Homemade BBQ sauce
A thick, sticky, smoky and tangy barbecue sauce in the Kansas City style, without any hidden gluten or dairy.
Make this once, then cook it into 21 different dishes.
- Time50 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.33 a head
- Makesabout 600 ml, enough for 3 barbecues for 4
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft.
5 min - 2
Add the garlic and smoked paprika and stir for 1 minute.
- 3
Add the passata, vinegar, water, sugar, tomato purée, tamari, treacle, mustard powder, pepper and salt. Stir well and bring to the boil.
- 4
Turn the heat down and simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and glossy.
30 min - 5
Blend with a stick blender until smooth. Taste and adjust: more vinegar for tang, more sugar for sweetness, more salt if needed.
- 6
Cool and pour into a clean jar. Keep in the fridge.
About homemade bbq sauce
BBQ sauce is a thick, sweet, tangy and smoky sauce used to brush on grilled or smoked meat and served alongside ribs, burgers, pulled pork and chicken wings. This one is in the style of Kansas City barbecue sauce, which is tomato based and sweetened with molasses or brown sugar.
It starts with onions and garlic, then passata, cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, black treacle and tomato purée, with smoked paprika for a smoky flavour and mustard for a sharp edge. After 30 minutes of simmering, it is blended smooth and glossy. There is no need for liquid smoke.
Many bottled barbecue sauces contain malt vinegar (from barley), Worcestershire sauce with anchovies, or thickeners with gluten. This version uses gluten free tamari in place of Worcestershire sauce, so it is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free.
Tips
- Brush the sauce on near the end of grilling, in the last 5 to 10 minutes. The sugar burns if it goes on too early or the heat is too high.
- Set aside a portion for serving before brushing the rest onto raw meat. Do not reuse sauce that has touched raw meat unless you boil it for at least 2 minutes.
- For heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes or 1 teaspoon of chipotle paste. For a smokier flavour, use hot smoked paprika.
- If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a splash of water. If too thin, simmer for a few minutes longer.
- Check the labels on the mustard powder, passata and tamari if you need it gluten free. Brands vary.
- Reduce the sugar to 50 g for a tangier sauce, or add an extra tablespoon of cider vinegar.
Storing and freezing
Pour into a clean jar, cool, and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Always use a clean spoon, and do not return sauce that has touched food to the jar.
Dishes you can make with homemade bbq sauce
BBQ Chicken Pizza with Red Onion and Coriander
EFNFJerk Pulled Pork Rolls with Pineapple Slaw
DFEFNFBBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sliders
VGVDFSticky BBQ Chicken Wings (Oven Baked)
GFDFEFBBQ King Oyster Mushroom Tacos
VGVGFBBQ Carnitas Quesadillas
EFNFSmoky BBQ Black Bean Burrito Bowls
VGVGFBBQ Chicken Jacket Potatoes with Sweetcorn and Cheddar
GFEFNFSausage and Smoky BBQ Bean Bake
GFNFBBQ Glazed Meatloaf
GFDFNFBBQ Chicken and Sweet Potato Tray Bake
GFDFEFBBQ Pork Chops with Charred Corn and Tomato Salad
GFDFEFQuestions
Is homemade BBQ sauce gluten free?
Yes, this one is, as long as your tamari and mustard powder are labelled gluten free. It uses cider vinegar and tamari rather than malt vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, which often contain gluten. It is also vegan, dairy free, egg free and nut free.
How long does homemade BBQ sauce last?
Up to 2 weeks in the fridge in a clean covered jar, or up to 3 months in the freezer. The vinegar and sugar help preserve it, but it still needs to stay chilled.
Can I make BBQ sauce less sweet?
Yes. Reduce the dark brown sugar to 50 g and add an extra tablespoon of cider vinegar. Add the treacle only if you like a deeper flavour. Taste at the end and adjust.
How do I make it smoky without liquid smoke?
Use smoked paprika. It gives a good smoky flavour, and hot smoked paprika adds a little heat. A pinch of chipotle chilli paste also adds smoke.
Can I use the sauce as a marinade?
Yes, but set some aside for serving first. Sauce that has touched raw meat must not be served unless boiled for at least 2 minutes. Marinate for a few hours, then wipe off excess before grilling.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.