Homemade Low Sugar BBQ Sauce | Easy Recipe

Low sugar BBQ sauce is a wonderful balance of tangy, smoky and sweet. Perfect for ribs, pulled pork, pizza and much more! Made with whole foods, so don't feel guilty about eating it.

Right now, it's winter.

So you may not have BBQ anything on the brain.

I totally get that. But last week I made some pork spare ribs in the oven, first with a dry rub, then some BBQ sauce baked on in the last 30 minutes and oh baby, was that a great thing to eat on a chilly winter day.

It was a little taste of summer, a little beacon of hope. Just what you need in the winter, at times. A reminder of the summer barbecue times ahead!

So I decided to share this homemade sauce recipe because maybe you want to make some ribs too!

You really should.

*drool*

And if you've never made your own BBQ sauce, it's embarrassingly easy. There are ways to make it slightly more difficult, like using fresh garlic and onion, but here we're just throwing a few things into a pot and simmering.

This is so much healthier than any sauce from the grocery store, which likely has a ton of added sugar (artificial sweeteners, mind you!). We had an old bottle of a popular BBQ sauce in the fridge (that we haven't used in years... shame on me!) and sugar is the FIRST ingredient! Yuck! That means it's the ingredient used the most... Talk about high sugar content!

You can also batch cook the sauce and freeze it for later use. It's sort of like having a bottle handy in the fridge, you just need to thaw it before use.

Ingredients in Low Sugar BBQ Sauce

Tomato sauce - The base for any BBQ sauce. Just a can of pureed tomatoes. If you only have tomato paste, you can combine 1 can of tomato paste with 1½ cups of water to make a tomato sauce substitute. If you are feeling super ambitious, you could make your own tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes. Here's a great recipe for that.

Ketchup - More tomatoes, but with some additional flavor. Looks for one without high fructose corn syrup. That's nasty stuff!

Apple cider vinegar - Adds the classic tanginess any BBQ sauce needs.

Coconut sugar - My chosen natural sugar, but you could use honey, maple syrup or brown sugar. Now, I've labelled this "low sugar" because it has much less sugar than other homemade BBQ sauce recipes, but is by no means a sugar-free BBQ sauce.

Spices and seasonings - Small amounts of many ingredients that come together to create a delicious BBQ sauce! We use onion, garlic, smoked paprika, chili powder, dijon mustard, liquid smoke (aka MAGIC, adds an amazing smoky flavor), Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.

Uses for Low Sugar BBQ Sauce

A good BBQ sauce can be used for so many things!

• BBQ ribs
• Pulled pork
• On pizza (or just dip your pizza in it!)
• Add it to nachos for a southern twist
• Add it to a homemade vinegraitte
• As a dipping sauce for fried chicken, baked chicken, oven fries or kale chips
• On a hot dog or burger
• As a glaze on meatballs or meatloaf
• BBQ beans

Variations of Low Sugar BBQ Sauce

• Use brown sugar, honey or maple syrup in place of coconut sugar. If you'd like a sweeter sauce, you can of course add more.
• Use balsamic vinegar in place of apple cider vinegar. The flavor will be different, but still delicious!
• Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper for a spicier BBQ sauce.

Tools You May Need

Small saucepan

Measuring cups and spoons

How to Make Low Sugar BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

• 14 oz can tomato sauce
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3½ tablespoon coconut sugar
• 3 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon liquid hickory smoke

Instructions:

Mix everything together in a small pot and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat, reduce to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. If you like a thicker sauce, simmer it for longer. If you want a thinner sauce, stir in some water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

How to Store Low Sugar BBQ Sauce

Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. The flavors tend to mellow after cooling, so taste and adjust seasonings when you reheat it.

Freezer: To keep longer term, store in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. You can also freeze the sauce in a mason jar, just make sure to leave room at the top of the jar for expansion. If you fill it too full, your jar will crack in the freezer. Simply place in the fridge to thaw overnight and reheat before serving.

Did you try this recipe? If so, I would really appreciate a 5-star rating and your comments below! Thanks!

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