Smoky Spicy Barbecue Sauce Recipe for Grilling and Smoking

Every pantry needs a reliable barbecue sauce. It’s easy to say, but finding one that balances flavor, heat and texture can be as tricky as finding the perfect pair of jeans.

Commercial barbecue sauces often lean too sweet, taste like watered-down ketchup, or lack the depth you want. Homemade sauce is almost always better, but making it from scratch just before a big cookout isn’t always convenient.

What you want is a jar of exceptional sauce ready to go whenever the mood strikes to slather, brush or dunk. Fortunately, this Spicy Smoky Barbecue Sauce fits the bill perfectly.

I first tasted this sauce when a friend gave me a jar. We sampled it like connoisseurs of condiments—first a pinky-dip, then a fingertip, then spoons. It was that good. I adapted the original recipe to match what I had on hand and what my budget allowed, and the tweaks stuck. Even after my pantry was restocked, I kept the changes because the sauce was simply better.

This sauce greets the palate with a spicy, smoky note followed by a bright vinegar tang and pronounced garlic and onion. It’s tomato-based but not overwhelmingly so—the smooth, tangy Dijon mustard balances it beautifully. Think of it as a hybrid that borrows the best from Kansas City and South Carolina styles.

The texture is smooth, thick and versatile: brushable on grilled meats, spoonable for dipping, and spreadable on burgers. I use it for dunking fried chicken, topping burgers, and brushing on poultry near the end of grilling.

A key bonus: this sauce can be preserved. Make a large batch, jar it and process it either with a boiling water bath or pressure canner. If you prefer not to can, store it in the refrigerator for up to a month or freeze portion-sized amounts for up to six months. Canning and keeping jars on the shelf feels like a small culinary triumph—ready for any barbecue emergency.

Bottom line: make this sauce. You’ll be glad you did.

If not today, then soon—grilling season is coming. Serve this sauce at your next gathering and expect compliments. People notice a great homemade sauce.

Spicy Smoky Barbecue Sauce

Rebecca Lindamood

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Spicy, smoky, smooth and versatile—this barbecue sauce does everything a great sauce should.

Ingredients

3 yellow onions chopped
8-10 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 cups tomato paste
2 cups Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups molasses
1 cup raw or brown sugar
1 1/2 cups hoisin sauce
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons ground New Mexican chili powder this is simply ground New Mexico chiles.
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

Add the oil, onions and garlic to a heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat.
Cook 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and mostly translucent. Do not brown the onions or garlic.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 30 minutes, maintaining a gentle bubbling state.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender or standard blender.
Portion into jars to refrigerate, freeze in serving sizes, or proceed to canning for shelf storage.

To Boiling Water Bath Can the Sauce for Shelf Storage:

Fill sterile canning jars to within 1/4 inch of the top.
Wipe rims with a paper towel dipped in vinegar, place clean new lids on the jars and screw rings to fingertip tightness.
Place jars in a canner with water covering the lids by 2 inches. Bring to a boil with the lid in place and boil 30 minutes for pints, 40 minutes for quarts.
Turn off heat and let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a cooling rack for 24 hours.
Remove rings, wipe jars, label and store in a cool, dry place for up to a year.

To Pressure Can the Sauce for Shelf Storage:

Fill sterile jars to within 1 inch of the top. Wipe rims with vinegar and secure lids and rings to fingertip tightness.
Process in a pressure canner following the manufacturer’s instructions: process pints 20 minutes and quarts 25 minutes at 10 lb pressure (adjust for altitude per your canner’s guidelines).
Allow the canner to return to atmospheric pressure naturally. Transfer jars to a cooling rack and let rest 24 hours.
Remove rings, wipe jars, label and store in a cool, dry place for up to a year.

Notes

If freezing, portion the sauce into serving-sized containers so you can thaw only what you need. If you have trouble finding ground New Mexico chile powder, look for labeled New Mexico chile or ground New Mexico chiles at specialty spice shops or well-stocked grocery stores.

Nutrition

Calories: 192kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSodium: 829mgPotassium: 657mgFiber: 2gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 645IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 3mg

Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate values based on the specific ingredients you use if needed.