Homemade BBQ Sauce

Name: Homemade BBQ Sauce
Yield: About 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients: 2/3 cup ketchup; 1/2 cup cider vinegar; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 2 teaspoons pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika); 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

By John Willoughby

Updated Feb. 9, 2024

Homemade BBQ Sauce — Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Total Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Rating: 5(3,878)
Comments: Read comments

Smoked paprika is the secret weapon in this simple barbecue sauce, which goes beautifully with pork and chicken. If you’re painting the sauce onto cooking meat, thin it out with water to about a one-to-one ratio, which will keep the sugars from burning too quickly over the fire. Serve the full-strength stuff alongside the finished meat.

Featured in: Mixed Grill, the American Way

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Ingredients

Yield:About 1½ cups

⅔cup ketchup
½cup cider vinegar
¼cup brown sugar
2teaspoons pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika)
1teaspoon ground cumin
1teaspoon kosher salt
1teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.

Ratings

5 out of 5

3,878 user ratings

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Comments

David Blackwell7 years ago

I would not change a thing. Except split the ½ cup cider to be ¼ cup cider + ¼ cup bourbon. Very good as a general cooking sauce. It is also a great way to take leftover grilled flank steak (or any cut of steak or pork), place it in the bottom of a slow cooker, pour this sauce over, and heat on high for two hours, or low for three or more. It becomes a very easy pulled steak or pork bbq sandwich.

So - I guess I did change a thing...

Erich Hayner6 years ago

As almost everyone who has commented here has said, make your BBQ sauce YOUR BBQ sauce! I have never made the stuff the same way twice and never will. Experiment! One of the most admired sauces I have ever made consisted of blackberry puree and jam instead of ketchup. Rummage people!

Kevin Osinski7 years ago

Sauce was good, particularly if, as suggested, you add some spicy paprika or cayenne. I wasn't so fond of it diluted and used as a mop, however. Thinning by 1:1 made it too dilute and flavorless. One part water to two parts sauce might be a better ratio.

David from Boise5 days ago

Added 1/4 t each of onion and garlic powder, and about 1/2 t dry mustard. Also, used molasses instead of brown sugar. The paprika was some hot smoked pimenton from a basque market we are lucky to have in our town. Delicious on baby back, and will be using this more on other meats this summer. Next batch I'll reduce the ketchup or add more vinegar, and I'll try a bit of the bourbon or maybe a dark rum, as well - may even put some of it in the sauce!

Mike in Maine6 days ago

Note that there is no such thing as Smoked Spanish Paprika-- there is Sweet Smoked Spanish Paprika (which we buy a pound at a time) and there is Hot Smoked Spanish Paprika-- which packs a considerable kich. Use whichever you like, but be aware that they are in some ways night and day.

Aaron Ginn1 week ago

Close to my recipe, but I leave out the cumin and add garlic powder, onion powder and chili flakes.Much better than anything bottled.

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