Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce is an easy homemade sauce perfect for grilling or dipping. Thick and rich, it balances bold garlic and molasses sweetness with a bright apple cider vinegar tang for a classic barbecue flavor.
Homemade barbecue sauce elevates burgers, chicken, ribs, and pork chops on the grill. This Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce is one of our favorite versatile recipes — great for glazing, basting, or serving on the side.
Ingredients for Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce:
- ketchup
- brown sugar
- molasses
- apple cider vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- liquid smoke
- fresh minced garlic
- dried onion flakes
- black pepper
- chili powder
- kosher salt
- dry mustard
- smoked paprika
How to Make Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce:
- Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Whisk to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn’t stick. The sauce will thicken as it simmers.
- Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. The sauce keeps up to 3 months, though it’s usually gone long before then.
Serving Suggestions
This sauce is ideal for brushing on grilled chicken and pork during the final minutes of cooking, glazing ribs, or serving as a dipping sauce for burgers and fries. It also makes an excellent finishing sauce for meatloaf or smoked brisket sandwiches.
Recipes That Pair Well
Try this sauce with grilled BBQ chicken for juicy, flavorful results. It also works beautifully on grilled pork chops glazed with pineapple, or drizzled over a cheddar-stuffed meatloaf finished on the grill.
Before blogging, we ran a barbecue sauce business, so developing dependable, crowd-pleasing recipes is something we enjoy. This sweet and tangy version is our go-to for classic grilled meals because it’s thick, hearty, and clings to the meat.
The recipe makes roughly two jars and stores well in the refrigerator. If you prefer heat, you can add fresh chopped jalapeño or cayenne to give it a spicy kick.
Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce
5 mins
25 mins
30 mins
Ingredients
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a heavy saucepan and place over medium heat.
- Whisk to combine and stir frequently, bringing the mixture to a boil.
- Lower to a simmer and cook about 15 minutes, stirring often as it thickens.
- Cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.