Besides gardening, what I love about spring is that it’s the beginning of bbq season! For me and mine, that usually means more recipes using a good, thick, sweet and tangy bbq sauce. I like to make pulled pork sandwiches in the slow cooker, bbq pork ribs and beef short ribs, ham hock with baked beans, and, of course, bbq chicken pizza… my favorite!
Unfortunately, many bbq sauces sold pre-bottled have many processed ingredients including high fructose corn syrup. It’s a blessing that you can now find some good organic options but finding one with a good robust flavor can prove itself to be a bit more difficult.
Why buy when you can make, right? Especially when it’s so easy to do.
I’ve been working on my bbq sauce recipe over the past couple of years, tinkering with a couple of the ingredients each time I made it. I’ve been pleased to have received great feedback from it each time I serve it to family and friends. My homemade bbq sauce is a Kansas City style sauce. It’s tomato based, sweet, and tangy… but not too tangy. It’s robust, thick and savory, and best of all… easy to make.
I start by dicing a large shallot.
I saute it in a heavy bottomed sauce pan with garlic for just a couple of minutes in extra virgin olive oil. Once the shallots and garlic start to turn translucent and brown a bit, I add a can of tomato paste, some water, honey, molasses, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, fish sauce, and salt.
This fish sauce makes all the difference, in my opinion. It adds deep, salty undertones to the bbq sauce and balances the flavors in the other ingredients. Red Boat is 100% pure, first press, extra virgin, Vietnamese fish sauce made from only two ingredients, black anchovies and salt. Nothing else. I love the deep flavors that it creates. I use it to replace soy and worcestershire sauce in my recipes. (This is not a sponsored post, I just love the stuff!)
Once all of the ingredients have been added, I allow it to simmer for 15 minutes before I blend all of the ingredients together with my immersion blender.
And, that’s it! See… easy and incredibly yummy. Yup, homemade bbq sauce. Another reason for loving spring!
A Kansas City style, tomato based, sweet and tangy homemade bbq sauce! Robust, thick, and savory!
Ingredients:
- 1 large shallot (1/3 cup), minced
- 2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 6oz can tomato paste
- 2 cans water, from empty tomato paste
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 cup honey
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tbls fish sauce
- 1 tbls dijon mustard
- 2 tsp large granule salt
Method:
- In a small heavy bottomed sauce pan, gently heat 2 tbls extra virgin olive oil. Add the shallots and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes or until the shallots start to turn translucent and just start to brown.
- Add the tomato paste and water; mix through. Allow to come to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the molasses, honey, vinegar, fish sauce, dijon mustard, and salt; mix through, bring to a boil the lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes more.
By the way, my Better Than Fast Food Chicken Nuggets taste absolutely phenomenal dipped into this homemade bbq sauce 😉
Do you make your own bbq sauce? Please share with us some of your favorite recipes using bbq sauce?
Thanks for another great-looking recipe, Diana – pinned! 🙂
Thanks, Dena!
I just had to report back after making this! It was delicious – nice and sweet, but with the balance of the shallots and garlic. It’s a keeper! 🙂
I’ve made my own BBQ sauce starting from organic corn-syrup free ketchup and using just sorghum cane syrup (where you use molasses), mustard powder, ginger, garlic and onion. Keeping BBQ sauce (all condiments) low sugar is important in my family because we have members who have diabetes and we want to keep their carbohydrates coming from other sources.
Your fish sauce addition sounds wonderful.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, Dineen. Your version sounds great!
Thank you for this recipe and your 25 day grace filled journey! We’re still trying to make changes, actually baby steps but still headed in the natural, real food direction! BBQ Sauce is huge for us- my DH loves to smoke food and I’m excited to try your recipe 🙂
Great, Erin! Let us know how he likes it!
i’m allergic to seafood so i’m glad you included that soy sauce or worchestershire sauce are substitutes for the fish sauce. i can’t wait to try this! and i really want to your recipe for BBQ chicken pizza! 🙂
The bbq chicken pizza is so easy. I think soon I’ll have to share my crust recipe. Really, once you have the crust ready to go, just slater on the bbq sauce and top it with shredded chicken, red onions, cheddar, and Pecorino Romano cheeses. I bake it in a parbaked pizza stone at 500F for 10 minutes. Super yummy!
We have a seafood allergy in our family too! Be careful with the Worcestershire sauce as some are made with anchovies!
Looks and sounds incredible! How long will it keep in fridge?
Denise, I’ve had it in my fridge for a good 3 weeks. We seem to use it quickly once we have it 😀
Sounds great! I’ve always hated that the store bought BBQ sauce has high fructose corn syrup as the number one ingredient. I don’t buy products with that ingredient except for BBQ sauce. Now I can make your recipe and not have to buy it anymore. Woohoo! I can’t wait to go shopping for the ingredients. Have you tried freezing it?
Judy, I have not frozen it. That’s a good idea, though!
Hi Diane,
Do you think this sauce could be fermented with whey? That would make it last longer in the fridge.
You know, Tina, I don’t really think it needs to be fermented so that it would last longer. Simply because of the acidity in the tomatoes and honey. I think those natural preservatives will keep it good for a while. But fermenting would add some great beneficial bacteria for the gut 😀
This looks delicious !! I am just curious if you know how long it stays good for after making?!(: I’m really excited to try some!
Have you ever tried canning your sauce?
Thanks for sharing. I have tried a few with little success. Although I admit, the fish sauce scares me a bit. Anchovies? (shiver). I will try it first with soy sauce and work my way up to fish sauce. Pinned!
I’ve been in desperate need of a good homemade BBQ sauce, so thank you!! I have a ton of grass-fed ribs sitting in my freezer destined for this sauce.
This sounds wonderful! Which kind/brand of molasses do you use, Diana?
Sue, I use wholesome sweetener’s black strap molasses.
This is a great recipe. I made a bunch to put on my meatballs for Easter. Yum. I haven’t had bbq sauce since I have been reading labels, so this recipe really excited me. Turned out great.
I’m so glad to hear that, Lynn!
I would love the recipe for your bbq chicken pizza!!
I made your recipe today. It tastes great but it is not thick. Should it be?
Thanks!
Hi Dana,
I just realized that I had to substitute maple syrup for some of the honey. That may be why it is thin. Don’t you just love when people change your recipes and then ask you why they didn’t turn out?! Sorry.
Wow!! Never am I ever buying bbq sauce again! My husband was licking the spoon asking if he could drink it! SOO, so good!!!
YUMMY! Just made for my husband, who loves Sweet Baby Rays (Blech!!) I made some changes out of desire and necessity…I used one cup light molasses (what I had, still all natural) and a bit of stevia….added some smoked paprika and cayenne and Sriracha hot chili sauce (just a bit!) subbed Worcestershire and liquid aminos for the fish sauce (which I didn’t have) it’s delicious!! Much more flavorful that Rays goop!! Thanks so much!!
Excellent! Better tasting than the stuff from the barbecue restaurant. I cut the honey in half and added cayenne pepper, because we like spicy more than sweet. I chose your recipe because it didn’t require ketchup and I liked the idea of shallots. Thank you!!!