This has to be my new favorite recipe. I won’t even lie to you – it’s downright addicting. When I was testing this out and trying to get the perfect combination of ingredients, I had to remake it a few times. And every time I had to tell BFSoul that we we having short ribs for dinner… again… I had a happy little party in my head. Because, beef short ribs = yay. But, beef short ribs with this sauce = OMGYAY!
I’ve found myself really interested in barbecue competitions lately. I’ve watched so many on television, I feel like I know Myron Mixon personally. (I don’t, unfortunately.) But the one thing that bothers me about the recipes on these shows is the sheer volume of sugar that’s used. Some days it’s like, “First we’re going to coat this in a little brown sugar and white sugar. Then we’re going to inject with apple juice and sugar. Then we’ll coat them in a little honey. Then a little maple syrup. Then we’ll add in molasses.” You get the idea. Oh boy!I’m all for sweet, and I’m sure their recipes come out amazing, but I just couldn’t see myself cooking anything like that – especially not on a regular basis.
But I was inspired… and excited! So I had to get creative. And a simple no junk, no corn syrup, no refined sugar barbecue sauce was born.
So far, the reviews have been amazing. I used this sauce on beef short ribs and brought them to a barbecue Mama Soul was having at her house. People went back for seconds (probably would have been thirds, but I didn’t make enough). A few asked for the recipe. And one family friend, who I’ve been informed is the “Queen of Ribs”, gave them a thumbs up. After the barbecue, Mama Soul saved the extra sauce to used on the leftover chicken. She said it was fantastic. So, it looks like you can use this sauce on other meats besides short ribs and it will be delicious. Needless to say, I’m superexcited about how this turned out.
Before I give you the BBQ Sauce Recipe, let me give you this one word of advice: the sauce does come out a bit on the spicy side. This is done on purpose. Once you use the sauce to coat the beef ribs (or, chicken as noted above) and then cook the meat, the sauce mixes with the fat cooked off the meat and it all mellows out. So the ribs will not be as spicy in the end. I know I always (like… always) second guess myself when I taste test the sauce before I put it on the meat. And then I use it anyway and it comes out perfect every time.
Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe Photo Tutorial
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Ingredients:
4 medium tomatoes
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 fuji apple
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tbsp coconut aminos
2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp honey
Step 1: Dice the tomatoes, onions, garlic and apple (leave the skin on the apple). Size of dice not important.
Step 2: Add all ingredients to a pot. Cover and simmer on medium/medium-low (depending on your stove) for about 30-40 minutes. You want it simmering, but not boiling, and not high enough to burn.
Step 3:After 30-40 minutes, all of the ingredients should be cooked and pretty well broken down. It should be starting to look sauce-like, but still a bit on the chunky side. At this point, turn the heat off, remove the bay leaf, and use your super amazing stick blender to blend the sauce. As you can see, it makes a wonderfully smooth, pourable sauce:
And that’s all there is to it! If you’re looking to make short ribs with this sauce, here are a few ways to do it:
Note: These suggestions are for about 7-10 large short ribs. When I made 18 ribs for the barbecue, I doubled the recipe.
- Put the short ribs in a dutch oven or large cooking pot. Top with sauce (use the entire recipe worth). Cover the pot and simmer on medium low for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the ribs are tender. If you’re using a thinner pot, check once in a while to make sure nothing is burning. I’ve found with thinner pots, the heat can sometimes get too hot in spots, especially if you’re using an old pot that may be warped. Just keep an eye on it and see if you have to adjust the temperature down.
- Put the short ribs in a crock pot. Top with sauce (use entire recipe worth). Cook on low for about 3 or 4 hours, or until ribs are tender. You really don’t want to go too long with these. I found that 6 hours was too much and all the meat fell off the bone.
- Put the short ribs in a roasting pan and coat with entire sauce recipe. Cover the pan and cook at 350°F/177°C for about 3 hours, or until tender.
Enjoy!
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FAQs
If you're looking for the perfect barbecue sauce for ribs, look no further than Stonewall Kitchen Baby Back Rib Sauce. This Memphis-style barbecue sauce is tangy with a little bit of sweetness, and it has a slightly thin texture that's ideal for evenly coating your rack of ribs.
How to improve BBQ sauce for ribs? ›
Adding garlic or onion powder are standard flavors for barbecue, but get a little creative and try out different chile powders, peppers, cumin, or dried herbs to add body to the sauce.
What is homemade BBQ sauce made of? ›
Gather all ingredients. Combine brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, water, and Worcestershire sauce in a blender. Season with mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce.
How do you thicken BBQ sauce for ribs? ›
You can use either flour or cornstarch to thicken BBQ sauce. Just mix together 2 tbsp (16 g) of flour and ¼ cup (62.5 mL) of water, or combine 1 tbsp (9 g) of cornstarch with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of water. Continue mixing the thickener until there are no lumps of flour or cornstarch.
Should I season ribs before BBQ sauce? ›
Simply season the front and back of each rack of ribs with a light sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper. That's all the spice rub they need; our barbecue sauce will provide the rest of the flavour. Easy!
How to properly sauce ribs? ›
Pour the barbecue sauce generously on each rack and cover the ribs loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 1/2 hours for baby backs and 1 3/4 hours for St. Louis ribs, until the meat is very tender when tested with a fork. As soon as the ribs are out of the oven, spread them generously with additional barbecue sauce.
How can I make homemade BBQ sauce better? ›
Ketchup – It gives the sauce its smooth, silky texture. Apple cider vinegar – I like my barbecue sauce tangy, so I don't hold back on the vinegar! I love its zingy kick. Water – It loosens the sauce so that it's not too thick or gloopy.
What makes BBQ sauce taste better? ›
To me, a good BBQ sauce has the right mix of smokiness, tanginess, sweetness, and spice. If your sauce isn't sweet enough, add some brown sugar or molasses. If the sauce isn't tangy enough, add some apple cider vinegar. If the sauce needs some heat, add your favorite hot sauce or red pepper.
Why add apple cider vinegar to BBQ sauce? ›
Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is a versatile choice for BBQ sauce. It has a slightly fruity and tangy flavor that pairs well with the smoky and savory elements of BBQ. It adds a pleasant acidity and a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
What is the most common ingredient in BBQ sauce? ›
The base ingredients of barbecue sauce usually include tomato sauce or ketchup, vinegar, and sweeteners, such as molasses or brown sugar. Other common ingredients include Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, onion powder, and various spices, which can include paprika, cumin, and chili powder.
For the BBQ sauce:
- 350g ketchup.
- 1 medium white onion diced.
- 70ml water.
- 80g soft brown sugar.
- 50g smoked paprika.
- 80g cider vinegar.
- 30g strong coffee (espresso is preferable)
- Splash of olive oil.
Generally, barbecue sauces is categorized into four varieties: tomato-based sauces, vinegar-based sauces, mustard-based sauces, and mayonnaise-based sauces. Each category can have a range of BBQ sauce styles, ranging from sweet and tangy to hot and spicy.
How to make homemade BBQ sauce thick? ›
You might try 2TB Flour and a 1/4 cup cold water and mix thoroughly before adding to the BBQ sauce. Depending on the type of BBQ sauce you are wanting, other ingredients can be added as well to some mixtures to add a bit of thickness, such as; tomato paste, or honey.
How do you keep BBQ ribs juicy? ›
To keep ribs moist while smoking on a grill or oven, use a spray bottle to mist them with liquid (e.g., apple juice) every 20-30 minutes. Consider brining or marinating beforehand, maintaining a consistent temperature, and wrapping the ribs in foil to trap steam.
How long to set BBQ sauce on ribs? ›
Many BBQ sauces contain sugar, honey, or another sweetener, and sugars quickly burn in the oven or on a grill. Kitchn suggests basting ribs with sauce about 10-15 minutes before they're done; meanwhile, Amazing Ribs says you can sauce ribs up to 30 minutes before they're done, if you're cooking them over indirect heat.
Should I put barbecue sauce on ribs? ›
As a fatty cut, ribs take well to spice rubs, but we love our ribs with some sticky barbecue sauce too. Just apply the rub as you normally would before cooking, and then brush the glaze on in the last 5 minutes on the grill to achieve the perfect crusty, gooey ribs.
What is the most popular BBQ sauce? ›
The top 5 brands listed above account for over 60% of the total barbecue sauce market in the United States. Sweet Baby Ray's is the clear market leader, with sales of over 198 million US dollars in 2022. Stubb's and Kraft are also very popular brands, with sales of over 150 million US dollars each.
When should I put BBQ sauce on ribs? ›
You will want to add barbecue sauce to your ribs during the final 20-30 minutes of cooking. While brushing on sauce just remember, don't drown your ribs. If you are like me and love more sauce, there is no reason you can't serve even more on the side.
Can you use normal BBQ sauce on ribs? ›
RIBS MARINADE
You can use a smoky flavoured sauce or regular sauce. I prefer plain, regular bbq sauce. Garlic — you won't be sorry adding a good kick of garlic to these ribs! Olive oil — a little oil in the sauce gives even crispier, caramelised results when mixed through the barbecue sauce.
