out much better!

Patty Costa Rica

Made this for the second time. Doubled the recipe so l would have enough to freeze. The changes l made were added half the amount of cider vinegar with an equal amount of bourbon to replace it. 2 Tablespoons of molasses, 2 teaspoons grated garlic, a 1/2 teaspoon or so of chili powder and skipped the cumin. Delicious and so easy. Served it over wing middles that l baked with salt & pepper only. Basted the chicken with the sauce during the last 10 minutes, 5 minutes on each side. Served extra sauce for dipping.

Mat

Agree with those who sub half the vinegar for bourbon. This balances it out much better.

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