This well-balanced, made-from-scratch Kansas City BBQ Sauce has the perfect balance of sweet and spice! Brush this rich sauce on ribs, chops, and chicken, or serve it on the side with pulled pork.

Classic Kansas City style BBQ sauce has the perfect combination of sticky sweet, zesty heat, with a touch of tangy flavor. This versatile BBQ sauce pairs beautifully with our Kansas City Rub. Make a double batch and split it in half. Use one portion for basting smoked pork ribs or chicken, and serve the other half as a table sauce for pulled pork or beef chuck roast. Try it on brisket burnt ends and use it in BBQ beans as well.

BBQ Sauce Ingredients

• Ketchup
• Brown sugar
• Apple cider vinegar
• Paprika (not smoked)
• Chili powder
• Molasses
• Butter
• Cayenne pepper (adjust to suit your tastes)
• Garlic powder 
• Salt
• Optional liquid smoke

Us Butter for Silky Sauce

Adding butter to homemade BBQ sauce can greatly enhance its flavor and consistency. Butter is a fantastic ingredient for creating a rich, silky sauce. Many barbecue sauces include sharp, acidic ingredients like tomato and vinegar. Adding the butter at the end of cooking will help to mellow and smooth out the sauce, resulting in a creamy texture. When we say creamy, we don’t mean a sauce resembling a Béchamel. It will look and taste very much like BBQ sauce. If you are lactose intolerant, omit the butter from the recipe or use a lactose-free substitute like margarine.

Steps to Make Kansas City BBQ Sauce

• Simmer BBQ sauce ingredients (except butter) in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will be thick.
• Add butter: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of butter until melted. 
• Cool it: Allow the sauce to sit for 15-20 minutes. Use immediately, or place into a jar or plastic airtight container for storing. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days after preparation.
• Basting: If using this BBQ sauce for basting, let it cool for 10 minutes before applying it to the meat. 
• Table sauce: When serving as a side sauce, let the mixture cool a little longer.
• Storing: Store the BBQ sauce in a mason jar or other airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

More Recipes!

• Best Homemade BBQ sauces
• Best Pork Rib Rubs
• Kansas City Onion Rings
• Whiskey Maple BBQ Sauce

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Kansas City Barbecue Sauce

This tomato-based BBQ sauce has a little sweet, a bit of heat, and a touch of tanginess. Just the right combination to pull off a sensational barbecue.

Course Sauces

Cuisine American BBQ

Keyword BBQ sauce, BBQ sauce recipe, kansas city barbecue sauce

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 3 Cups

Calories 464kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups ketchup
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons paprika (not smoked)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use less if desired)
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Add all ingredients (except butter) to a medium saucepan, and stir through. Let sauce come to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should be nice and thick.
• Remove saucepan from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of butter until melted through. Let the sauce sit for 20 minutes. Use immediately, or place into a jar or airtight container for storing. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days after preparation.
• If using the same day. Let sauce cool for at least 10 minutes before applying on to the meat. If serving as a side sauce, let the sauce cool a little longer.

Notes

Why butter?

Why butter? Butter has a way of adding just the right touch of silkiness to sauces. Barbecue sauces contain acidic ingredients like tomato and vinegar. Adding the butter at the end tames these flavors a bit and gives it a nice creamy texture. When I say creamy, I don’t mean like a cream sauce. You do not have to make this addition; it’s a matter of personal choice.

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 112g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1758mg | Potassium: 763mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 101g | Vitamin A: 2979IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg

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