Spicy, sweet, smoky and slightly sour – the unique flavor profile of the barbecue sauce is unmistakable. It’s a popular, traditional American sauce and a must-have at any barbecue party. If you would like to make your own barbecue sauce yourself, then you have come to the right place today! Your guests will be very impressed and just can’t get enough of it.
No matter whether vegan or not – sauces should not be missing at any barbecue party!
BBQ sauces are irresistibly delicious, easy to prepare and surprisingly versatile
Make a versatile and irresistible barbecue sauce yourself
Barbecue sauce is not only irresistibly delicious – it is also incredibly versatile. It can be used as a marinade or to glaze meat and vegetables before and during grilling. It can be used as a sauce for burgers and hot dogs, as a dressing for potato and bean salads, or as a dip for french fries and chips. A good barbecue sauce can be mixed with ground beef or vegan ground beef before grilling to give the meat a unique flavor. You can drizzle BBQ sauce over pizza or pasta, or even mix a tablespoon into a Bloody Mary cocktail. The possible uses are really endless!
Delicious grilled sweet and sour chicken wings
Sweet potato fries with homemade BBQ dip
There are many different types of BBQ sauce available on the market today. Some are better than others, some keep the traditional flavor profile while others change it up completely. What they all have in common, however, is that they are often stuffed full of sugar, artificial flavorings or colorings, preservatives and other chemical additives. These are not only unhealthy, but also completely unnecessary!
That is why we would like to show you a few traditional recipe ideas today on how you can make your very own barbecue sauce yourself. They are very easy to prepare and can be prepared either just before the first guests arrive or a few days before the cookout.
If you make this barbecue sauce yourself, your burgers will taste even better than in fast food restaurants
Make your own barbecue sauce – recipe ideas for every taste
Barbecue sauce is not just barbecue sauce! It is not only very versatile in terms of possible uses, but also in terms of the ingredients used in it. Almost every American state now has its own variation of the sauce.
In some regions, the sauce is prepared with ketchup, for example. Others use canned tomato passata instead. Some home cooks even omit the tomatoes entirely and use mustard as the base of their sauce instead!
Spicy chili peppers such as B. Jalapenos, Serranos or Habaneros are a common addition to barbecue sauce in many states. In others, however, a sweeter note is preferred, achieved by adding sugar, honey, syrup, molasses or even fruit juice. Traditional barbecue sauces usually have both a spicy and a sweet flavor.
There is not a single barbecue sauce
So it’s entirely up to you which ingredients you reduce or omit, which you increase and which you replace entirely. For example, if you don’t want to use liquid smoke in your recipe, simply substitute smoked paprika powder for it.
There are also several ways to increase the saltiness of the sauce. Although you can easily put salt in it. Alternatively, you can use Worcestershire sauce or even soy sauce. These not only give your recipe saltiness, but also a special additional flavor.
So don’t hesitate to experiment! Create a recipe that tastes the best for you and your guests! Here we show you a barbecue sauce that you are welcome to prepare at home, try out and change as you wish.
Grilled meat and vegetables caramelize beautifully with a glaze
To make this barbecue sauce yourself, you will need the following:
- 1 large onion or 5-6 shallots
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 20 grams of butter
- 20 g sunflower oil or rapeseed oil
- 200ml of water
- 240 ml canned tomato passata or ketchup
- 60 ml apple, wine or balsamic vinegar
- 50-70 g brown sugar, honey, maple syrup or agave syrup
- 50 g Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
- salt and pepper to taste
optionally:
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 3-4 drops of liquid smoke
- fresh chili peppers, chili powder or sriracha to taste
Step by step recipe instructions:
First, heat the butter and oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Slice the onions or shallots, then caramelize, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Chop the garlic cloves and sauté them with the onions for about a minute. Deglaze the pot with water.
Add all remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then simmer until reduced. Make a test sample and increase the sweetness, saltiness or spiciness depending on your preference. Remove from the heat, let cool for 10-15 minutes, then puree with an immersion blender or blender.
If you want to achieve a particularly smooth consistency, pass the barbecue sauce through a sieve. Finally, pour into sauce bottles or mason jars, seal and refrigerate for up to a week. Enjoy your meal!
Looking for a last minute recipe? Just use onion and garlic powder!
You too can make your very own barbecue sauce yourself instead of buying it from the supermarket. Impress your guests and be ready to share the recipe with them. We hope that you will succeed with our recipe idea and that the food tastes good with the homemade barbecue sauce!
The traditional American barbecue sauce has a strong dark red color
Vegan sauce preferred? You can easily omit the butter when caramelizing the onions
