Sheila’s Backyard BBQ Sauce

Servings: 4 servings Difficulty: Intermediate
A tangy, sweet, and smoky homemade barbecue sauce perfect for grilling season
Sheila's Backyard BBQ Sauce recipe image

This homemade BBQ sauce is a backyard grilling essential, offering a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. Unlike store-bought bottles, this recipe uses fresh aromatics like garlic and onion to build a deep, savory foundation. The combination of ketchup, brown sugar, and molasses creates a rich, glossy coating that caramelizes beautifully on grilled meats. With notes of orange and lemon juice cutting through the sweetness, it pairs exceptionally well with ribs, chicken, or pulled pork. It’s thick enough to baste and bold enough to stand alone as a dipping sauce. Easy to make in large batches, this versatile sauce keeps well in the fridge, making it a reliable staple for summer cookouts and weeknight dinners alike.

Sheila’s Backyard BBQ Sauce

Difficulty: Intermediate
Servings: 4 servings Calories: 299.8
Dietary:

Description

This homemade BBQ sauce is a backyard grilling essential, offering a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. Unlike store-bought bottles, this recipe uses fresh aromatics like garlic and onion to build a deep, savory foundation. The combination of ketchup, brown sugar, and molasses creates a rich, glossy coating that caramelizes beautifully on grilled meats. With notes of orange and lemon juice cutting through the sweetness, it pairs exceptionally well with ribs, chicken, or pulled pork. It's thick enough to baste and bold enough to stand alone as a dipping sauce. Easy to make in large batches, this versatile sauce keeps well in the fridge, making it a reliable staple for summer cookouts and weeknight dinners alike.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Add the slivered onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the peeled garlic cloves and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  4. Add the crushed plum tomatoes with their juice to the pan.
  5. Stir in the ketchup, orange juice, lemon juice, red-wine vinegar, and water.
  6. Add the honey, brown sugar, chopped crystallized ginger, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco.
  7. Whisk in the chili powder, ground coriander, dry mustard, and salt.
  8. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
  9. Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly.
  10. Remove from heat and let cool completely before transferring to jars.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4 servings


Amount Per Serving
Calories 299.8kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8.3g13%
Saturated Fat 1.3g7%
Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
Sodium 26.5mg2%
Total Carbohydrate 51.8g18%
Dietary Fiber 3.6g15%
Sugars 2.5g
Protein 9.9g20%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: bbq sauce, homemade, barbecue, grilling, tangy, smoky, ribs, chicken, glaze, spicy, american, summer, cookout, condiment, ketchup, molasses, vinegar, garlic, onion, spice blend, dipping sauce
Recipe Card powered by WP Delicious