Sweet, smokey and thick BBQ sauce is a must-have for your summer eats. Heck, its good for all year round! This sauce is so versatile; you can tailor it to suit your individual tastes. No spicey peppers in this recipe and lots of sweetness – guaranteed to be a kid-friendly favorite!
No time to can and looking for a smaller batch to enjoy now? Check out my smaller batch recipe for a scaled down version of this same recipe. This recipe yielded 5 jelly jars, 3 pint jars and 1/2 jelly jar. (The 1/2 jar was not processed but stuck in the fridge to be enjoyed later) To learn more about safe canning practices, including increasing processing time based on your elevation, check out the USDA’s Guide to Home Canning resource.
Sweet, Smokey and Thick BBQ Sauce (Large Batch)
Enough to stock your pantry for the entire summer and maybe even longer! Sweet, smokey and thick BBQ sauce is the perfect addition to ribs, chicken, mac and cheese and more!
Ingredients
- 8 cups ketchup
- 1 cup blackstrap molasses
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 tsp prepared mustard
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp pink Himalayan salt
- 1 tsp white black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 tbsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in large stockpot or saucepan (I used my Dutch oven) and whisk until everything is blended thoroughly.
- Cook over medium heat until just to boiling point.
- Turn off heat and ladle into prepared jars.
- Wipe rims with a damp rag and secure canning rings to just tightened.
- Lower into simmering water bath. Ensure enough water is covering to at least an inch above the jars. Once all jars are in, cover and crank heat to high. Once the water begins to boil, set timer.
- Process jelly jars for 15 minutes, pints for 25 minutes. (Increase time if living at 1000 ft or greater elevation)
- Remove from canner, set on clean dish towel to dry. Don't touch for at least 30 minutes. If any lids didn't seal at this point, either stick in fridge when cooled to enjoy now or reprocess. Opened BBQ sauce will last a month in the fridge.
- *To reprocess- Remove lid, wipe rim and lid with clean, damp rag. Stick lid back on and tighten the ring. Reprocess for the designated time.
Notes
I like using ketchup that is made with real sugar. If using a low-sugar variety, increase sugar accordingly.
Molasses – I prefer the taste and sweetness of blackstrap molasses. If using a different variety, keep in mind that blackstrap is the least sweet of the bunch. So adjust your measurements accordingly.
For less molasses flavor (The Hubby isn’t a big molasses fan) reduce the amount of molasses and substitute brown sugar or white sugar in its place.
Salt- if pink Himalayan isn’t available, any fine sea salt or even table salt works as well.
