Homemade Slow Cooker Barbecue Sauce is a sweet and spicy homemade tangy bbq sauce.
I’m just going to go on and say it…if you’re not putting this on everything you eat, you are just not living!
Like, seriously! My Homemade Slow Cooker Barbecue Sauce is that good! Lincoln and I made a big batch of the BBQ Sauce for holiday gifts. It’s so easy just throw everything in the slow cooker and let time and the slow cooker do all the work.
Do you barbecue? Do you bbq just during the Summer or all year? We barbecue, grill, smoke, whatever term you use for it, all year. It’s one of the activities all four of us get involved in. A lot of our friends grill all year as well. I had a ‘light bulb’ moment and thought about making this Slow Cooker Barbecue Sauce as gifts. It was kind of a win-win for me. I got to spend time with Lincoln and we made homemade gifts for friends!
So. If you decide to make the BBQ Sauce and decide you like it so much you can’t give it away, that’s totally find too! Enjoy and consider it my gift to you! 🙂
The longer you let it simmer the thicker the sauce will get. I like a thick bbq sauce.

Homemade Slow Cooker Barbeque Sauce
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider*
- 1/2 cup catsup
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1 Tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 1 teaspoon Cavenders Greek seasoning
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. Stir to combine. Heat to 200 degrees F. Cook 4 hours. If sauce isn't desired consistancy remove lid and cook 1 to 2 hours longer. Stir occastional with a whisk. Bottle and store in the refrigerator.
- *For a completely smooth sauce, puree in a blender until smooth. I have left it chunky and I have pureed. It's good both ways. When I pureed the sauce, I did so before cooking it.
Notes
Nutrition
Favorite Short-cut Baby Back Ribs
Smoked Butts (Pork Shoulder)
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ann orr says
When you called for Apple cider does it mean Apple cider “vinegar”or the stuff you drink?
Paula says
Ann, I have used both, but most of the time I use vinegar. Thanks for asking, I’m going to clarify that in the recipe.
CJ Huang says
Just wanted to let you know I featured you today on Share Your Stuff Tuesday! I’m also hosting Five Friday Finds, and I’d love if you shared there too. 🙂 (morselsoflife.com/five-friday-finds-119.html)
Claire @ A Little Claireification says
Oh yes – we love puled pork and I LOVE good BBQ sauce. Thanks so much for sharing at our Best Of The Weekend party! I pinned this already and cannot wait to try it!!
Paula says
Thanks for visiting and sharing Claire! Have a great week!
Heather @ Sugar Dish Me says
This sauce looks amazing Paula!!! The perfect texture. We grow super hot chilis in the summer and I have a regular sauce recipe I use, but I am always looking for new ways to use them up. This is DEFINITELY it. Gorgeous!!
Paula says
Thanks, Heather. I love spicy food as well. Everything is better hot and spicy 🙂
Maria says
Your barbecue sauce sounds so flavorful! I keep wanting to make my own too, yours sounds so delicious!
Jelli says
Paula, this looks fabulous. I’ve made bbq sauce before (not in the slow-cooker) and loved it, but it called for liquid smoke and I wound up with a bottle of that stuff in my fridge for ages. Love that this recipe doesn’t call for things I don’t have on hand (besides the bourbon that I can borrow from a pal). Thanks for sharing. Pinned!
Paula says
Thank you so much. I hate hard to find ingredients too, because, like you said they’ll be one recipe you use it in and end up wasting the rest.
cat says
Do you preserve this or just refrigerate? Could you process it in a hot water canning kettle? And does it have to be corn syrup or can it be molasses?
Paula says
Molasses would be wonderful in it, I’ve never made it with molasses, but I think that’s a great idea.
I don’t preserve it. I just seal it tightly and refrigerate it. If you canned it by scalding the jars and sealing it airtight it would be fine not refrigerated. I use it too fast really to go through that though.
Kelly says
Your bbq sauce looks amazing Paula! I love that it’s made in the slow cooker too. My husband puts bbq sauce on almost everything and would go nuts for this 🙂
Paula says
I do too, I love bbq sauce that’s why I have to do the hands-off way in the slow cooker we eat so much of it.
Michelle says
Looks delicious! I make homemade bbq sauce all the time, but never in the crockpot! Definitely need to try this!
Paula says
I throw anything I can in the slow cooker, so easy. 🙂
Sinea Pies says
This is great! We are bbq sauce lovers in this household. 🙂
Paula, I just love your blog and wanted to let you know that you are Featured Blog Of The Week on Ducks ‘n a Row this week. Got your button top of the page!
Stop by the hop tonight 🙂
Blessings
Sinea
Paula says
Thank you! That is so awesome, Sinea!
Serena | Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch says
Your BBQ sauce looks amazing! The kids enjoy it on almost anything!
Paula says
Thank you, Serena. I’m about the same way, I love sweet and smokey bbq sauce, it just makes everything better.
Lea Ann (Cooking on the Ranch) says
What a great idea to make BBQ Sauce for gifts. Thanks for this post. Pinned.
Paula says
Thank you Lea Ann. My husband’s men friends love BBQ sauce, it’s the perfect gift for them. Thanks for visiting and sharing!
Diane Roark says
I do eat BBQ sauce on everything. I also love Cavendar’s Greek seasoning from ARKANSAS but I have never used it in my BBQ sauce. Thanks for the post.
Blessings,
Diane Roark
http://www.recipesforourdailybread.com
Paula says
My husband thinks I’m strange when I put bbq sauce on baked potatoes sometimes, I do prefer butter but when I’m cutting back on fat I still need flavor!
Cindy Eikenberg says
Paula, my hubby is a barbeque junkie, so I just have to try this! It sounds awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe – pinned and buffered! Hope you have a happy Monday!
Paula says
YOu’re welcome Cindy, hope you enjoy and thanks for sharing!