If you crave that irresistible combo of sweetness and smokiness in your sauce, you need a honey barbecue sauce! The good news is that you can also make one at home with our guide on how to make honey bbq sauce.
Let’s talk about a crucial element that can take your burger or chicken from meh to magnificent – the flavor. We all know that feeling when you take a bite and something is missing, right?
Your burger or chicken might seem incomplete without the flavor of your choice – nobody appreciates a bland, flavorless meal. Some of us prefer spicing things up, while others may lean more toward the sweet and smoky direction.
The Allure of Homemade Sauces
Have you ever stumbled upon homemade sauce recipes and wondered why anyone would bother making their own sauce at home? Well, there are some pretty compelling reasons to give it a shot. Let’s dive into the pros, shall we?
Balance the Taste
One of the most significant advantages of making your own homemade sauce is your control over the flavor profile. You can spice things up according to your taste and customize it as you like.
Additionally, the fresh ingredients in homemade sauces may give them more depth of flavor.
Nutritional Value
If you’re someone who follows a strict meal routine or is going easy on meals to cut a little weight with gluten-free ingredients, you might struggle to find a sauce according to your calorie plan.
This is where homemade goodness takes the lead. The beauty of making your own sauce is that you have complete control over your ingredients. You can handpick fresh, organic, and locally sourced goodies, ensuring maximum nutrition in your sauces.
One of the biggest advantages of whipping up your own sauces is that you can steer clear of artificial additives, preservatives, and those sneaky excessive amounts of salt or sugar that often lurk in ready-made options.
Creative Freedom
Once you plan to make your own sauce, you become the master of flavors. Talk about culinary freedom!
Think about it: you have the power to adjust the flavors precisely to your liking. Want it a little spicier? Go ahead and throw in some extra chili flakes. Craving a tangy twist? Squeeze in a bit more lemon juice. You’re the boss who can tailor the taste according to your exact preferences.
You might also be able to unleash your inner chef and let your taste buds do the happy dance. Here’s your chance to try out new flavors – throw in some fresh herbs like basil or cilantro to give your sauce a vibrant kick, or maybe add a dash of paprika to give it a smoky edge.
The possibilities are endless!
How to Make Honey BBQ Sauce
Now that you’re well aware of all the perks of homemade sauces, the real question is, how do you make honey barbecue sauce at home?
Things You’ll Need
First things first – you need to make sure you have everything in hand before you get started with this sweet and tangy goodness.
Here’s the list of things you’ll need:
- Ketchup
- White vinegar
- Honey
- Molasses
- Dry mustard
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
The highlight of honey BBQ sauce is its sweet and tangy flavor – you can achieve an adequate tangy taste with ketchup and thin it with the help of vinegar. As for sweetness, honey and molasses will be able to help.
Furthermore, you might want to add a little kick with various seasonings – the blend of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and dry mustard can help with that. Or if you prefer more saltiness, you can use kosher salt instead of an ordinary one.
That’s all the ingredients: now, what about the tools you need to make this sauce? No need to worry – this recipe is pretty straightforward and you won’t need much.
First of all, you need a medium saucepan in which you’ll blend everything together and make the sauce. It’s good to have a whisk ready, as it may allow you to mix everything properly. Finally, grab a jar to store your sauce for later use. That’s it!
Getting Started
Once you have everything with you, let’s get started with the homemade honey barbecue sauce. It’s plain and simple. Here’s the list of how much of everything you need:
- Ketchup: 1 cup
- White vinegar: 1 cup
- Honey: 1 cup
- Molasses: 2 tablespoons
- Dry mustard: 2 tablespoons
- Garlic powder: 1 1/2 tablespoons
- Onion powder: 1 1/2 tablespoons
- Paprika: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Pepper: 1 teaspoon
Whisk and Cook
Put everything together in a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat. No need to be concerned about any particular order; just add everything and whisk it well.
To blend all the ingredients together well, let the sauce simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Once done, remove it from the stove and let it cool. That’s it – you now know how to make honey bbq sauce!
A little pro tip for spice lovers: you can add a pinch of red chili flakes before simmering the sauce. This will help add a little spicy kick to your sauce.
Once the sauce is ready, you can put it in a jar for later use and refrigerate it.
One drawback of homemade honey barbecue sauce is its relatively shorter shelf life compared to the store-bought sauce. Unlike its commercially produced counterpart, homemade sauce lacks artificial preservatives, which actually contribute to its overall freshness and quality.
By using exclusively organic ingredients without any additives, a homemade sauce may not have the same extended longevity. So your homemade barbecue sauce will last about a week or two if refrigerated.
It’s time you enjoyed the delicious flavors of your custom-made honey barbecue sauce, and if you’re not sure which grill you need for your next plan, check out our list of the best gas, charcoal, and portable barbecue grills.
Honey BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 cup honey
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp dry mustard
- 1 ½ tbsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into the saucepan and cook on medium heat for around 15 minutes, whisking together occasionally.
- Remove from heat and let cool before placing into a bowl or jar.
- Thia will keep for a week or 2 covered in the refridgerator for later use.
Notes
- Put everything together in a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat. No need to be concerned about any particular order; just add everything and whisk it well.
- To blend all the ingredients together well, let the sauce simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Once done, remove it from the stove and let it cool. That’s it – you've got your honey barbecue sauce ready!
- A little pro tip for spice lovers: you can add a pinch of red chili flakes before simmering the sauce. This will help add a little spicy kick to your sauce.
- Once the sauce is ready, you can put it in a jar for later use and refrigerate it.
Nutrition
Takeaway
While it may be easier to get the ready-made sauce from the store and use it for longer periods, homemade sauce offers you a handful of advantages. You can retain nutritional value and get creative with flavors of your choice.
It’s a very simple recipe, and all you need to do is whisk the ingredients together on the stovetop for 10 to 15 minutes, and your sauce is ready.
Once you know how to make honey barbecue sauce, there’s a high chance you’ll prefer homemade over in-store options, as you have complete freedom over the flavor profile and can customize it as you like.
