Summer is officially grill season, which means it’s time to stop pretending store-bought BBQ sauce is “good enough.” This sweet and smoky BBQ sauce is my house sauce for July cookouts—balanced, bold, and designed to work especially well with ribs and pulled pork.
It’s the kind of sauce you want brushed on at the end of cooking, served on the side, and quietly spooned onto leftovers the next day. It plays nicely with smoke, doesn’t overpower the meat, and has just enough sweetness to keep everyone coming back for more.
Use with the BBQ Rub recipe found here.
Why this sauce?
This sauce hits the sweet spot between smoky, sweet, and tangy. Brown sugar brings richness without being cloying, while smoked paprika and ancho chile powder add depth instead of heat-forward spice. A small hit of apple cider vinegar and mustard keeps everything balanced, and chipotle powder is optional if you want a little kick.
It’s versatile enough for chicken and burgers, but pork is where it really shines.
Bottle your sauce!
Pop-top bottles are my go-to for homemade BBQ sauce. They seal tightly, pour cleanly, and make the whole thing feel more intentional, like something you’d actually want to keep on hand. They’re also endlessly reusable. I use the same bottles for salad dressings, infused oils, and homemade cocktail syrups. If you make sauces even occasionally, they’re worth having around.
Sweet and Smoky BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 30 oz Tomato Sauce (2 Cans)
- ¾ cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tsp Ground Yellow Mustard
- 1½ tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1½ tsp Ancho Chile Powder
- 2 tsp Onion Powder
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Corse ground black pepper
- ½ tsp Chipotle Powder (optional for heat)
- ½ tsp Liquid Smoke
Instructions
- In a pot with the stove set to medium mix the tomato sauce, sugar, and apple cider vinegar, let simmer for ~10 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved. Taste for sweetness and vinegar tang, add a tablespoon more of either to taste.
- Add the rest of the spices and let simmer covered for ~20 minutes
- Using a funnel pout into a resealable bottle and use immediately or refrigerate.
