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Homemade BBQ Sauce

Homemade BBQ Sauce with clear ingredients, a practical method and useful kitchen notes.

By Gary Burfield-Wallis First published Updated
Homemade barbecue sauce in a squeeze bottle beside a plated snack.
A pourable homemade barbecue sauce ready for serving.

At a glance

Recipe summary

Prep
5 min
Cook
10 min
Total
15 min
Serves
One batch
Skill
Easy

This sweet-and-tangy barbecue sauce combines tomato ketchup, vinegar, several sweeteners, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce and Marmite, then simmers briefly to bring the flavours together.

Because the sauce contains a high proportion of sugar, use it as a finishing sauce or cook over controlled heat rather than brushing it onto food too early over a fierce flame.

What you need

Ingredients

Metric US Ingredient
300 g 10.6 oz tomato ketchup The original recipe specified a budget ketchup.
4 tbsp 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
5 tbsp 5 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp 2 tbsp golden syrup
3 tbsp 3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp 2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 1/2 tsp 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp 1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp 2 tsp Marmite
1 pinch 1 pinch sea salt

How to make it

Method

  1. Put all the ingredients into a medium saucepan and mix until evenly combined.
  2. Bring the sauce to the boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
  3. Take the pan off the heat and allow the sauce to cool before serving or transferring it to a clean container.

Useful notes

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan
  • Wooden spoon or whisk
  • Clean jar or bottle for storing the cooled sauce

Allergen notes

  • Worcestershire sauce commonly contains fish; check the label.
  • Marmite contains barley and is not suitable for a gluten-free diet.

Storage

Cool the sauce promptly, transfer it to a clean sealed container and refrigerate. Freeze in small portions when longer storage is needed.