Looking for the best spicy BBQ around? This homemade BBQ sauce packs a good amount of heat with cayenne and chipotle pepper while still maintaining a classic sweetness. This sauce is an all-purpose sauce that is great on pork, chicken, and much more.

Best Spicy BBQ Sauce

This spicy BBQ sauce is a hot take on a classic Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce. Ketchup-based with a strong note of molasses and that spicy/smoky kick from a combination of cayenne and chipotle peppers. Slather this sauce on smoked ribs, baste it on grilled chicken, or use it as a dipping sauce and condiment for basically anything.

Pair this spicy BBQ sauce with my Hot Sweet Rub recipe for the most amazing, spicy meal. Using these on a rack of ribs creates layers of heat that is unbelievable. If you like your BBQ with a little spice, you’ll love this spicy BBQ sauce!

Ingredients for Spicy BBQ Sauce

Here’s what you’ll need to make this spicy BBQ sauce. These are all pantry staples that should make it easier for you to make this recipe in a flash without having to make an expensive trip to the grocery store first.

• 1 cup ketchup
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons molasses
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

How to Make Spicy BBQ Sauce

Making BBQ sauce is a fairly easy feat. For more information on this process, check out my post for How to Make BBQ Sauce.

1. Combine ingredients. Combine all ingredients for the BBQ sauce in a medium-sized saucepan. Heat over medium heat.
2. Boil then simmer. Bring the sauce to a boil and then lower the temperature to low and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.
3. Cool and store. Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool completely. Store the sauce in an airtight container (I like using simple canning jars for my homemade BBQ sauces) for up to 2 weeks.

Tips for Homemade Spicy BBQ Sauce

Here are some tips for making this homemade BBQ sauce.

• Make a day before using. The extra time the sauce has to sit together in the fridge overnight goes a long way in getting all of those flavors to meld together into a more cohesive sauce.
• Store in an airtight container. This helps the sauce stay fresh in the fridge, without taking on any other fridge flavors or odors. It also extends the life of the sauce. I always recommend using homemade sauces within 2 weeks as they taste better and tend to separate over time.
• Start with the recommended amount of cayenne. It will definitely deliver enough spice as is. If you’re a heat fanatic, feel free to increase the amount of the cayenne pepper, chipotle pepper, or both to suit your tastes.

More BBQ Sauce Recipes

Ready to make even more fantastic BBQ sauce recipes in your own kitchen?

• Kansas City BBQ Sauce
• Honey BBQ Sauce
• Texas BBQ Sauce

Spicy BBQ Sauce Recipe

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Spicy BBQ Sauce

Susie Bulloch

Prep Time : 5 mins

Total Time : 5 mins

Servings : 8 people

Calories : 78kcal

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Ingredients

 

• ▢ 1 cup ketchup
• ▢ ¼ cup brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons molasses
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

Instructions

• Make the sauce. Combine all ingredients for Spicy BBQ Sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Simmer. Bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Cool. Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool.
• Use or store. This sauce is ready to be used immediately. Any unused sauce can be stored in an airtight glass container for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 570mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 524IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

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