If you are a fan of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, you will love the taste of this made from scratch BBQ sauce!
With (1) the first college football Saturday and (2) Labor Day coming up in the next few days, I thought it might be a good time to post this homemade BBQ sauce.
Since you make it yourself, you can avoid all the sketchy ingredients. (<- I’m looking at YOU, high fructose corn syrup!) This recipe uses basic pantry ingredients, and it comes together in a snap.
It is great on chicken, pork, veggies…the possibilities are endless.
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
Note: These are Amazon affiliate links.
- Sauce Pan
- Whisk
- Measuring spoons
- Storage container (2 cup capacity)
Copycat Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
If this recipe looks good to you, please pin it and share it!
Copycat Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce {Made from Scratch}
You may never buy premade barbecue sauce again after you make this from scratch recipe that tastes just like Sweet Baby Ray's!
Ingredients
- 1 bottle bottle organic ketchup (I used Annie's 24-ounce bottle)
- 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1.5 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (you could add more if you prefer a smokier BBQ sauce)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan, and whisk to combine.
- Simmer for about 5 minutes (or longer if you prefer a thicker texture).
- Store for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator. Each serving is approximately 2 tablespoons and is approximately 1 PointPlus on Weight Watchers.
Makes about 2 cups total.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Pin and share if you like it. Happy Labor Day, y’all!
Shanda Klodzinski says
I went to the fridge to find out one of the children (or hubs) left an empty Sweet Baby Ray’s bottle in the door. All of the spices in your recipe are things I keep on hand. I had one cup of ketchup and a bottle of banana sauce to work with. I was already smoking meat when I discovered I did not have the liquid smoke so I set a cup under the drip pan to get some of that. your recipe is amazing!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
That is some great feedback! Glad you enjoyed it.💖
Sylvia wojnicki says
Loved this recipe. I’m just wondering if all of the ingredients are stable at room temp, when I p[ut it all together and boil it, why will it only last 2 weeks in the fridge?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Sylvia! You could likely keep it longer than that. I’d say two weeks minimum.
Kate says
This is wonderful! thank you.. has anyone tried freezing this?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I have not tried freezing it. The only potential issue I might see with that would be the solids and liquids separating out a little bit. I would think a good stir or shake should mix it all back up, though. Let me know if you try it.
Irma says
Hi im from the Netherlands and sweet baby rays is a bit hard to find around here. I wanted to try your recipe but if i compare it to other recipes, yours uses twice the amount of ketchup. also it says that it makes about two cups but a 24oz bottle is already more than 2 cups right? Are you sure your measurements are correct? If so i will definitely try this for my next barbecue. Thanks!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Irma! Yep, that is correct. It may make slightly over 2 cups. The other ingredients don’t add too much volume, and some of the liquids reduce/ evaporate with cooking. I hope you enjoy it!
Steve says
Remember that the 24 oz of ketchup is a measurement of weight not volume, so it actually might be a lot closer to 2 cups aka 16 0z by volume. Water is the only thing where oz of weight and oz of volume are the same
Yvonne Detres says
Awesome.. people dont know how to take things as they come..just have fun and enjoy..everyone has their own way of making things that they like..I thank you for your bbq sauce..
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Thank you Yvonne!💖 LOL. Yep, it’s weird how some people apparently get suuuuper triggered by recipe ingredients.😜😂🤷🏼♀️ I hope you enjoy it!😘
Leonie Neylon says
Thanks so much. I made my own ketchup as I had heaps of tomatoes and then made this. Divine ness.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yum! I bet that made it extra yummy.
Christy says
This recipe yields the most delicious BBQ sauce! Sweet and smoky, just like sweet baby Ray’s!
Pat says
You say 1 Bottle Bottle of ketchup. What size bottle??
Paula says
Can this sauce be canned?
Emily says
I just compared this recipe to some others approved for canning, and I don’t see any ingredients that would make it not suitable for canning. However, I have only been canning for less than a week, and have no idea what processing time to use. But I do plan on trying to can it!
Linda says
Sounds easy enough 4 me, super excited to try it tomorrow
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hope you enjoy Linda!
Susan P Boyer says
hate to tell ya, but organic ketchup is just tomato sauce, vinegar, salt, some spices. you could easily sub
tomato sauce and salt to taste, then taste and make sure the salt to sugar ratio was to your personal tastes. Molasses could be added as well, and cut back on the brown sugar (which is just cane sugar mixed with molasses anyway). also, Sweet BAby Ray’s does NOT contain molasses – it is High fructose corn syrup, number one ingredient – source, https://www.sweetbabyrays.com/Sauces/Barbecue-Sauces/Original-Barbecue-Sauce
Quit being a troll and do some research for once
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
With all due respect, I stand by the recipe.🙌🏻 It’s delicious just as it is, and plenty of people agree with me. No HFCS was one of my goals for this recipe, which is why I did not include it. The intention was to make SBR-tasting sauce (sweet and smoky) with ingredients I like better. I have zero issues with using ketchup or brown sugar. If you do, I’m 100% cool with that.😎 I’m not trying to convince you of anything, nor am I attached to you approving of my recipes. 💁🏼♀️
Renee says
Good answer. I appreciate that you posted the recipe. I am interested in making healthier less expensive food.
Denise D Opuni says
That was annoying. You picked apart the recipe for no good reason.
Dharma eyer says
Susan p boyer is an illiterate, bored, and lonely hack. She should stay offline and work on herself.
She’s got a lot of ugly on board. Maybe finding Jesus might serve her too. Lol
Thanks for sharing this recipe, @APinchofHealthy
Those of us that can read and think appreciate this recipe without HFCS and artificial colors.
We’ve made it with and without ketchup. It’s great no matter what.
My next item is to find liquid smoke without Carmel coloring in it.
Cheers foodies!
Brittany Rose says
Wow Susan, no reason to be a total jerk. Who peed in your cornflakes?! I am trying this recipe tonight! I sure it’s fantastic. Too bad I can’t post a video eating it while flipping you the bird.
Staci @ anewstaci.blogspot.com says
The sauce is the boss! 🙂 We love SBR.