This Slow Cooker BBQ Sauce is from a family recipe that's been adapted for the crock-pot. A delicious Southern sweet and tangy sauce that's so easy to make, you'll never use store bought bottled sauce ever again!
A sweet and tangy BBQ sauce perfect for grilling or smoking
If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you know I've been all about grillin', smokin', and chillin' as much as possible.
I love barbecuing on my Pit Barrel Cooker, which is a refined version of a UDS smoker (Ugly Drum Smoker - the kind made out of a 55 gallon drum).
This thing is great since you hang the meat over the coals and the fat drips on the fire creating the moisture and flavors of whatever you're cooking.
Also, due to the design it allows me smoke a shite ton of meat at the same time.
All that smoked meat needs a lot of tasty sauce on top and it has to be homemade!
Because no one should ever spend a half a day smoking meat, just to ruin it by coating it with a sauce in a bottle.
How to make bbq sauce from scratch
I have such fond memories of this family recipe. Every time my Mom made this sauce, I would find myself following the delicious smell into the kitchen and peering into the tall stainless steel pot.
I would take the wooden spoon next to the stove and gently stir the thin sauce around the pot, being careful not to disrupt the floating lemon slices.
The rich red color of this southern vinegar based sauce with the tangy smell, is a childhood memory I cherish to this day.
I remember having the self-proclaimed title of "official taste tester" of the sauce and my duty was making sure the sauce was at it's best.
In fact, I took my job very seriously and I would continue to taste many times throughout the day.
It's a good thing my Mom always made such a large pot of this sauce because I probably ate 2 cups of it while exercising my official title.
I still have a deep love for this spicy sauce and always make it whenever I need a barbecue sauce at home.
To make the slow cooking process a little easier, I adapted the recipe to cook in a crock-pot or slow cooker. Just set it and forget about it!
And the leftover sauce will stay fresh in the refrigerator for months or, if you're really handy, can the sauce in glass jars and they'll keep in the pantry indefinitely.
I like always having a jar of this barbecue sauce in the refrigerator, because my whole family LOVES using it on all sorts of foods.
Try the sauce with these reader favorite recipes:
So go make a big batch of Slow Cooker BBQ Sauce and get your grill on this weekend!! Share this easy BBQ sauce recipe with your friends and family and PIN it for later, so you can make a batch to give away as gifts.
Slow Cooker BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups all-natural ketchup {no sugar added}
- 2 cups water
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ cup onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup prepared yellow mustard
- 4 whole fresh garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 5 slices fresh organic lemon
- 1-2 teaspoons liquid smoke, optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a crock-pot or slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours, then reduce to low and cook for additional 2 hours.
- Remove lemon slices and allow sauce to cool before storing in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Can use an immersion hand blender to smooth out the sauce, if desired.
- Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for months or can the sauce in glass jars and they’ll keep in the pantry indefinitely!
Gabby
Started off with homemade ketchup because I had a massive amout of tomatoes am just letting it cook slower leaving it on low. But this sauce smells amazing so far.
Karrie
Thank you Gabby and you just one-upped the recipe with your homemade ketchup! lol! Enjoy the sauce and hope you are making BBQ this weekend:)
Cheryl
About how many pints for canning does this recipe make?
Karrie
Hi Cheryl, a pint mason jar should hold 2 cups, so the recipe should make around 5 pints (or 10 cups).
Elly
Would this bbq recipe work for ribs?
Karrie
Yes!!! The sauce will work with anything 🙂
Christy
Could you alter this to be made in the instant pot to cut the cooking time?
Karrie
Hi Christy, I've never tried cooking it in an instant pot, so not sure if it would work or not.
GiGi Eats
Thrilled I opened this link because THIS IS SO SOMETHING Landon and I could make for our big BBQ party we are hosting next week!!!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
The official taste tester...that is a nice job. Your sauce sounds wonderful...I like it that it is not too sweet.
Christina
OMG, my mouth is watering thinking about your smoker! I inherited a smoker grill thingy and I haven't used it. Mostly because I'm intimidated since I don't have experience smoking meat. I'll have to private message you when I'm about to try it for the first time, so I can get as many pointers as possible!
Your BBQ sounds so freaking delicious. I've never cooked homemade BBQ sauce with lemons before but it sounds amazing! Pinning!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
I do this thing where I dip potato chips in BBQ sauce and call it dinner. It's THE BEST! But I always use bottled sauce. I'm totally going fancy and making your sauce soon, because when you're a girl who eats potato chips for dinner, being gourmet is very important :). Seriously, this sounds like one heckuva good BBQ sauce!
Kushi
I love homemade sauces and this one looks so perfect and flavorful. I want to make this one soon and use it in my recipes. Thank you so much for sharing this!
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This bbq sauce sounds so good!! Love that you made it in a crock pot!
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Brilliant! Homemade BBQ sauce is the best - and now you've managed to make it even better! Slow cooked?! My boys (and I, of course!!) will love this!! Pinned! Happy weekend, my friend!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
Making this in the crock pot is such a great idea! We are going to have to change your name to Smokey Ever After! Have fun with your new smoker!
B.Starvin
Nice work Special K! i was looking for a good home made BBQ Sauce. May need to fire up the Treager Sunday now.
Heather wells
Tried this sauce over the weekend and it was a hit at our cookout! Crockpot made it so easy and will be making again. Thanks for the recipe.
simonacallas
Wow, this sauce looks amazing! Me and my family are crazy about dressings and sauces and I also have some inherited recipes Thank you for sharing ❤