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This Homemade Barbecue Sauce……it’s just like Sweet Baby Ray’s and it totally has me wishful thinking…Come on. We were almost there, we even had some nice warm sunny days. I could feel spring!

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Not!

But then, yeah you guessed it. It totally snowed last night.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

I am not going back to my winter ways. I am rebelling against this weather!

It is April gosh darn it!

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Technically I know April is a little early to be breaking out the grill, but let’s just say I am getting you guys ready for that hot spring day when you decide it is time to break out the grill.

Before you know April will be over, mid May will hit and with it will come (hopefully) warm temps! Or maybe you are lucky enough to be in one of those spots where the warm weather has already arrived…lucky you.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Really is there a better way to prepare for outdoor cooking than homemade BBQ sauce!

It’s pretty much any griller’s favorite sauce.

Heck whether you are griller, broiler, Gorge Foreman lover or baker, it is still probably your favorite sauce.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Over here we grill all year round. The boys CANNOT live without their grilled chicken or steak and my dad only likes his fish grilled. Not seared, not baked and not fried. Grilled.

So our grill gets a whole lot of use.

Therefore, we also go through a whole lot of BBQ sauce. Obviously.

 

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Hands down, around here the family favorite is Sweet Baby Ray’s.

The problem? It is filled to the brim with high fructose corn syrup! Barf.

So I made my own. And oh fudge it is good! And like ridiculously easy. It takes me ten minutes to throw together! Yes, just 10 minutes! You definitely can’t get to the store and back in 10 minutes! Plus, my guess is you have every single ingredient in your kitchen right now. Honestly, it could not be simpler and it could not taste better. Even the texture is stop on. Sweet Baby Ray himself would not be able to tell the difference.

Yeah, I am serious. It is that good.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Homemade Barbecue Sauce....Just Like Sweet Baby Ray

3.89 from 488 votes
2 cups
calories 497kcal
Prep5 minutes
Cook5 minutes
Total10 minutes
A tasty homemade BBQ sauce recipe
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Combine all the ingredients size sauce pot. Bring to a boil and reduce and simmer for five minutes or until all the sugar has dissolved. Serve immediately or cover and store in fridge.

Notes

Nutritional values are based on one cup of sauce

Nutrition

Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 149g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 2590mg | Potassium: 1109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 139g | Vitamin A: 1485IU | Vitamin C: 8.2mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 3.6mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Bone suckin’, lick the spoon (jar, bowl, table, whatever), good!

 

 

Meet Tieghan Gerard

I'm Tieghan, the recipes you'll find here are inspired by the people and places I love most. I try to live simply, eat seasonally, and cook with whole foods. My hope is to inspire a love for amazing food, as well as the courage to try something new!

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3.89 from 488 votes (443 ratings without comment)

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438 Comments

  1. Phillip Adams says:

    I came across this recipe while prepping for a church cook-out. I like Sweet Baby Rays, but like my BBQ a little sweeter.

    I followed the recipe, with the only exceptions being no water-cornstarch mixture, a pinch of Cayenne Pepper, and I added a 1/4 cup of Honey on top of everything else!

    My family loved it, my daughter even said it should be called Sassy Sauce!

    1. halfbakedharvest says:

      SO happy you all loved it, thanks!

  2. Mara W. says:

    Do you use blackstrap molasses?

    1. halfbakedharvest says:

      Yes. Enjoy the sauce!

      1. Mara W. says:

        Thank you so much for your speedy response! The sauce is fantastic, we’re enjoying it slathered over baby back ribs 🙂

  3. Sandra says:

    i loved this but I would love to can this how long would I need to process this for also water bath or pressure canner thanks

  4. Mathew says:

    I tried your sauce for the first time and it is the best !!!!! The flavor even got better when it cooled to room temp……

    I have to get some ribs and use this sauce on the smoker it is A WINNER… Thanks so much for posting this……….

    1. halfbakedharvest says:

      Ya! That is awesome! THANKS!

  5. Rich Ackerman says:

    Love your sauce. I was going to grill some chicken but noticed that I was out of sauce.

    Found your recipe I will NEVER buy sauce again. I is so easy to make.

    Thank you.

    1. halfbakedharvest says:

      THANK YOU! So happy you love it!

  6. mellie says:

    Can you make a few batches of this and freeze it? Thank you for your help.

    1. halfbakedharvest says:

      Hi! I think that would work great, enjoy!!

  7. Rebekah says:

    I can’t believe I’m the first to ask, just read all the comments looking for a question about the Worcestershire sauce. My son is allergic to wheat which is an ingredient in that sauce…any suggestions on a substitute? Thanks, can’t wait to try it!

    1. halfbakedharvest says:

      Hey Rebekah,

      Just leave it out. No big deal. Hope you love the sauce!

  8. Heiress says:

    Hi, im so interested with your recipe but I cant find molasses here in our place. is there any substitute?

    1. Jim Mahon says:

      Come on there is no substitute for molasses. But I’m sure you can find it if you look a little harder. If all else fails try god forbid Walmart.

      HEIRESS
      March 8, 2015 at 7:36 AM
      Hi, im so interested with your recipe but I cant find molasses here in our place. is there any substitute?

    2. halfbakedharvest says:

      HI! Maybe just try leaving it out. I still think the BBQ sauce with be fine. Hope you love it!

  9. Laura Brooks says:

    can this be made in a big batch and canned into canning jars to put on shelf.

    1. yasalonis,susan says:

      should it be water bathed or pressure canned, how long?

      1. halfbakedharvest says:

        Hi Susan! I have never canned this so honestly I really cannot say. SORRY!

  10. Sherry says:

    Idont haveeeee molassses one hand. Do I need it or is there a substitute I can use.

    1. halfbakedharvest says:

      Hey Sherry, the molasses is kind of important. Is it possible to get some?

  11. Kate B. says:

    Made this today to use in your BBQ beer pulled chicken recipe. Oh boy is it delicious! Thank you!

    1. halfbakedharvest says:

      Thank you so much, Kate!

  12. Terry says:

    Love the sauce. Would like to find a way to reduce the ketchup taste a bit more. I followed the recipe exact minus the corn starch water mixture at the end

  13. Veronica Morimanno says:

    I have now made this at least 6 times. This is the only BBQ sauce we eat now. Thank You!!

  14. stephanie sommer says:

    Thank you for the recipe! It was delicious for our pulled pork. I reduced the sugar by a 1/4 c and left out the cayenne pepper to make more kid friendly I loved the molasses flavor in it. Everyone thought it was amazing. We will definitely make this again.

  15. Michelle says:

    I’ve made this sauce twice in a week since I’ve found this. This is an amazing BBQ sauce and my husband loves it! We live in Japan and can’t find his favorite sweet baby rays BBQ sauce at the local stores, and this was a lifesaver. Thank you for sharing!

    1. halfbakedharvest says:

      THANK YOU! So excited you guys love this! 🙂