Nothing says comfort food like fall-apart tender pulled pork smothered in the best homemade barbecue sauce. Whether you're using a slow cooker, instant pot, or Dutch oven, this delicious Homemade Southern BBQ Sauce for Pulled Pork will perfectly complement your pulled pork.
Why Make Your Own Sauce?
Making your own sauce allows you to customize the flavors to suit your taste. This easy homemade BBQ sauce recipe balances sweet flavors with tangy, smoky, and spicy notes, creating a sauce that’s far tastier than anything you’ll find at the grocery store.
Try my other recipe for Homemade Bourbon Barbecue Sauce for Pulled Pork.
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Ingredients
To make this sweet and tangy Southern BBQ sauce, you’ll need the following:
- Ketchup
- Brown sugar
- Tomato paste
- Apple cider vinegar
- Apple juice
- Worcestershire sauce
- Yellow mustard
- Soy sauce
- Red wine vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Onion powder
- Chili powder
- Dry mustard
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine all the ingredients. Stir continuously to ensure the sugar dissolves and the flavors blend together. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Ketchup will cause the sauce to bubble and make a mess. Keep it covered to make cleanup easier. Let the sauce simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. For a thicker sauce, simmer longer. For more tang, add a little more apple cider vinegar. Once done, let the sauce cool to room temperature. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
The Best Way to Make Pulled Pork
The key to juicy, flavorful pulled pork is choosing the right cut of meat and cooking it low and slow. Here are some tips:
Choosing the Cut
- Boston Butt or Pork Shoulder: These are the same cut but go by different names depending upon where you live. This cut is ideal for pulled pork because of its fat content, which will break down during the long cooking process, making the meat moist and tender.
- Boneless or Bone-In: Look for a 6-8 pound bone-in pork butt. The bone adds a lot of flavor and is easy to remove when the pork butt is done cooking.
Preparing the Meat
- Dry Rub: Create a simple spice rub using kosher salt, black pepper and paprika. Some BBQ enthusiasts like to add smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder to their dry rub. I prefer to stick with a simple rub because all of those other flavors will just sit on the surface of the meat. They will not penetrate. When the roast is done and “pulled” you will end up with parts of the that surface meat with the strong flavors appearing randomly in the pulled pork. Keep the dry rub simple and let your homemade BBQ sauce do the rest. Massage the rub generously onto the pork before cooking.
- Braising Liquid: A 50/50 mixture of apple juice and water makes a great braising liquid.
- Cooking Method: Use a crock pot, Dutch oven, or instant pot to slow cook the pork until the internal temperature reaches 200°F and it’s fall-apart tender. For a traditional crock pot, cooking on low heat may take 8-10 hours depending upon the size of your pork shoulder.
See my post on Smoked Pulled Pork - Tender, Juicy and Easy to Make for a great recipe for pulled pork made in a smoker.
Serving Ideas
Once your pulled pork is ready, toss it in your homemade barbecue sauce and serve. Here are some serving ideas:
- Pulled Pork Sandwich: Pile the pork onto a soft bun and top with coleslaw for a classic Southern dish.
- BBQ Chicken Pizza: Use the sauce as a base for pizza and top with shredded chicken and mozzarella.
- French Fries: Serve as a dipping sauce alongside crispy fries.
Regional Variations
Southern BBQ sauces vary by region, and experimenting with different sauces is half the fun:
- Kansas City Style: A thick, sweet sauce heavy on the ketchup and molasses.
- North Carolina Style: A vinegar-based sauce with a tangy kick or a tomato-based sauce, depending on which side of the state you are in.
- South Carolina Style: A mustard-based sauce with a unique, bold flavor.
- Texas Style: A tangy tomato-based sauce with black pepper, garlic and chili powder.
Storage
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Top Tip
Cook it slow and with a lid on. Ketchup splatters and makes a mess. It also burns easily, so stir the sauce frequently.
Final Thoughts
Making the best homemade Southern BBQ sauce isn’t complicated. This easy BBQ sauce is perfect for pulled pork, pork sandwiches and more. Whether you’re preparing a pulled pork recipe for the first time or looking to enhance your BBQ dishes, this simple sauce is a great place to start. Enjoy!
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Southern BBQ Sauce for Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups ketchup
- ⅔ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup apple juice
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine all the ingredients. Stir continuously to ensure the sugar dissolves and the flavors blend together. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Ketchup will cause the sauce to bubble and make a mess. Keep it covered to make cleanup easier. Let the sauce simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. For a thicker sauce, simmer longer. For more tang, add a little more apple cider vinegar. Once done, let the sauce cool to room temperature.
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