Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce

Serve this sweet and tangy barbecue sauce at your upcoming Fourth of July Celebration or summer potluck. Made with simple ingredients like ketchup, onions, vinegar, and syrup – this sauce is easy to make and a staple for summer recipes.

sweet and tangy bbq sauce

Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce

I almost named this barbecue sauce “Lick the Jar” because you’ll be thinking about licking the jar after a taste of this delicious and tangy Barbecue sauce. The balance of sweetness from pancake syrup and tang from vinegar and soy sauce is the perfect blend for your grilled meats. When you are looking for barbecue sauce recipes, there is no need to run to the store. Try out my recipes for Root beer barbecue sauce , Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce , and this recipe for the ever-handy staple Basic Barbecue Sauce.

What You’ll Love about this Homemade Barbecue Sauce

  • Ease: It’s an easy sauce to make with ingredients you probably have in your kitchen cupboard
  • Taste: This homemade, tangy barbecue sauce will please even the pickiest grill master. It’s perfect on grilled meats.
  • Customizable: If you like this sauce, then go ahead and double or even triple the recipe to serve more people.

Ingredients

  • Vidalia onion – chopped or sliced
  • butter
  • white vinegar
  • ketchup
  • pancake syrup
  • yellow mustard
  • salt
  • soy sauce

How to Make Tangy Barbecue Sauce

  • In a skillet, over med/high heat, melt the butter and add the chopped onion
  • Saute the onion for about 5 minutes or until it starts to become transparent and tender
cooked onion
  • Add the vinegar, ketchup, syrup, mustard, salt, and soy sauce. Stir and reduce heat to simmer
cooking barbecue sauce
  • Let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently
  • Transfer to your food processor, and grind the sauce so the onion bits disappear into the sauce
  • Pour into your jar, and brush on your ribs, chicken, pork – whatever you like
pouring barbecue sauce into jar

FAQs

What Kind of Vinegar is Best for Adding Tang to Sauce?

Distilled white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and red wine vinegar are all tangy vinegars

What vinegar will add a mild tang to sauces?

Rice vinegar and white wine vinegars are both mild vinegars.

Storing

Store unused barbecue sauce in a closed container in the refrigerator. Store for up to two weeks.

More Grilling Recipes You’ll Enjoy

Serving Size

This makes about  1/2 pint (8 oz.).  Enough to slather on a couple of slabs of ribs and have some leftovers for dipping.

Double or triple for more

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    Printable Recipe

    sweet and tangy bbq sauce

    Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce

    A delicious and easy-to-make barbecue sauce for summer grilling recipes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes
    Total Time: 13 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings – approximately 1 cup of sauce
    Calories: 112cal
    Author: Melissa Haines
    Cost: $5

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup vidalia onion – chopped or sliced
    • 2 tbsp. butter unsalted
    • ¼ cup white vinegar
    • ¾ cup ketchup
    • ¼ cup syrup
    • 1 tbsp. yellow mustard
    • ½ tsp. salt
    • 2 tsp. soy sauce

    Instructions

    • In a skillet, over med/high heat, melt the butter and add the chopped onion
    • Saute the onion for about 5 minutes or until it starts to become transparent and tender
    • Add the vinegar, ketchup, syrup, mustard, salt, and soy sauce
    • Stir and reduce heat to simmer
    • Let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently
    • Transfer to your food processor, and grind the sauce so the onion bits disappear into the sauce
    • Pour into your jar, and brush on your ribs, chicken, pork – whatever you like

    Notes

    Nutrition facts are only an estimate 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 112cal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 591mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 279IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.2mg
    5 from 1 vote

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    This Post Has One Comment

    1. Melissa Haines

      5 stars
      Yum!