Hickory Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce

Are you craving a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce with smoky flavors? Hickory brown sugar BBQ sauce is the perfect match for you. This is a classic American sauce that combines the rich aroma and caramelized flavor of brown sugar.

You will learn the easiest homemade brown sugar BBQ sauce recipe in this article. We will provide you with an ingredient list and step-by-step making process. You will also get useful tips and tricks for completing the steps smoothly.

Therefore, we recommend reading this article from beginning to end to understand the whole recipe accurately. Let’s jump into the main recipe.

Hickory Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce Ingredients

The ingredients of BBQ sauce are common. However, to get the hickory-smoked flavor, you need a secret ingredient. Continue reading the ingredient list to learn about the secret ingredient.

1. Ketchup – 1 cup
2. Dark Brown Sugar – ½ cup 
3. Apple Cider Vinegar – ¼ cup 
4. Molasses – 2 tablespoons 
5. Worcestershire Sauce – 1 tablespoon 
6. Hickory Liquid Smoke – 1 tablespoon (Alternatively, Hickory Smoked Powder) 
7. Onion Powder – 1 teaspoon
8. Garlic Powder – 1 teaspoon 
9. Smoked Paprika – ½ teaspoon 
10. Black Pepper Powder – ½ teaspoon 
11. Salt – ½ teaspoon 
12. Cayenne Pepper – ¼ teaspoon (optional, for heat)
13. Water – ¼ cup (adjust to preferred consistency)

How to Make Hickory Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce at Home: Easy 5 Steps

If you want to make the authentic sweet and smoky BBQ sauce, you can follow our 5-step Smoky Hickory BBQ Sauce Recipe.

Step 1: Combine the Ingredients

The first step is to combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and the secret ingredient, which is the hickory liquid smoke.

• First, collect and measure all the required ingredients.
• Then, take a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• After that, combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and Hickory liquid smoke in the saucepan.
• Mix them nicely using a whisk for a minute. 

Step 2: Add Spices

After combining the main ingredients, it’s time to add the seasoning ingredients to the hickory barbecue sauce for ribs.

• Add onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, pepper, salt, and cayenne powder.
• Stir them nicely.

Step 3: Simmer

Now, add some water to loosen the consistency of the sticky BBQ sauce.

• Reduce the heat to low.
• Then, simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes until you get the desired consistency.
• Don’t forget to stir occasionally.  

Step 4: Taste and Adjust

After simmering, the brown sugar and spice BBQ sauce is ready. However, this step allows you to get a taste according to your preferences.

• Take a spoonful of sauce.
• Cool it slightly, then taste the sauce.
• If required, you can adjust the seasoning ingredients to get the perfect taste.
• After adding the ingredients, continue simmering for about 5 minutes.

Note: If the consistency becomes too thick, you can add some water to loosen it. 

Step 5: Cool and Store 

Finally, the sweet Hickory rib sauce is ready to serve.

• Pour the sauce into a bowl from the saucepan.
• Cool the sauce at room temperature.
• Then serve the sauce with ribs, grilled meat, BBQ meat, or with your favorite meal.
• On the other hand, you can also store the sauce. Do the following to store the sauce:

• Cool the sauce completely.
• Then, pour the sauce into a glass jar or bottle.
• Airtight the jar or bottle.
• After that, store it in the refrigerator.
• You can store this sweet hickory BBQ sauce for up to 2 weeks.

3 Useful Tips and Tricks to Make the Hickory Molasses Barbecue Sauce

1. Slow Heating

Don’t rush the heating process. You should always simmer the sauce at the lowest heat. Slow heating helps to meld the flavors perfectly. Therefore, always maintain low heat during simmering. Quick heat can burn the sauce, and that will offer a bitter taste and foul smell.

2. Consistency Control

Perfect consistency is a key feature for sauces.

• To loosen the consistency, don’t use all the water together. Start with a little amount and use as much as you need to get the desired consistency.
• To thicken the sauce, you can simmer it for longer. Besides, you can add some extra ketchup or a natural thickener like mashed sweet potatoes or apple puree. 

3. Customize the taste

You can easily customize the taste by adding seasoning ingredients.

• For extra heat, you can add some hot sauce or extra cayenne pepper.
• If you want more sweetness, add some more brown sugar.
• To get a strong smoky flavor, add some extra liquid smoke.
• Similarly, to get tartness, add some extra vinegar or lemon juice to the sauce.
• Feel free to experiment with ingredients to get the taste you want.

Conclusion

The Hickory brown sugar BBQ sauce brings a sweet and savory sauce with a satisfying smoky flavor. You can pair this BBQ sauce with various foods like BBQ, grilled, or fried meat. The sauce you will make by following our recipe will match the store-bought sauce perfectly.

Additionally, you can customize the homemade version, which is not possible with the store-bought one. So? Why waste time? Try our recipe as soon as possible to enjoy the best smoky Hickory BBQ sauce recipe at home.

FAQs

What Gives BBQ Sauce a Smoky Flavor?

Generally, the liquid smoke gives a smoky flavor to the BBQ sauce. You can also use smoke powder to get the smoky flavors. Here, I attach a list of liquid smoke that you can add to get the smoky flavor.

1. Hickory liquid smoke
2. Applewood liquid smoke
3. Cherrywood liquid smoke
4. Maple liquid smoke
5. Pecan liquid smoke

Note: If the liquid smoke is not available in your area, you can use some smoked ingredients to get the smoky flavor. Examples: Smoked paprika, fire-roasted tomatoes, smoked salt, black cardamom, Hickory wood dust, etc.  

Can You Use Hickory BBQ Sauce on Chicken or Pork?

Yes, of course. You can perfectly use Hickory BBQ sauce on chicken or pork.

• For chicken: Grilled or BBQ drumsticks, wings, and thighs.
• For Pork: Pork ribs, pork chops, pork sandwiches, etc. 

How to Thicken Homemade BBQ Sauce Naturally?

You can thicken the homemade BBQ sauce naturally using the following techniques:

• Simmer for a longer time.
• Addition of extra ketchup or tomato sauce.
• Addition of puree of sautéed onions and bell peppers, or even a few soaked dates.
• Addition of natural thickeners such as apple puree and mashed potatoes.