Looking for a sweet homemade barbecue sauce recipe that’s sure to leave your taste buds dancing? Try this classic homemade bbq sauce today. It’s the perfect addition to baby back ribs, grilled chicken, or even smeared over corn on the cob! It’s one of my most famous recipes.
The time has come. It’s just not fair for me to keep it to myself anymore. I’m finally ready to spill the beans and share my secret homemade barbecue sauce recipe with the world! This bbq sauce is the perfect sweet addition to bbq chicken, bbq ribs, or to spread on top of a juicy meatloaf. Once you see how easy it is to prepare, you’ll never buy bbq sauce from the grocery store again.
Are you part of the Lake Life State of Mind community? I only ask because I actually shared this secret homemade barbecue sauce recipe in one of my newsletters way back in February months before I ever thought of adding it to the blog. Just one of the many benefits of being a Lake Life State of Mind member.
I shared my homemade barbecue sauce recipe back in February with my email subscribers because I was planning on making it to spread all over my famous baby back ribs for our annual Super Bowl party. My famous barbecue ribs only come out to play during Super Bowl and the 4th of July so it’s a really big deal when I make them. I cook them in the oven and baste them in this delicious bbq sauce and people literally go crazy over them! Truthfully, the ribs are just a vessel for this sweet take on barbecue sauce. And if you’re curious, barbecue chicken tastes just as amazing!
I’m a sweet barbecue sauce kind of girl. I’m not really a lover of spicy foods so I tend to stay away from the spicier variety. The sweetness from the sauce comes from fruit preserves. I like to use either apricot or peach preserves when making this bbq sauce. You won’t taste the fruit at all but rather the sweetness you get from it.
The best part about this bbq sauce is it’s so easy to make. You pretty much dump all your ingredients into a saucepan and let it simmer away for about 20 minutes on the stove. You can make a batch and freeze the extras for up to three months so you can enjoy it for future meals.
So what do I need to make this Homemade Barbecue Sauce?
3 slices of bacon, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 onion (chopped), 3 garlic cloves (smashed), 2 cups ketchup, 1 cup apricot or peach preserves, 2 tbsp dijon mustard, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1/4 cup molasses, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika
In a medium-sized saucepan, add the bacon and thyme and cook slowly over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes to render some of the bacon grease.
Add the chopped onions and smashed garlic cloves to the pan and continue cooking slowly for about 5 minutes. Make sure not to brown the onions or garlic.
Turn the heat down to low and add all the remaining ingredients to the saucepan.
Cook slowly for at least 20 minutes for the flavors to marry together.
Before serving, fish out your smashed garlic cloves and bacon.
Smother on ribs, chicken or anything else your little heart desires.
I told you it was easy! Don’t you think it’s time to stop using the bottled variety and try my homemade barbecue sauce? You’ll be amazed at the way this sweet bbq sauce takes your food to a whole new level. BBQ season is here and this sauce is exactly what you need!
- 3 slices of bacon
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ onion (chopped)
- 3 garlic cloves (smashed)
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1 cup apricot or peach preserves
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- In a medium-sized saucepan, add the bacon and thyme and cook slowly over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes to render some of the bacon grease.
- Add the chopped onions and smashed garlic cloves to the pan and continue cooking slowly for about 5 minutes. Make sure not to brown the onions or garlic.
- Turn the heat down to low and add all the remaining ingredients to the saucepan.
- Cook slowly for at least 20 minutes for the flavors to marry together.
- Before serving, fish out your smashed garlic cloves and bacon.
- Smother on ribs, chicken or anything else your little heart desires.
- *Extras can be frozen up to 3 months
Want to remember this? Post this Homemade Barbecue Sauce recipe to your favorite Pinterest board!
Sharlene Habermeyer says
You are right–this is an easy bbq sauce! I have one that I’ve used for years–but I’ve been looking for a new one–and this is perfect! I’ve never seen a bbq sauce that includes apricot preserves and I LOVE anything apricot! This recipe is also more chunky than mine and my family likes chunky sauces. Thanks for another fabulous & practical recipe that I can use over and over again!
lakelifestateofmind@gmail.com says
You’re so welcome! I’ve been making this sauce for ages and it really is a huge hit. I haven’t found anyone who doesn’t like it yet. You’ll love it and so will the family.