Quick to whip up and a star on the grill, this Quick and Easy Barbecue Sauce is bound to become your grilling go-to. It makes a decent dipping sauce if you need something quick,. but where it really shines in being used as a marinade and then brushed over your finished flame-grilled meats. We’re talking finger-licking good here!
Ingredient Notes
- Ketchup
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Brown Sugar
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Dry Mustard
- Smoked Paprika
- Tabasco Sauce
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
How to Make Quick and Easy Barbecue Sauce
- Place all ingredients in a small mixing bowl: ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, dry mustard, smoked paprika, Tabasco sauce, Kosher salt, black pepper, and water.
- Whisk until smooth and use as a topping, a dipping sauce, or a marinade.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store finished sauce in an airtight jar or container in the fridge. It should last for a quite awhile, as it doesn’t contain any ingredients that spoil quickly.
- Try this sauce on Baby Back Ribs. My absolute favorite is on grilled chicken thighs. Marinate the thighs for at least a few hours, then grill and brush with more sauce in a the last few minutes of grilling.
Frequently Asked Questions
The tabasco sauce here adds flavor, but it doesn’t add a ton of heat. Feel free to mix up the rest of the sauce and just add a little at a time, tasting as you go, to make sure you like the level of spice.
I have not tried tomato paste in this particular recipe, but many barbecue sauces start with a tomato paste base to produce a nice, thick sauce. If you’d like to try it, remember that ketchup has sugar and vinegar added to it already, so you may need to make some adjustments to your finished sauce according to your taste.
Quick and Easy BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse freshly-ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Whisk ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
- Store finished sauce in an airtight jar or container in the fridge. It should last for a quite awhile, as it doesn’t contain any ingredients that spoil quickly.
- Try this sauce on Baby Back Ribs. My absolute favorite is on grilled chicken thighs. Marinate the thighs for at least a few hours, then grill and brush with more sauce in a the last few minutes of grilling.
Questions & Reviews
Could I use Frank’s Red Hot Sauce instead of Tabasco, or will it have a different flavor?
Absolutely!
This is the best recipe ever for drumsticks! I’ve made it a dozen times at least, barbecuing them on the grill. Savory, sticky, delicious! Everyone I’ve made them for loves them.
I love that you used “boy howdy” in a post – one of my favorite southern sayings!
Loved this bbq sauce! Put it on some crock pot ribs. So glad I did! AND I have a lot left over. Thanks!
I just made this sauce, and I am here at home drinking it. I’m not even pregnant.
how much bbq sauce does this recipe make? I’m going to do chicken legs for ten people but wanted to know if I should double it or not. Thanks!
I just recently discovered your website and this is the first recipe (of many to come) that I have tried. O….M…..GGGG!!!!! Amazing! Love the zip from the hot sauce. After marinating the chicken I boiled the sauce down and it is the best. Thank you SO much.
I will definitely be trying this in a crockpot this fall.
Only problem I had was I didn’t pay close enough attention to the grill and because of the sugar in the sauce my chicken burned a bit, but that was completely my fault. I’ll watch it much closer next time.
Ok first of all, I am NOT a cook, BUT I’ve been obsessed with this blog ever since I found it. Tonight, I am making my first attempt at turning my life around and really cooking quality meals for all the men in my life (my husband and 3 active boys). Barbeque sauce complete….chicken marinating in the fridge. Wish me luck!!!
Good luck Bridgette, it’ll go fine. Cooking is a fine skill to acquire, endlessly rewarding at many levels. For instance, with this recipe you can just make the sauce & dump it in a crock pot with some raw chicken & forget about it. Just remember to skim off the fat before serving, there’s literally no other way to screw it up, and it’s GREAT food!
I made this sauce and had it on chicken and then used the leftovers to make a BBQ chicken pizza. Turned out great! Love the sauce!
So I was seriously craving bbq chicken sandwhiches last sunday and was so sad to discover i was out of bbq sauce and most of the recipes i found for it I didn't have the ingrediants to make! Then of course you guys saved the day again! I loved this recipe. I just threw it in the crockpot with some chicken breasts and let it cook while we were at church. It made the most beautiful bbq chicken sandwhich ever. I seriouly almost took a picture. : ) My husband got a kick out of how much i was enjoying it. thanks again!