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A bowl of thick bbq sauce
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4.93 from 27 votes

Sweet Tangy Thick and Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce

Easy and Homemade BBQ Sauce made without ketchup - rich, sweet, tangy, thick and rich thanks to the molasses, vinegar and the rest of the tasty ingredients.  This BBQ sauce is much healthier too because it's tomato based. So good,  you'll slather it on everything! 
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Southern
Keyword bbq sauce, easy bbq sauce, homemade bbq sauce, thick bbq sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Author April Boller Wright

Ingredients

  • 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
  • 5 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 3 pinches onion powder
  • 3 pinches chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 1/4 cup diced onions
  • tsp liquid smoke for taste **optional see notes**

Instructions

  • In a skillet over medium high heat add the vegetable oil or butter. Once the oil is hot, add the onions. Saute until translucent and softened. 
  • Add the sautéed onions, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, spicy mustard, lemon juice, ketchup, liquid smoke, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder chili powder and pepper to a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil then set stove to low, Cook the bbq sauce for 20-35 minutes stirring occasionally until thickened to your liking. **See notes for tips to make a smoother sauce. 

Notes

Tips to make this bbq sauce

  • Remember to simmer the BBQ sauce stirring occasionally for about 25-35 minutes until the sauce is thickened to your liking.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  • Let your sauce hang out in the fridge for a day. It will help all the flavors meld resulting in a more flavorful smoother sauce.  
 
 
  • Make sure you use a good quality  molasses  
 
 
  • Liquid smoke helps mimic the flavor of smoked meats without having to smoke anything at all. Liquid smoke is optional..It's still absolutely delicious without it.   
    ***I used 1/4 tsp of liquid smoke. A little goes a long way. For starters I suggest you add maybe even less than and taste. If you want it more smokey then add a bit more and more until you like the flavors. 
     
    Oh one more thing, some people realize they don't like the flavor of liquid smoke in their bbq.
    So another suggestion is to simply do a taste test. Place a bit of the sauce and mix it with a tiny bit of the liquid smoke and taste. Decide if you want to add the liquid smoke to the rest of the bbq sauce. 
     
 
 
  • Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.  
Recipe was updated 3/6/2019