How to Make Quick and Delicious Tangy Barbecue Sauce
If you like a barbecue that has a bit of a vinegar tang with a balanced sweet and peppery flavor, this homemade tangy barbecue sauce recipe is for you!
Summertime brings on a whole host of parties and get-togethers that typically involve being outside and some kind of grilled or barbecued meat. In most cases, the meal just isn’t complete without a barbecue sauce.
Condiments are some of the easiest items to make at home. Not only is it easy but it is typically a lot cheaper per ounce in the long run, especially if you’re looking for a barbecue sauce with the same high quality ingredients that we like to use around here.
What is Barbecue Sauce?
Barbecue sauce is a sauce that is primarily used in smoked or grilled meats. This sauce combines sweet, savory and tangy flavors by using a combination of tomato sauce or vinegar with spices and sweeteners.
Since there is such a wide variety of BBQ sauces, barbecue sauce is kind of like salad dressings but for grilled or smoked meats. Some barbecue sauce flavors vary depending on the region they used. For instance, common BBQ sauce styles include Kansas City, Texas and Carolina. Kansas City BBQ sauce style tends to be more thick and sweet. Texas BBQ sauce style tends to have a bit of spice and smoke flavor. Carolina BBQ sauce style is vinegar based.
Store Bought VS Homemade BBQ Sauce
Not only is homemade barbecue sauce easy to make but it also has no un-needed preservatives! If you’re an ingredient conscious household, you know it can be difficult to find sauces and condiments that don’t have crazy, unpronounceable or questionable ingredients.
The two other benefits of making your own bbq sauce go hand in hand! Making barbecue sauce at home primarily calls to use pantry staples. By using your pantry staples, you can also customize the flavor profile to you and your family’s preferences. If you like a spicier barbecue sauce, go ahead and use a hotter hot sauce or use some red pepper flakes. If you like a sweeter or more zingy sauce, add more molasses or white vinegar. The flavor possibilities are endless!
How to Store Homemade Tangy Barbecue Sauce
How you store homemade BBQ sauce will depend on how soon you will be using your delicious sauce. If you’re storing homemade barbecue sauce for the short term (3-5 days), you can keep it in an air tight food storage container in the fridge.
For longer term storage, I recommend freezing. Choose a freezer safe food storage container like a plastic deli container, ziploc bag or freezer safe glass container and place in the freezer. If kept frozen in a deep freezer, this sauce will last 6-12 months!
To use, take out the container of sauce and let thaw in the fridge overnight. Use as desired.
Shelf Life of Homemade Tangy Barbecue Sauce
As with many homemade foods, the shelf life is quite short. When making this sauce, it’s recommended storing in the fridge when not using and enjoying it within 3-5 days of preparing. If you need it to last longer, I suggest freezing it.
Looking for more summer time recipe inspiration? you might also enjoy this delicious Strawberry Lemonade Recipe or this Cherry Popsicle Recipe!
What To Serve With Homemade Tangy Barbecue Sauce
Although barbecue sauce is a hallmark of summer grilling, it’s more than just a sauce for ribs or smoked brisket. This delicious sauce can be enjoyed for dipping or over many other foods. Some common other foods include a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets, fries, wings and sandwiches or mixed into baked beans, as a pizza sauce and over meatballs.
Common Mistakes
If you are making a large batch of tangy barbecue sauce for a party or somewhere that it will be shared with a wide variety of taste preferences, you may want to be cautious with a few of the staple ingredients.
The first common mistake is the sugar and molasses. Adding too much sugar or molasses can over sweeten the sauce and make the sauce too sweet to enjoy on savory meats.
The second common mistake is making the sauce too acidic. Although a barbecue sauce can be vinegar based, the vinegar will need additional ingredients to round out the overall flavor of the sauce.
The last common mistake when making barbecue sauce is not taste testing it before you serve it. Even though the sauce will continue to develop in flavor as it sits, you should ALWAYS taste the sauce before serving to make sure it has the flavor profile you are looking for.
Ingredients and Tools
15 oz Tomato sauce
¼ + 1 Tablespoon Molasses
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 tablespoon Liquid smoke
3 tablespoons low sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce ( I like shoyu which is a traditionally fermented soy sauce)
¼ cup White Vinegar
1 tablespoon mild hot sauce (optional but recommended, even if you’re not a fan of spice)
1 teaspoon each salt black pepper, onion powder & garlic powder
A storage Jar with an airtight lid
A Whisk or fork
Directions
Measure all ingredients into your storage container and mix well with a whisk or fork.
Secure your airtight lid and store in the fridge for short term use.
If you don’t want to make a fresh batch every time you have a barbecue dinner, you can make a large batch and store some in the freezer for later.
FAQ:
Why Make Homemade BBQ Sauce?
Not only is homemade barbecue sauce easy to make but it also has no un-needed preservatives! If you’re an ingredient conscious household, you know it can be difficult to find sauces and condiments that don’t have crazy, unpronounceable or questionable ingredients.
The two other benefits of making your own bbq sauce go hand in hand! Making barbecue sauce at home primarily calls to use pantry staples. By using your pantry staples, you can also customize the flavor profile to you and your family’s preferences. If you like a spicier barbecue sauce, go ahead and use a hotter hot sauce or use some red pepper flakes. If you like a sweeter or more zingy sauce, add more molasses or white vinegar. The flavor possibilities are endless!
What is Barbecue Sauce?
Barbecue sauce is a sauce that is primarily used in smoked or grilled meats. This sauce combines sweet, savory and tangy flavors by using a combination of tomato sauce or vinegar with spices and sweeteners.
Since there is such a wide variety of BBQ sauces, barbecue sauce is kind of like salad dressings but for grilled or smoked meats. Some barbecue sauce flavors vary depending on the region they used. For instance, common BBQ sauce styles include Kansas City, Texas and Carolina. Kansas City BBQ sauce style tends to be more thick and sweet. Texas BBQ sauce style tends to have a bit of spice and smoke flavor. Carolina BBQ sauce style is vinegar based.
How Do I Store Homemade BBQ Sauce?
How you store homemade BBQ sauce will depend on how soon you will be using your delicious sauce. If you’re storing homemade barbecue sauce for the short term (3-5 days), you can keep it in an air tight food storage container in the fridge.
For longer term storage, I recommend freezing. Choose a freezer safe food storage container like a plastic deli container, ziploc bag or freezer safe glass container and place in the freezer. If kept frozen in a deep freezer, this sauce will last 6-12 months!
To use, take out the container of sauce and let thaw in the fridge overnight. Use as desired.
What Is The Shelf Life of Homemade Barbecue Sauce?
As with many homemade foods, the shelf life is quite short. When making this sauce, it’s recommended storing in the fridge when not using and enjoying it within 3-5 days of preparing. If you need it to last longer, I suggest freezing it.
What Do I Serve With Homemade BBQ Sauce?
Although barbecue sauce is a hallmark of summer grilling, it’s more than just a sauce for ribs or smoked brisket. This delicious sauce can be enjoyed for dipping or over many other foods. Some common other foods include a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets, fries, wings and sandwiches or mixed into baked beans, as a pizza sauce and over meatballs.
What Are Common Mistakes When Making Barbecue Sauce?
If you are making a large batch of barbecue sauce for a party or somewhere that it will be shared with a wide variety of taste preferences, you may want to be cautious with a few of the staple ingredients.
The first common mistake is the sugar and molasses. Adding too much sugar or molasses can over sweeten the sauce and make the sauce too sweet to enjoy on savory meats.
The second common mistake is making the sauce too acidic. Although a barbecue sauce can be vinegar based, the vinegar will need additional ingredients to round out the overall flavor of the sauce.
The last common mistake when making barbecue sauce is not taste testing it before you serve it. Even though the sauce will continue to develop in flavor as it sits, you should ALWAYS taste the sauce before serving to make sure it has the flavor profile you are looking for.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to know! Tag @MissysHomestead on Instagram or comment below
Tangy Barbecue Sauce
Equipment
- A storage jar with an airtight lid
- A whisk or fork
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 15 oz Tomato sauce
- ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon Molasses
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Liquid smoke
- 3 tablespoons low sodium Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce I like Shoyu because it's a traditionally fermented soy sauce
- ¼ cup White Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mild hot sauce optional but recommended, even if you’re not a fan of spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Measure all ingredients into your storage container and mix well with a whisk or fork.
- Secure your airtight lid and store in the fridge for short term use.
- If you don’t want to make a fresh batch every time you have a barbecue dinner, you can make a large batch and store some in the freezer for later.
