This homemade honey BBQ sauce is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, and it has an optional kick of heat for spice lovers.
You're going to love this homemade honey bbq sauce for several reasons:
- It's super easy to make with ingredients you probably already have on hand.
- There is nothing super perishable in the sauce, so it stores well.
- Make it as spicy, or not, as you like.
- It's versatile! You'll love it on chicken, pork, sausage, smoked turkey or even shrimp.
We are big old barbecue and barbecue sauce fans around here. Our staple is the Georgia Mustard BBQ Sauce (we know some of ya'll in the Carolinas lay claim to it too), but we're known to venture outside the box as far as Alabama White BBQ Sauce. This one with honey is a more traditional version and we like it sweet, with a little heat.
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We love to use honey in recipes and try always to buy local - not just honey, but anything we can. Some of our favorite honey infused recipes are Goat Cheese with Honey and Black Pepper, Honey Lemon Pepper Wings and the Bourbon Cocktail with Honey and Sage. So, it was just a matter of time before we came up with a barbecue sauce recipe that used honey.
Ingredient notes
Everything is pretty straightforward here. The only thing that could vary the outcome of your sauce very much is the hot sauce. You can leave it out, use only a portion of the amount or double it if you're really brave.
The type of hot sauce will affect your flavor and heat too. We typically use one with medium heat like a Crystal or a Texas Pete. If you use Tobasco, for example, the heat will be fairly intense.
See the recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Seriously, y'all - once you make a homemade bbq sauce with honey you'll never go back to store bought. Who needs those extra added ingredients that contribute nothing to the flavor?
My number 1 tip
After you stir the ingredients together let it sit in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before serving or using on grilled meats. This gives the flavors a chance to blend. We always recommend this with our salad dressing recipes too.
Variations
As mentioned above you can leave out the hot sauce, use just a little or use a lot for varying amounts of heat.
Another way to add a interesting kick is to use "hot honey" in place of traditional honey. Have y'all tried it? It's amazing and can be added to dishes you wouldn't traditionally think of as being good for honey - like pizza!
FAQ's
No, it does not. You could warm the sauce after it's stirred together to help speed the blending of the flavors, but it's not necessary. 2-3 hours in the refrigerator is sufficient.
Of course you can! This recipe uses hot sauce as an optional ingredient, but you could also add cayenne pepper in whatever amount you choose.
While many bbq sauce recipes do call for brown sugar this one relies strictly on honey for its sweetness.
Storage
This is the best part of this recipe. Because none of the ingredients are extremely perishable this sauce will keep in the refrigerator at least 1 month if tightly covered.
If you're a purist who insists on using fresh garlic that's going to affect perishability, and that's why we recommend garlic powder or granulated garlic.
More grill and barbecue related recipes
📖 Recipe
Honey BBQ Sauce (with optional heat)
Ingredients
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl or shake in a jar until well blended.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 2-3 hours before serving or using on grill meats.
Notes
- hot sauce may be omitted, halved or doubled depending on desired level of heat and spiciness
- making 2-3 hours ahead of time to use is an important step in achieving the best flavor.
Nutrition
Sauces & Marinades
- Cajun Cream Sauce Recipe
- Creole Cream Sauce for Fish, Shrimp and Pasta
- Remoulade Sauce Recipe
- How To Make Homemade Sweet Potato Butter
- Air Fryer Greek Chicken Skewers with Feta Sauce
- Italian Cream Sauce for Chicken
- How to Make Old Fashioned Sausage Gravy
- Homemade Pineapple Preserves (no canning required)
Kay says
Delicious!