📋Easy Barbeque Sauce (with ketchup and brown sugar) recipe

BBQ sauce with ketchup in a jar with a bottle of ketchup in the background

5 from 5 votes

📋Easy Barbeque Sauce (with ketchup and brown sugar) recipe

An easy Barbeque sauce (with ketchup and brown sugar) and other pantry ingredients, that's easy to throw together in a pinch. This Homemade BBQ sauce is perfect for grilling chicken, beef, pork or anything you'd put BBQ sauce in or on!

Course condiment, sauce

Cuisine American, Canadian, North American

Keyword barbecue, bbq, kethcup, sauce

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 35kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Equipment

Ingredients

¾ cup ketchup
⅓ cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon minced garlic
⅓ cup chilli sauce
2 tablespoon of HP sauce
2 tablespoon brown sugar

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined.
¾ cup ketchup, ⅓ cup lemon juice, ½ teaspoon minced garlic, ⅓ cup chilli sauce, 2 tablespoon of HP sauce, 2 tablespoon brown sugar

Notes

Expert Recipe Tips:

- Mix in a bowl or shake in a jar. If you want to save on dishes, add all ingredients to a mason jar, tightly seal the lid, and give it a good shake instead of whisking. It’s fast and mess-free.

- Taste and adjust. Ingredients like ketchup and chili sauce can vary in sweetness and saltiness depending on the brand. Always taste the sauce and adjust with a pinch of salt, a splash of vinegar, or a bit more sugar if needed.

- Use room temperature ingredients. Using ketchup and other ingredients at room temperature (instead of straight from the fridge) makes mixing easier and helps the flavors blend more smoothly.

- Balance the heat. If adding spice (like cayenne or chili flakes), start small. You can always add more heat, but you can't take it out. Let it sit a few minutes before tasting, as the heat intensifies slightly over time.

- Don’t skip the acid. The lemon juice (or vinegar) adds brightness and balances the sweetness. Even a small amount makes a big difference in flavor.

- Garlic options matter. Fresh garlic gives a punchier flavor, while garlic powder is milder. If using fresh, mince it finely so it blends evenly into the sauce. You can also use minced garlic from a jar.

- Apply near the end of grilling. If using this sauce for grilling, brush it on during the last 5–10 minutes of cooking to prevent the sugars from burning.

Variations and Substitutions:

Lemon Juice: Use white vinegar instead of lemon juice (if you don't have lemon juice) *My Mom actually used vinegar in the original recipe. You could also use apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar in a pinch.

Chili Sauce: skip the chili sauce and use additional ketchup and a ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper and ¼ teaspoon chili powder if you don't have chili sauce on hand

HP Sauce: substitute 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce for HP sauce if you don't have it

Sugar: You can use dark brown sugar or light brown sugar, or white granulated sugar if you don't have brown sugar

Lighten it up/reduce calories: use sugar-free ketchup to lower the WW points, if you desire

Garlic: Use minced garlic in a jar, if you don't have fresh, or use garlic powder if you have neither

Smoky flavor - use a ¼ teaspoon of liquid smoke to give it a smoky flavor

Spicy bbq sauce - add some crushed red pepper flakes

Add-ins - onion powder

Nutrition