This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure.
I wanted to share my favorite recipe for BBQ sauce in time for Labor Day grilling this weekend. I know there are a few decent varieties of BBQ sauce available in the grocery store, but once you make it yourself you may never want store-bought again. Which is ok because from start to finish, it’s less than 30 minutes until you are (or the grillmaster in your house is) in BBQ sauce heaven.
BBQ Sauce
(Yield: About 1 c)
1 c pomegranate juice (such as POM Wonderful)
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
1/3 c lemon juice
3 oz tomato paste
1/3 c plus 1 TB brown sugar, lightly packed
1 clove garlic, peeled and cracked
1-inch piece ginger
1 bay leaf
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer (uncovered) until thickened and reduced by half (about 25 minutes). Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve; store in the fridge.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
Yum. I love your BBQ sauce. I’ve got to try it with the POM.
Sam
Faith…with all these incredibly flavourful ingredients…how can it not be the very best…second in line to mine of course. LOL
I may no longer have my grill…but I can assure you…this recipe of yours will be put to good use ;o)
Ciao bella…have a great week.
Claudia
Thanks for linking this up to our SO Long Summer Blog BBQ. This looks delicious.
I love home made BBQ sauce… so much better than what you can buy at the store. I love it because it’s customizable and one can play with different flavors to make it perfect!
Love that sticky look. Beautiful sauce. I can’t wait to have another BBQ :D
Such a great sauce. I love the POM in here! :) Have a great Labor Day weekend!
Alright! I have some POM juice and the last BBQ sauce recipe I tried with it wasn’t very good. Can’t wait to try yours.
~ingrid
Thanks for sharing your favorite BBQ sauce with us. POM is such a wonderful ingredient. It thickens so nicely and adds lots of flavor. This sauce would be great slathered over everything. Have a wonderful long weekend :) xo
I am curious how sweet this is. Matthew’s very picky about his BBQ sauces (we ARE from Kansas City, after all!) but this could be worth trying sometime.
What a great sauce, I could use it for tofu!!!
Love the pomegranate juice, secret ingredient! Definitely need to try this soon.
Well, all I have to say about this is . . . yum! Your sauce looks so appetizing. It’s hard not to salivate ;)
What a delicious barbecue sauce! I like that you used POM as the base for it – I can only imagine how rich the flavor is.
I love how you incorporate all the healthy ingredients into the BBQ sauce. Makes you feeling less guilty about eating more during the Labor Day cookout. :)
WOOOO!!! homemade BBQ sauce! Thanks for sharing! :)
Homemade BBQ sauce is a must, Faith. I love that you used Pom in your recipe! Great balance of flavors.
Have a great Labor Day BBQ!
Mmm I love a good home made BBQ sauce! It jsut really signs with flavour and has all of these lovely spices in it! Yours looks amazing Faith! :D
Since I grew up near Kansas City, BBQ sauce is a staple in our house! Love the idea of adding POM to it!
Love homemade bbq sauce and especially the addition of pom juice! This looks fantastic!
Your BBQ sauce makes me wish that I actually got to do a barbeque this summer. Ahhh… drool…
Great sauce, sweet and spicy.
*kisses* HH
I know this has got to be good. I could of used this one on my chicken wings I made last night! yummy!
I absolutely refuse to buy BBQ sauce anymore! After making my own, the store ones taste way too sweet. I love the pomegranate juice in this. It must give it such a nice tangy flavor!
Great recipe, I love the addition of POM to the sauce. I am going to try this recipe soon!
Great recipe Faith! Thanks for sharing, I’ll keep this in mind for the upcoming BBQ season!
What a terrific sauce. Your photos look professional. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…Mary
pomegranate juice is an interesting touch! and for me, it wouldn’t be barbecue sauce without that dried mustard–it’s key!
Sounds delicious and no high fructose corn syrup – yay!
Yum! Add POM to my grocery list for this weekend’s bbq!
Oooh I bet this is spectacular! Nice touch with the POM! :D
So delicious! That spiy BBQ sauce must be divine.
Cheers,
Rosa
With POM!? YUMMMM! I’ve made my own before, too…and you’re right, so much better than anything bottled from the store! I am definitely saving this to try! And tonight (or maybe tomorrow) I’m making your spumoni cake! Can’t wait!
Pomegranate on BBQ sauce. I love it. You are right, it is far more better the homemade than the store bought.
I LOVE bbq sauce!
I like the addition of the pomegranate juice for tang and fruitiness. This sounds like one complex and satisfying sauce.
Faith,
Great flavor profile on your BBQ sauce. Bravo!
It never occured to me that I could make my own BBQ sauce! This is brilliant because now I don’t have to invest in a giant bottle, only to throw it out a few months later since I use it so rarely.
Thanks Faith!
One week to go!
Fantastic, Faith! I am all about using other fruit ingredients for Barbeque sauce (I tried one with black raspberries earlier this year) Pomegranate is a terrific idea—
Have a fun and tasty Labor Day!
BBQ … some think the Hatfield and McCoy split started over a BBQ sauce argument. To use mustard or not, sweet or not, hot or not …
Your homemade bbq sauce sounds fantastic! Must be great with all kinds of meats.
I love the idea of making your own BBQ sauce! I’m sure this is delicious. Added bonus: I can identify all of the ingredients, unlike in many store-bought varieties.
Homemade bbq sauce! I would love to try it too.
Wonderful bbq sauce – love the pom in it!
Oo, it looks delicious, and the photographs are lovely. I bet the homemade sauce is sooo much better than store-bought.
You are right about making it yourself, it’s soooo much better. POM… huh? That sounds like a really great idea, the fruity tartness would be perfect for bbq sauce. I use to make tons of homemade jelly and preserves with the help of pomegranate juice. You should check out my blackberry chipotle sauce, I think you would like it.
http://2besatisfied.blogspot.com/2010/07/pulled-chicken-sliders-with-blackberry.html
~Chef Louise
I’m off to the store to buy Pomegranate juice, its the only thing I’m missing. Thanks for sharing :)
All those ingredients together, I am sure, would make the perfect BBQ sauce…a keeper for sure.
I love BBQ sauce for its usual purpose…but I also like dipping other things into it as well…grilled veggies for example. Yum
Wow, you’re too cool for making your own sauce. I’ve always wanted to and now I have the perfect recipe to try! Thanks.