This recipe for Homemade Kansas City BBQ Sauce is so fast and easy to make, you’ll never buy another bottle of the ready-made stuff. And this version has no high fructose corn syrup.

BBQ sauce is a lot like bacon. Everything tastes better when you add it. But have you looked at the ingredients on a bottle of store-bought BBQ sauce lately? High fructose corn syrup is usually the first or second ingredient listed.

Turns out it’s really easy to make barbecue sauce at home. It only takes a few minutes to whip up a batch. You can use it for all kinds of things — from BBQ ribs, BBQ shrimp or sausage, pulled pork sandwiches to BBQ chicken pizza. You can even use it for my highly nutritious BBQ Natto with Shrimp recipe. (Natto is Japanese fermented soybeans — extremely high in vitamin K2.)

This BBQ sauce is a Kansas City BBQ sauce. As opposed to Texas barbecue, North Carolina, or South Carolina BBQ sauce. I don’t use any sugar (with the exception of the sugar in the ketchup). Just honey and good old-fashioned molasses. I make mine mild, but you can make it hotter if you like.

Homemade Kansas City BBQ Sauce

Homemade Kansas City BBQ Sauce: Ingredients

Butter, lard, olive oil, or refined coconut oil (1 tsp)
Onion (1/2)
Garlic (2 cloves)
Paprika (2 TBS)
Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (1/2 tsp)
Sea salt (1/2 tsp)
Ketchup, organic (1 cup) — use a brand without high fructose corn syrup
Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar (1 cup) — or lemon juice
Honey (1/2 cup)
Mustard (1/4 cup)
Molasses (1/8 cup)
Worcestershire sauce (2 TBS) — use a brand without HFCS
Chili powder or Tabasco sauce to taste

Homemade Kansas City BBQ Sauce: Equipment

Saucepan, stainless steel or enameled cast iron (not Teflon!)

Homemade Kansas City BBQ Sauce: Directions

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat.
2. Chop the onion.
3. Add the onion and let soften, then add the garlic.
4. Add all the dry ingredients: paprika, black pepper and sea salt.
5. Add all the wet ingredients: ketchup, vinegar, honey, mustard, molasses, Worcestershire sauce. Add the chili powder to taste.
6. Let simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes and modify with seasonings to taste.

Homemade Kansas City BBQ Sauce: Recipe Notes

Make sure you use ketchup and Worcestershire sauce that are organic and free of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). You can find these brands at the health food store.

If you’re in a real hurry you can make a shortcut version. Leave out the sauteeing of the onion and garlic in butter. Just mix together some ketchup, honey, molasses, mustard and vinegar, and season with some of the spices. Not AS good but it will still work, and I guarantee you, your family will not complain.

You can also make ahead and store in a quart mason jar in the fridge. It will keep for several weeks. Or make larger batches and freeze.

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