My favourite homemade BBQ Sauce

Ditch the shop-bought! This easy homemade BBQ sauce is sugar-smart, full of flavour, and ideal for chicken, ribs, or pork.

I love BBQ sauce, but shop-bought versions are often loaded with sugar. That’s why I prefer making my own. My go-to recipe comes from Jamie Oliver’s 15-Minute Meals, and it’s one I make regularly. The flavour is a perfect balance – sweet, tart, sharp, savoury, and spicy – all at the same time.

And the best part? You know exactly what’s going into it and can easily adjust the ingredients to suit your taste or dietary needs.

Why I Love This Sauce

• Use low-sugar ketchup or low-sodium soy sauce if you’re watching salt and sugar
• Skip the garlic if it’s not your thing
• Crank up the hot sauce for extra spice
• Add a drizzle more honey if you like it sweeter

It’s endlessly adaptable, which makes it a kitchen staple for me – especially in the summer months when BBQ season is in full swing.

The Apple Juice Conundrum

The only challenge with this recipe? It calls for just a few tablespoons of apple juice, and we don’t usually drink it at home. By the time I’m ready to make the sauce again, the carton I opened last time has usually gone off.

My solution: those small juice cartons you’d normally pop in a lunchbox.

They’re the perfect size, no waste – and as a bonus, there’s just enough juice left after making the sauce to shake up a couple of Appletinis. Win-win! (This may also explain why I’m making it more often these days…)

How to Use It

This sauce is thinner than most bottled BBQ sauces, so technically it’s more of a marinade or glaze. But that’s exactly what makes it so versatile.

• Marinate chicken, ribs, or pork overnight for deep, rich flavour
• Brush it on meat while grilling or roasting for a sticky, glossy finish
• Serve a little fresh sauce on the side for an extra kick of sharpness

The result? Finger-licking food and empty plates.

Watch the video below to see it being made:

My favourite homemade BBQ Sauce

Servings

200

ml

Ditch the shop-bought! This easy homemade BBQ sauce is sugar-smart, full of flavour, and ideal for chicken, ribs, or pork.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed

• 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 4tbsp tomato ketchup

• 2tbsp brown sauce

• 1tbsp honey

• 1tbsp soy sauce

• 3tbsp apple juice

• 1tsp hot sauce

Directions

• Place all ingredients in a jar, seal tightly, and shake well until combined.

• Recipe source: Jamie Oliver – 15-Minute Meals
• – Marinate chicken, ribs, or pork overnight for deep, rich flavour
  – Brush it on meat while grilling or roasting for a sticky, glossy finish
  – Serve a little fresh sauce on the side for an extra kick of sharpness