Name: 18-Minute Paleo BBQ Sauce With Molasses
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 1½ tbsp light olive oil; 2 tbsp chili powder; 1½ tbsp garlic powder; 1 tbsp paprika; 1 tsp dried mustard; 1 tsp cumin; ½ tsp salt; ⅛ tsp celery seed; ⅛ tsp cayenne; ¾ cup ketchup*; 1 cup water; ¼ cup pineapple juice; ¼ cup unsulphured molasses; 2 tbsp coconut aminos

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Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free

Spicy, smokey, and sweet this BBQ sauce hits all the right notes for a great summer sauce! Made with an earthy, smokey and slightly spicy seasoning blend, rich molasses and sweet tangy pineapple juice, this easy homemade BBQ sauce will quickly become your new go to recipe!

A basting brush coated in 18-Minute Paleo BBQ Sauce next to a Mason jar filled with sauce.

Why I Love This Recipe

18-Minute Paleo BBQ Sauce, the name says it all! This delectable summer recipe is ready to eat in only 18 minutes! The richness in this sauce starts by sautéing a homemade blend of spices thereby releasing their oils and extracting the fullness of their flavor. Then ketchup, molasses, pineapple juice, and coconut aminos are added and simmered together to create a luscious sauce you'll want to slather on everything!

While BBQ sauce isn't a health food, this sauce is healthier than many store bought brands. This recipe doesn't contain corn syrup, preservatives, artificial flavors or colors, leaving you with simply delicious BBQ flavor.

Perfect for ribs, pulled pork or brisket, chicken, fish, sandwiches, wraps, salads, or used as a dipping sauce, BBQ sauce is deliciously versatile! Try this easy 18-Minute Paleo BBQ Sauce at your next cookout, backyard barbecue, or potluck.

18-Minute Paleo BBQ Sauce being scooped by a wooden spoon.

Keeping this sauce paleo

To keep this sauce paleo, make sure to choose a paleo quality ketchup brand. Primal Kitchen is one of my go to paleo & Whole30 brands.

Tips for a rich, delicious sauce

Sautéing the spices helps to release their oils to draw out the fullness of their flavors. It's a simple step that has a big impact on the depth of flavor in this sauce.

Moreover, simmering this 18-Minute BBQ Sauce for 10-15 minutes deepens the flavor and thickens this sauce for a more concentrated rich, sweet, and spicy flavor.

This sauce looks a little thin as soon as it's finished cooking. It will continue to become a lush, thick sauce the longer it rests and also in the refrigerator.

Sulfured vs. unsulfured molassess

Unsulfured molasses is pure molasses with no additives. Like the name suggests, sulfured molasses has been treated with the chemical sulfur dioxide. This particular chemical has been shown to cause negative reactions in some people.

Grandma's Original Molasses is the brand of unsulfured molasses that is readily available in grocery stores near me. However, if I'm ordering from Amazon, I typically will choose Plantation brand which is a blackstrap molasses.

If you're looking for more information Taste of Home has a good article on the different types of molasses.

Storage tips

This sauce keeps well in a Mason jar or other airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

18-Minute Paleo BBQ Sauce in a dish next to a basting brush coated in sauce.

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18-Minute Paleo BBQ Sauce in a dish next being scooped with a basting brush.

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