The Components Every Homemade BBQ Sauce Needs

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Making barbeque sauce at home may seem intimidating, but it is undoubtedly one of the most fulfilling things to learn in the kitchen. Because there are many different styles of BBQ sauce — and these differ depending on what region you're eating your BBQ in — coming up with your own recipe is a worthwhile endeavor but can take a bit of guidance to get right. Luckily, we talked to Brandon Hurtado, BBQ chef and author of "Barbacoa: The Heart of Tex-Mex Barbecue," about how to start making BBQ sauce at home. According to Hurtado, the core ingredients in BBQ sauce are as simple as can be. "A really easy base ratio that you can add to would be 4-4-1-1 (ketchup, water, brown sugar, vinegar)," the chef explained.

These four ingredients are generally considered the foundation of most red BBQ sauces, with ketchup and vinegar doing the heavy lifting flavor-wise. Meanwhile, the brown sugar gives the sauce a hint of sweetness, and the water evens out the texture. If you're new to experimenting with homemade BBQ sauce, combining ketchup, water, brown sugar, and vinegar is a good starting point before adding other spices, seasonings, sauces, or pastes to the mix.

While these four ingredients are a great start on your BBQ sauce journey, knowing what type of BBQ sauce you want to make is important when it comes to your next steps. For Brandon Hurtado, the best style of BBQ sauce comes from the Carolinas. "I personally enjoy a Carolina-style BBQ sauce that's more vinegar-forward," Hurtado explained. "I'm not a huge fan of really sweet sauces with my barbecue, since what you're eating is already heavy." While the BBQ chef was likely referring to Western North Carolina BBQ sauce — which includes vinegar and brown sugar in a more prominent role – a slightly different version of the sauce can be found in Eastern North Carolina, where chefs tend to use apple cider vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, and hot sauce as core ingredients. Thus, the difference in the style of sauce you prefer could come down just one or two ingredients.

If you want to take a risk by adding your favorite flavors or sauces, don't panic –ingredients like teriyaki sauce are great additions to BBQ sauce, so always be on the lookout for obscure things in your kitchen that you think could make it even better. "Barbecue sauces are easy and meant for experimentation," Hurtado reassured. "I highly recommend trying different recipes and making them unique to what you and your family enjoy."