In the world of blogging, it’s a bit weird for me to post a homemade BBQ sauce recipe the week after the 4th of July instead of right before it.

There are two reasons why this didn’t get posted last week:

1. Here in Portland, the weather doesn’t get nice enough for barbecue weather until July 5th. So, I’m just being a reasonably prudent person.
2. Whoops, I forgot to post this last week!

Now that you’ve had your fill of hot dogs over the weekend, it’s time to roll up your sleeves, bust out your basting brush, and get down to some serious grilling business.

This Sweet and Smoky BBQ Sauce is what dreams are made of. My secret ingredient for homemade barbecue sauce is a touch of smoked paprika. It adds just enough of that earthy, smoky flavor without overwhelming the sweetness of the sauce.

Here’s a few ideas on ways to use this BBQ sauce:

• Baste it on some pork ribs during the last thirty minutes on the smoker
• Serve it as a dip for french fries or onion rings
• Toss it with leftover chicken and make Southern-fusion tacos
• Add some smoky flavor to your regular pulled pork recipe
• Make a Tex-Mex inspired Tamale Pie (recipe coming on Wednesday!)

This sauce will keep in your fridge for about two weeks, but feel free to make a larger batch and freeze it in mason jars for convenient homemade deliciousness throughout the year.

I buy these half pint mason jars like they are going out of style. Some mason jars are labeled specifically for freezer use (like these ones), but I’ve had great success using the regular old canning ones, too.

I also use the half pint jars as drinking glasses when we have people over during the summer. They are so easy to store when not in use!

Spend 20 minutes making this homemade BBQ sauce this week and report back on all of the fun ways you used it!

Here’s the Recipe!

Sweet and Smoky Homemade BBQ Sauce

Yield: 4

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and saute two minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients and let cook for three minutes.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes until thickened.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 207 Total Fat 11g Saturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 0g Unsaturated Fat 9g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 570mg Carbohydrates 30g Fiber 1g Sugar 24g Protein 1g

Nutrition information has been auto-calculated for your convenience.