Name: Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 5 medjool dates, pitted; 1 cup yellow onion, chopped; 2 teaspoons minced garlic, about 4 cloves; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 cup tomato sauce; 1 tablespoon honey; 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 3 tablespoons dijon mustard; 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder; 1/2 teaspoon celery seed; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt; 2 teaspoons liquid smoke; 1/4 cup water

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Looking for a cleaner barbecue sauce that still packs a ton of smoky flavor and just a hint of heat? I’ve got you covered with this Homemade Barbecue Sauce. It boasts no refined sugar and uses ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Okay, maybe you’ll have to buy dates and liquid smoke, but you probably have everything else.

We all know that most mass-produced barbecue sauces are loaded with added sugars. I’m not saying that there aren’t some barbecue sauces that I like and use, but I much prefer to limit the amount of processed sugars I consume. This recipe uses no refined sugar, just dates and a bit of honey as sweeteners.

Keep your eye out for some upcoming recipes that feature Homemade Barbecue Sauce. In the meantime, use this sauce for any recipe that you would typically open up a bottle of store-bought sauce for. Pulled pork or chicken? Yes! Grilled BBQ chicken? Yes! Add to Sloppy Joe’s? Yes! BBQ Chicken pizza or flatbread? Yes! You get the idea.

My recipe for Homemade Barbecue Sauce was inspired Ivy Larson’s recipe from her new cookbook, Clean Cuisine Cookbook. I changed seasonings to suit our tastes. We like a bit more tang and spice in our barbecue, so I made quite a few changes with the seasonings. However, you really should check out her Clean Homemade BBQ Sauce if you are ready to create a clean barbecue sauce for you and your family.

HOW DO I STORE HOMEMADE BARBECUE SAUCE?

I like to store Homemade Barbecue Sauce in pint-sized canning jars in the fridge for up to two weeks.

If you want to extend the shelf life of the Barbecue Sauce, keep it in the freezer for up to a few months. You can freeze it in the canning jar, or use freezer bags. (I like to use freezer bags since they take up less room in the freezer.) To use, simply thaw the sauce, then proceed with your recipe.

PREPARE HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE:

Begin by chopping your onion and pitting your dates. (See note about soaking dates.)

Next, add the onion, dates, olive oil, garlic, tomato sauce, honey, vinegar, and dijon mustard to the bowl of a food processor or high speed blender. (I simply used my food processor.) Blend the ingredients until you have a smooth sauce. It will be fairly thick.

Transfer the sauce to a medium pan, set over medium-low heat. Add the Worcestershire sauce, paprika, chipotle powder, celery seed, pepper, salt, and liquid smoke. Stir to combine all ingredients well. Add up to ¼ cup of water until the sauce is your desired consistency.

I cooked my sauce, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. It is not absolutely necessary to cook the sauce, but I found that the low simmer helped to fully incorporate all the flavors.

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RECIPE NOTES:

Soaking the dates for about 20 minutes in warm water, allows you to remove the thin outside skin easily. I found that my food processor couldn’t completely break the skin down, and it gave the sauce an off texture for me. When I remove the skin first, I have no problem. If you have a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix, this shouldn’t be an issue for you.
Check the ingredients on your liquid smoke. You should only see water and natural wood smoke concentrate. Wright’s Liquid Smoke is one brand that fits this criteria. Some other brands may add additional ingredients such as molasses, sugar, vinegar, or caramel coloring. Serious Eats has an informative article about the origins of liquid smoke, if you are interested.
Very Well Fit provides an overview of gluten-free Worcestershire sauces. The same article also provides vegan friendly options.
Vegan friendly recipe—just omit the honey, and check the ingredients of your Worcestershire sauce.
I am really loving the recipes in Ivy Larson's Clean Cuisine Cookbook.

Thanks for stopping by, and as always, if you try a recipe and love it, please rate it or leave a review.

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Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Yield: 2 ½ cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Homemade Barbecue Sauce uses no refined sugar, and boasts a ton of smoky flavor with a hint of tang and heat. Plus, it's easier to make than you think.

Ingredients

5 medjool dates, pitted
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic, about 4 cloves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon honey
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
¼ cup water

Instructions

Begin by chopping your onion and pitting your dates. (See note about soaking dates.)
Next, add the onion, dates, olive oil, garlic, tomato sauce, honey, vinegar, and dijon mustard to the bowl of a food processor or high speed blender. (I simply used my food processor.) Blend the ingredients until you have a smooth sauce. It will be fairly thick.
Transfer the sauce to a medium pan, set over medium-low heat. Add the Worcestershire sauce, paprika, chipotle powder, celery seed, pepper, salt, and liquid smoke. Stir to combine all ingredients well. Add up to ¼ cup of water until the sauce is your desired consistency.
Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. It is not absolutely necessary to cook the sauce, but I found that the low simmer helped to fully incorporate all the flavors.

Notes

Soaking the dates for about 20 minutes in warm water, allows you to remove the thin outside skin easily. I found that my food processor couldn’t completely break the skin down, and it gave the sauce an off texture for me. When I remove the skin first, I have no problem. If you have a high speed blender, such as a Vitamix, this shouldn’t be an issue for you.

Check the ingredients on your liquid smoke. You should only see water and natural wood smoke concentrate. Some brands may add additional ingredients such as molasses, sugar, vinegar, or caramel coloring.

For a vegan friendly recipe, just omit the honey, and check the ingredients of your Worcestershire sauce.

Comments

Emily

April 08, 2019 at 8:36 pm

Thanks for posting this! I've always used store bought sauce in the past, but I'm trying to cut out processed food. This recipe tastes even better than what I can buy in the store!

- Inspired Fresh Life
  
  April 09, 2019 at 12:52 pm
  
  That exact sentiment--cutting out the processed foods as much as possible--is exactly why I created this bbq sauce. 🙂