Honey BBQ Sauce

This sticky, sweet honey BBQ sauce is a fantastic homemade condiment. It's easy to make, tastes great, and can be used in lots of different dishes.

Jump to:

• Why you should make this
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Top tips
• Serving suggestions
• Variations
• Leftovers
• Frequently asked questions
• You might also like these recipes
• Recipe

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Why you should make this

• It's a really easy recipe
• You only need common pantry ingredients
• Homemade BBQ sauce is healthier most store bought alternatives
• It's easy to adapt to suit your preferences
• Can be used as a dipping sauce, marinade or cooking sauce
• You can serve it with so many dishes
• Impress friendly and family with homemade condiments (and don't tell them how ridiculously easy they are to make).

Ingredients

Ketchup: The main component in BBQ sauce! Use your favorite brand here, as any ketchup will work fine.

Honey: Makes the BBQ sauce sweet and sticky.

Brown sugar: Adds extra sweetness to the sauce.

Salt + pepper: Adds some flavor.

White wine vinegar: You can also use apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.

Onion powder + garlic powder: Adds flavor to the sauce.

Smoked paprika: This gives the sauce a little smokiness, which is needed when you make BBQ sauce.

Instructions

Making homemade BBQ sauce is probably easier than you think! All you have to do is simply add all the ingredients to a small pot, and stir to combine.

Cook the sauce on low heat for about 40-60 minutes, or until it has thickened to your liking. I like mine rather thick, so I always cook mine for 55 minutes.

Remember to stir occasionally while the sauce is cooking, and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent it from burning.

After the sauce is done, remove it from the heat and leave it to cool down for a while. Then, you can either use the sauce, or transfer it to a jar or bottle for storage.

💡 TIP! Always cook BBQ sauce on low heat to prevent it from burning. Using a non stick pot can also help.

Top tips

• Low heat is key to prevent the sauce from burning.
• Feel free to adjust the recipe by adding your preferred seasoning.
• Using a good quality ketchup is key, as its one of the main flavor components.

Serving suggestions

BBQ sauce is a really versatile condiment you can serve with a variety of dishes. Here are some of my favorite dishes to pair it with:

• Air Fryer Hamburgers - Top your hamburgers with a spoon on BBQ sauce.
• Instant Pot BBQ Chicken - Make shredded chicken with BBQ sauce in your instant pot.
• BBQ Meatloaf - This meatloaf with BBQ glaze is absolutely fantastic.
• Crockpot BBQ Chicken - You can also make BBQ shredded chicken in your slow cooker!
• Crockpot BBQ Meatballs - Coat meatballs in a sticky BBQ sauce.

Browse my collections of healthy dip recipes and healthy sauce recipes for more ideas.

Variations

Add some spice: Add a little chili powder, sriracha or cayenne pepper if you prefer spicy BBQ sauce.

Vegan: For a vegan alternative, you can substitute the honey with agave nectar or maple syrup. The flavor will be slightly different, but still good!

Leftovers

Store BBQ sauce in a jar, bottle or a sealed container in a refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

I like to make a big batch to refrigerate and use in multiple meals through the week. The BBQ sauce can be used for dinner recipes, as a condiment or dip, and is incredibly versatile.

You can also freeze BBQ sauce! Make sure to freeze it in a freezer safe container such as a freezer bag, then thaw it in a refrigerator overnight before use.

Frequently asked questions

You might also like these recipes

• Gyoza Sauce
• Ginger Scallion Sauce
• Healthy Spaghetti Sauce
• Yogurt Dill Sauce
• Healthy Spaghetti Sauce
• Authentic Tzatziki Sauce

If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!

Recipe