The Best Homemade Healthy BBQ Sauce
February 07, 2013 
Primally Inspired 
Almost 10 years ago, I discovered the world’s best BBQ sauce recipe. It was so good that literally everytime I made it, people asked me for the recipe. I even started printing out copies of the recipe beforehand because I knew people would ask for it. And they did.
But a few years later, I researched the very dangerous effects of sugar and I grudgingly gave up my all time favorite BBQ sauce recipe. You see, that BBQ sauce was loaded with an insanely ridiculous amount of white and brown sugar.
Through the years I was on a mission to find a healthy BBQ sauce recipe that had the same flavor like my beloved sugar loaded BBQ sauce. I tried every recipe I could find, I tried my own recreations and I even tried bottled all-natural, organic versions and nothing ever measured up to the taste that I remembered.
Until I made this.
I still remember the day I made it. I set aside one entire uninterrupted day to make BBQ sauce and I was determined to get it right. It was me, my cutesy apron with cherries and ruffles, a shameful amount of organic tomato sauce cans and every single spice I owned pulled out of my cabinet. I had one mission and one mission only: to make a BBQ sauce so good that people couldn’t help but ask for the recipe.
And here it is!
P.S. I wanted to tell you that this recipe contains more sweetener than I normally use. If you follow my recipes, you know I use the very least amount of natural sweetener I can get away with while still maintaining a great taste. While this contains more natural sweetener than I normally use, I will say it makes a TON of sauce and should last you awhile unless you douse everything in BBQ sauce (I had a friend in college who did that!) I use BBQ sauce like a condiment and usually only use a tablespoon or two per serving. When you look at it like that, you are still getting very minimal natural sugar content.
THE BEST HOMEMADE HEALTHY BBQ SAUCE
Makes 4 cups of sauce
Ingredients:
1 15 oz can of organic tomato sauce
1 12 oz can of organic tomato paste
1 cup of red wine vinegar
1 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup of pure raw honey
1/3 cup of molassas
2 T butter or ghee
2 T all natural liquid hickory smoke* (this is the best all natural one that contains no yucky ingredients: CedarHouse Ultra-Premium Liquid Smoke: All Natural Hickory Liquid Smoke – 4 oz
)
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
heaping ¼ tsp cinnamon
heaping ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all the ingredients together in a large pot over medium low heat. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Enjoy!
*Do not leave the liquid smoke out! It totally makes this BBQ sauce!
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I like my BBQ sauce spicy. Is this one more sweet? How long does it keep?
Mona, I think I would consider this one on the sweeter side. But the liquid smoke and smoked paprika give it a good, rich smoky flavor. And then the chili powder and cayenne pepper give it a nice kick at the end. Honestly one of the reasons we love it so much is because it combines all the sweetness, smoky and a kick all into one. If you like it spicier, maybe try adding more cayenne and chili powder.
I can’t say for sure how long it keeps, but in the past, we’ve had our jars in the fridge for well over a month and they’ve been fine. I’m still here
I was thinking I would try that. We buy Stubb’s spicy, from Texas of course. Not sure how “paleo” it is but pretty sure it isn’t that bad or I wouldn’t keep buying it. I don’t know what I will do with 4 cups, maybe I will try and half it?
I’m still here also…..on my couch
lol! I’ve never tried Stubb’s spicy, but I know I’ve tried the original and I loved it! I think their spicy version has habanaro peppers in it, which would be a great addition to add to this recipe for those that can handle the heat!!
4 cups is a ton. It fills up 2 big bottles like the one in the pic. It’s not like we eat it all the time, so I have no idea why I even make that much. To use it up, I usually will cook a huge pork roast in the slow cooker and then coat it in a bunch of sauce. YUM!
I LOVE habaneros!! I usually have one in my eggs in the morning. For professionals only
Slow cooker pot roast sounds good.
You should try the spicy Stubb’s it isn’t burn your mouth hot it just isn’t sweet.
I will find it and try it – I’d love to try to replicate it, too!
This really is the best BBQ sauce! Just made a 2nd batch this morning. We love this stuff! Thank you!!!
Thanks, Jocelyn!
I was wrong, there are some not so good ingredients in Stubb’s spicy…corn starch, corn syrup etc. I think if your’s was made with more pepper heat it would be just as good or better. Our Stubb’s bottle is almost empty. We only use a little when we make ribs for basting. I will make yours next time and try to make it spicy and let you know what I think!
Yes, please do. If a Texas native gives me the thumbs up, then I know I have something good
I think the next time I make it, I’ll do half with added peppers and the other half left alone. I love the heat, but my husband can’t handle it.
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do you think this would freeze well??
Hi Sharon, Honestly I don’t know. If anyone else knows the answer, please write in!
Hi again Sharon! Your question got me curious so I did some google searches and it turns out BBQ sauce freezes really well (so happy to know that because this makes so much!). Here’s some tips that I thought were helpful:
-Make sure it’s cooled completely before freezing.
-When you go to thaw it out, do not defrost it. Instead, place it in a bowl of warm water to thaw.
-If it’s very thick before freezing, add a few tablespoons of water to it and it will freeze better.
-It will do well in the freezer for a couple of months!
Hope that helps!
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awesome – will have to try it.
I just removed sugar from my two best selling products, Apple Chipotle BBQ BATH and Lime Jalapeno FAJITA BATH.
I make these two no sugar added barbecue sauces occasionally, one a tomato base and one a mustard base. Both are yummy.
Bacon Bourbon Honey Mustard (alcohol burns off)
http://www.sweetwaterspice.com/blogs/recipe-blog/6165666-bacon-bourbon-honey-mustard-basting-sauce
Bourbon Chocolate Chipotle (use a dark or sugar free chocolate, or even ground cacao nibs)
http://www.sweetwaterspice.com/blogs/recipe-blog/6165668-bourbon-chocolate-chipotle-basting-sauce
OHMIGOSH, they sound AMAZING!!!! I can’t wait to try them!
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I have tried many different BBQ sauce recipes and this is the best (and only) one my family and I have liked. I made it with homemade applsauce and it is delicious. I can’t wait for BBQ weather so I can try it on more things. Thanks.
So great to hear, Pam!! Thank you
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We are loving the BBQ sauce! I’m excited to find a homemade version that we all really like. It’s really good! I think next time I will reserve a cup or so and add some spicy habaneros in it like you and Mona mentioned. That will be perfect for me.
Awesome! I think adding habaneros would be amazing for those that can handle it!
Is it possible to use apple cider vinegar? I don’t want to mess with a good thing but all I have on hand right now is acv. Thanks!
Yes! ACV will work great and is what I use when I run out of the red wine vinegar!
Can the molasses be subbed out with anything else?
Yes, maybe a few chopped dates or the fruit sweetening paste that I posted or just some extra honey or maple syrup. Hope that helps!
Oh great! I have those on hands rather than the molasses!! Excited to make this to go with our smoked pork on Sunday!! Love your recipes and workouts. The kettleball ones kick my booty! Keep up the great work! Love it.
Your comment made my day, Meg
Thank you!
My favorite BBQ sauce now! Everyone loves this!
So happy to hear this, Rebecca
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I’m going to make this sauce this morning and throw it in the crock pot over chicken breasts. Can’t wait to eat supper tonight!
Woo! Sounds yum! Sometimes the crockpot can water the bbq sauce down if you add it in the beginning – I like to add the sauce in at the end just for that reason.
Found your recipe via pinterest and am excited to try it! I have no salt added tomato sauce… Would that still work? Or do i need to add some salt? Thanks!
Yes that will work just fine! You may need to taste it when everything is combined and see if it needs any salt. It may need a pinch or two!
I just made a batch of this at lunchtime and it’s wonderful. I subbed apple cider vinegar for red wine vinegar, and instead of cayenne I added half a habañero pepper. SO good, and without all the sugar. This is a keeper recipe!
Awesome, thank you so much for the feedback!! I love your addition of the habanero
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On the stove right now. I have some hot paprika that I added also and I am going to cut up a habanero then make a small pot with extra habanero. Will let you know.
oooohhh baby, spicy spicy!! I’ve never had hot paprika – I’ll have to get some!
I know I had never seen it before. There is a store here called Surfas and it is AWESOME!!! My hot paprika can says “Chiquilin” Pimenton Picante hot paprika product of Spain.
My husband is making ribs now so I will get to taste the sauce. I forgot to tell you that I bought 2 small cans of tomato paste and one said “with pesto”. I didn’t realize it until most of it was in the pot. So needless to say it has a slight Italian flare
I think I will make a pork roast like you suggested with it so I can make some more and tweek the sauce AND not make it Italian, lol
LOL, that sounds like something I would do!!
Hello, My family and I have been tring to eat better and a healthy. Organic BBQ sauce is impossible to find around here even in healthy stores.
So I went to the web and found you. You where 3rd on google search good job that’s hard to do…
My question is do you have a sub for the honey? Werd question yes, but I can’t have honey with my current sickness.
Thank for your time
Gary
Hi Gary! You could sub any sweetener for honey. I like to sub maple syrup a lot for honey and I think that would be fantastic in this BBQ sauce. You could also use an organic brown sugar or coconut sugar. You could also do stevia, but it’s not an equal substitution. I don’t have a lot of experience with stevia, but I found this conversion chart: http://www.stevia.net/conversion.html
Good luck!! Have a great weekend
This sounds AWESOME!! Can’t wait to try it!
I am looking forward to making this for my family and for my dad! He loves BBQ sauce and needs a great healthy version. He could eat it on everything! I want to get him a really cool jar so I can continue to make it for him. Will you share with me where you got your cool jar and label for it? Thanks!
Awesome, Janna! I hope he loves it!
You might laugh, but this is a Patron Orange Liqueur bottle. I washed the old label off and made my own label from some old scrapbooking stickers that I got at a craft store. I thought this bottle was perfect for BBQ sauce! Liquor bottles usually are really cool shapes and perfect to hold sauces like this. If you don’t drink, ask around from people who do – they could save you their old bottles. Craft stores usually have some pretty cool glass bottles and you could always use a mason jar, too!
I would like to make a bunch and can this BBQ sauce any idea how? Hot water bath or pressure canner? How many pounds and for how long? Im guessing can it like ketchup??? Would appreciate your input on this!!
Chris, good idea on the canning! I’ve never canned this sauce before (I should, though!), but I’ve heard that BBQ sauce can be done either by hot water bath or pressure canner (the acidity of BBQ sauce is kind of right in the middle so either way will be ok). It seems that more people do the hot water bath method. I found this website that would help way more than I could: http://barbecuetricks.com/bbq-sauce-canning-tip/
Hope that helps!!
I usually make BBQ sauce by the ton. Divide it up and put it in the freezer. That way, when I go to throw meat in the crock pot. I throw a few cubes of sauce and voila all ready.
This recipe looks interesting. Will have to give it a go. I use maple syrup. Not sure how good that is???
Great idea, Holly!! I love that idea and will do that from now on. Maple syrup is great (the pure kind) and would taste awesome in this
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I’ve been looking all over for a healthy BBQ sauce and this sounds amayzing. I have all the ingridients ready to go but the liquid smoke
I live in Mexico and there is no where to be found. Can I substitute with a bit more smoked paprika? Or what do you suggest?
Thanks!
Hi Regina! Someone else mentioned that they tried it without the liquid smoke and thought it was awesome, so you could certainly try it without! Give it a taste after a few minutes of simmering and see if you think you need to add any additional spices. A bit more smoked paprika or the addition of some chipotle powder sounds like it might be a good idea to give it some more of that “smokiness” flavor
Thanks! I’ll let you know how it turns out.
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