There’s nothing like grilling season. It’s upon us, and some of my favourite things to cook are on the grill.
This BBQ sauce can be used as a marinade, glaze, or sauce to brush directly on meat, veggies, or chicken. It works well with my pineapple chicken recipe, marrying the flavours of sweet heat with sliced jalapeño peppers (or a sliced serrano) and grilled pineapple.
It’s the perfect simple combination that comes together easily. It combines warm BBQ flavours with the subtle heat of fresh jalapeño or serrano peppers.
The best part is that all you need is one bowl to make this. Made with simple ingredients, this versatile BBQ sauce recipe delivers the perfect balance of sweet heat and bold flavour. For those of you who prefer a milder version? Simply leave out the sliced jalapeños for a family-friendly option that’s just as versatile and delicious.
Sweet, smoky, and spicy BBQ Sauce
Description
Sweet and spicy homemade BBQ sauce. Simple to make and perfect for grilled pineapple, chicken, veggies, and summer BBQ recipes. Use it as a marinade, glaze, or dipping sauce for bold flavour in every bite. Get inspired with the video here.
Ingredients
Method:
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- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except the jalapeño slices. Whisk together until incorporated smoothly, and the brown sugar has dissolved. It should be semi-thick but still pourable.
- Now, stir in the thin jalapeño slices (around 10 to 16 slices). Set aside at room temperature if using immediately. Tip: Save the other half of the jalapeño or any remaining slices for garnishing or adding to your protein as it cooks.
- If using this sauce later, refrigerate. When ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and stir or whisk the sauce a bit to liven it up before using.
- Use a pastry brush or silicone brush to add the sauce to any protein or vegetable of your choice. See FAQs for other alternatives. Enjoy!
Storage: Store the BBQ sauce in a glass bottle or container with a tight lid closure, and refrigerate. Use within 5 to 7 days. If freezing, place in a gallon zip top bag and freeze flat (Tip: when ready to use just thaw out and snip one corner of the bag and squeeze out into a bowl), or place in a freezer-safe container. Use within 3 months.
Note
- Use fresh ginger, not dried or ground ginger. You will need the full tablespoon to balance the flavour of the sauce.
- Feel free to use the whole pepper if your jalapeño isn't as spicy as usual (yes, sometimes that happens). Keep the seeds in the jalapeno pepper; it's called spicy for a reason. The thinly sliced peppers will distribute spice evenly and balance well with the sweetness. I like to keep the seeds in for an extra kick, but if you only want a touch of heat, remove them.
- The remaining half of jalapeño (or serrano) should be used on whatever protein you are cooking. Just scatter them on top to either cook with your main dish or to garnish the food after you have brushed the sauce on.
FAQs
How to use this sauce?
You can use this spicy sauce as a marinade or glaze for chicken, beef, pork, or vegetables. I also like to add ½ cup of chopped pineapple to the sauce for a quick glaze on chicken, or just brush the sauce on sliced pineapple (after grilling), as I did in my grilled pineapple & spicy chicken recipe.
I only have dark brown sugar. Will that work?
Yes, you can use light or dark brown sugar here (the darker brown sugar has more molasses in it).
You can also use a sugar-free brown sugar; if doing so, I still recommend using a little bit of molasses for taste. But I have made this in a refined-sugar-free version, and it will work fine. View these good alternatives.
What can I use other than lime?
You can use apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice if you don’t have lime juice.
Do I need liquid smoke?
No, not at all. But, a touch of liquid smoke is all I use in this recipe to give it that hickory-esque flavour (it comes out to anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, nothing more). It's entirely optional, but it definitely elevates the sauce. If you don't have it on hand or never typically buy liquid smoke, just omit it.
Can I chop instead of slice the jalapeños?
Yes, but slicing the jalapeños thinly here creates heat so that the jalapeños are macerated in the sauce — it balances it well. Feel free to chop or mince the jalapeños, just be mindful of using the seeds with them, if chopped or minced the taste will be a little different and they may or may not make the sauce slightly hotter because of the distribution of heat.
User Reviews
This sounds delicious! I love the idea of making my own BBQ sauce!
Yes, it’s quite simple, and you can control the sweetness and spice level easily.
Yum, this sounds absolutely delicious and adding chopped pineapple to it sounds like a masterstroke.
Sarah – http://www.oomphlondon.co.uk
Ha, thanks! It’s absolutely delicious with the chopped pineapple. <3
this sounds delicious! xx
Danielle’s Beauty Blog
Thank you.
My husband is a huge fan of BBQ, I bet he’d love this! Perfect for Memorial Day!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Madison, I can’t wait to try this bbq sauce, it sounds delicious and I love how easy it sounds to whip up – that’s my kind of recipe, haha! Plus I’ve never tried to make bbq sauce before, so I’m excited to try it!
Wishing you a wonderful rest of your week! 🙂
Oh, thanks very much, my friend. It’s a versatile sauce! I hope you love it as much as we do, and enjoy your week as well, Ashley. x
Oh wow, this sounds insane! I’ve made my own BBQ sauce before, but this recipe sounds delicious. I can’t wait to give it a try. Thanks for sharing
Hannah | https://luxuryblush.co.uk/
That’s great you’ve made one before, so this will be easy for you. You’re welcome!
I had everything except liquid smoke and it was good. Thanks, now I know it will be even better with that liquid smoke you mentioned. We actually used it on pineapple and pork chops.
How lovely, thanks so much! I’m so glad you liked it. Yes, the liquid smoke does elevate it a bit.
Lovely recipe. Your photo looks amazing as always. Wish i couls take photos of my recipes as good as you 🙂 You inspire xoxo
Annie,
https://www.anniesfooddiary.com
Aw, thanks very much, I’m so pleased you love my photos, I put a great deal of work into them. I’m also a photographer, so it has taken a lot of practice, and I’m always learning. x/M
This sauce sounds and looks fantastic. I’m sure it’s vary flavorful. Great job!
http://www.fashionradi.com