The Best Tangy & Thick Sweet Onion BBQ Sauce
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Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce. Rich smoky, sweet and tangy. This ketchup based bbq sauce contains, molasses, brown sugar, sweet red onions, apple cider vinegar, mustard and a few other ingredients! It’s simmered until it’s thickened and flavorful. So good, you’ll want to slather it on everything or eat it straight from the spoon!
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A while back (2018), we spent a year living in Kansas City, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for BBQ. The ribs are just next level. The best ever! This homemade version was inspired by those flavors just a chunkier bbq sauce, and it’s still a favorite in my home.
How to Make Homemade BBQ Sauce
This sauce is simple and foolproof, but the flavor? Next level. It’s also very forgiving, so feel free to tweak it a bit. Don’t like chunks of onion? Blend it. Want it spicier? Add more chili powder or hot sauce. But whatever you do — don’t skip the onions unless you absolutely have to. They add so much depth.
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Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil or butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
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Once hot, add 1/2 cup chopped red onions. Sauté until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
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Transfer the onions to a medium saucepan. Add:
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1 cup ketchup
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1/4 cup molasses (use a good quality one!)
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1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
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1/4 cup brown sugar
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2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
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1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
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2 tablespoons lemon juice
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1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
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1/2 teaspoon onion powder
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1/2 teaspoon chili powder
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1/4 teaspoon black pepper
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Optional: 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (or less — see notes)
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Stir everything together and bring to a boil over high heat.
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Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 20–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your liking.
Tips for the Best BBQ Sauce
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Simmer to your preference: The longer it simmers, the thicker, richer, and more flavorful it becomes. Want a thinner sauce? Cut the simmer time in half.
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Smooth it out: For a silky texture, blend the finished sauce using an immersion blender, food processor, or blender.
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Let it rest: Chill it in the fridge for a day before using. This helps all the flavors meld together beautifully.
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Go easy on the liquid smoke: A little goes a long way. If you’re unsure, stir a drop into a spoonful of sauce and taste before adding it to the full batch. Some people love it, others not so much.
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Storage: Keep your BBQ sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Ways to Use This Sauce
It’s incredibly versatile. Use it on:
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Slather on, BBQ chicken sliders
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BBQ chicken sliders
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Burgers or meatloaf
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Grilled ribs, drumsticks, or wings
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Baked beans or even mac and cheese
This is the kind of sauce that makes you excited for summer. But honestly, I use it all year long.
If you liked this bbq sauce recipe, check out how I used it in my slow cooker & instant pot bbq pulled beef sandwiches.
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Sweet Tangy Thick and Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup diced onions
- 3 tsp molasses
- 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp hot sauce
- 1 tbsp spicy mustard
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup ketchup **plus additional 2 tablespoons
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke for taste **optional see notes**
- 5 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 pinches onion powder
- 3 pinches chili powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil or butter.
- Once hot, add the chopped onions and sauté until they’re soft and translucent.
- Transfer the sautéed onions to a medium saucepan. Add the molasses, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, spicy mustard, lemon juice, ketchup, liquid smoke (if using), brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and black pepper.
- Set the pan over high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 20-35 minutes, stirring every so often, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
Notes
Tips to make this bbq sauce
- For a smoother sauce: After it’s cooked, use an immersion blender right in the pan or transfer it to a blender/food processor. Blend until silky smooth.
- Flavor improves overnight: Let the sauce rest in the fridge for a day before using. The flavors will deepen and mellow beautifully.
- Use good-quality molasses. It makes a noticeable difference in depth and sweetness.
- Liquid smoke adds a backyard barbecue vibe without needing a smoker. It’s optional — still fantastic without it. Start with a tiny amount (about 1/4 teaspoon) and taste as you go. A little truly goes a long way.
- Pro tip: Some folks aren’t into liquid smoke. To test if it’s for you, stir a dab of it into a spoonful of sauce and taste before adding it to the whole batch.
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I just made this and it was delicious! My friends raved about it. I used it on chicken thighs. I didn’t have liquid smoke but believe I’d prefer it without. It has just enough sweet and heat without being too hot. I would definitely make this again and again.
So glad y’all liked it! Thanks for leaving great feedback :)!
Thank you for the cooking tips to make BBQ sauce. I can’t wait to try this recipe, I would make the sauce smooth.
So I don’t know why I never thought of simmering my bbq sauce. I bet you are spot on about how the cooking deepens the flavour. I also love the addition of molasses and the onions. I can’t wait to try this!
Homemade spice and sauces are the best, This barbecue sauce looks amazing . With this sauce in hand , we can have lots of options wide open
Delicious sauce – just the way I like my bbq sauce to be! The amount of ingreidents is incredible and I can imagine how tasty this sauce is on top of my favorite grilled food!
Can’t wait to make this bbq sauce. Just love all the flavours in it. I can imagine how good ribs would be with this!
I can’t believe I have never made my own BBQ sauce… You have convinced me! I have had such a hankering for some juicy ribs and this is just the sauce that they need to be slathered up with. YUM!
Juicy ribs with bbq sauce sound so good! Thank you so much Heather!
This is a great recipe, and thank you for the tip about the liquid smoke! I added it and think it really adds that nice bbq flavor. I used an immersion blender on mine and it was perfectly smooth just like a restaurant. Delicious!
Thanks so much Sophia! Omg I have an immersion blender and I silly, I didn’t even think to add that to the recipe notes. I’m going to add it now just in case someone else likes their sauce smooth! Love the immersion blender idea. It’s much easier than using a blender or food processor! Thanks again and I’m glad you enjoy the bbq sauce!!
I’m a little jealous you’ve been able to enjoy all that KC barbecue, but at least I can enjoy this delicious sauce! It’s so tasty, and I’ll be making it a ton this spring and summer.
I’m going to miss Kansas City Bbq for sure! Thank so much Amanda!!
Oh my – this homemade sauce is a big deal. I’m not a fan of BBQ sauce because sometimes they make it too bland, so I need to make this one this summer.
I think you’ll love this homemade bbq sauce. No where near bland! Thank you Linda!
i’ve always wanted to visit kansas city! i hear the bbq is awesome 🙂 homemade bbq sauce is just the best. i love that you used molasses in this recipe, I’ll have to try it!
Never thought homemade bbq sauce will be so easy. Thanks for the recipe and you have a lovely blog.
Thank you so much Sophie!