This jerk bbq sauce has become the one thing I make every single summer without fail. It's sweet, it's smoky, and it has just enough heat to keep things interesting without burning anyone's mouth off.
Jump to:
I first made a version of this after Donald and I took a trip to Jamaica years ago, back before we had Alex and Sarah. We ate jerk chicken from a little roadside stand almost every day, and I came home determined to bring some of that flavor into our own kitchen.
This sauce isn't meant to be an exact copy of traditional Jamaican jerk. It's my own homemade take, built around molasses, warm spices, and a little heat from scotch bonnet or habanero peppers. It's the kind of sauce that turns plain grilled chicken or even a batch of whole grilled fish tacos into something everyone asks about.
The best part? You can make it in about 25 minutes, and it keeps in the fridge for weeks. Once you try homemade jerk bbq sauce, it's really hard to go back to the bottled stuff.
Why You Will Like This Jerk Bbq Sauce
I've made this sauce more times than I can count, and here's why it always ends up back on our table.
- It comes together in one saucepan in under 30 minutes
- The heat level is completely up to you, so it works for kids and adults
- Molasses and honey give it a deep, sweet backbone that balances the spice
- It's naturally gluten free, so it works for most of my friends who ask
- It tastes so much better than anything from a bottle, and there's nothing hard to find in the ingredient list
- Alex says it's the only BBQ sauce he actually asks for by name, which honestly surprised me the first time he said it
Ingredients For This Jerk Bbq Sauce
Here's everything you'll need. Nothing fancy, just real ingredients you can find at a regular grocery store.
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1 to 2 scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap, it's too bitter)
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice seasoning
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
A quick note on the peppers. One pepper gives you a mild sauce that Alex can handle just fine. If you and Donald like more heat, go ahead and add a second one. I always wear gloves when I chop them, learned that the hard way after rubbing my eye once. Not a mistake I'll make twice.
Print
Jerk BBQ Sauce
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Description
This homemade jerk bbq sauce is sweet, smoky, and just spicy enough, made with molasses, warm spices, and a little heat from scotch bonnet or habanero peppers.
Ingredients
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1 to 2 scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap, it's too bitter)
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice seasoning
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Grab a medium saucepan and stir together the tomato sauce and tomato paste until fully combined into one smooth mixture.
- Stir in the garlic, chopped scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, apple cider vinegar, molasses, honey, brown sugar, and all of the spices, mixing well so the spices don't clump at the bottom.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often so it doesn't scorch, until it thickens slightly and turns a deep reddish brown.
- If it bubbles too aggressively, lower the heat a touch to keep a steady simmer instead of a full boil.
- Once thickened, turn off the heat and let the sauce cool before transferring it to a jar or airtight container.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for two to three weeks, or freeze in a freezer safe container for up to three months. For a milder sauce, use just one pepper and remove all the seeds and ribs before chopping. Wear gloves when handling the peppers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Simmered
- Cuisine: Caribbean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
How To Make Jerk Bbq Sauce At Home
This really is one of the easier sauces I make all year. Here's exactly how I do it.
Start With The Base
Grab a medium saucepan and stir together the tomato sauce and tomato paste until they're fully combined into one smooth mixture. This only takes a minute or two.
Add The Spices And Peppers
Stir in the garlic, chopped scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, apple cider vinegar, molasses, honey, brown sugar, and all of your spices. Give everything a good stir so the spices don't clump up at the bottom.
Simmer It Down
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then let it cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often so it doesn't scorch on the bottom of the pan. You're looking for it to thicken slightly and turn a deep reddish brown.
If it starts bubbling too aggressively, just turn the heat down a touch. You still want a steady simmer, not a full boil.
Once it's thickened, turn off the heat and let it cool before transferring to a jar or airtight container.
Storage And Reheating
This sauce keeps beautifully, which is one more reason I love making a batch on a Sunday.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for two to three weeks. If you ever notice mold or an off smell, toss it and make a fresh batch instead.
You can also freeze it in a freezer safe container for up to three months. I like to freeze it in smaller portions so I can pull out just what I need for one dinner.
To reheat, just warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring in between. It also works cold, straight from the fridge, if you're brushing it onto something right off the grill.
Tips And Variations For This Jerk Bbq Sauce
I've tweaked this recipe plenty of times over the years, so here are a few things I've learned along the way.
- Want it milder? Use just one pepper and remove all the seeds and ribs before chopping
- Want more smoke flavor? A small pinch of smoked paprika added with the other spices works really well
- This sauce is fantastic brushed onto chicken fajitas near the end of cooking for a sweet, spicy finish
- If you're out of Chinese five spice, a mix of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and pepper gets you close
- Have you ever compared it side by side with a classic sauce like homemade teriyaki? The jerk version has way more warmth and depth
- Brushed onto garlic butter steak bites right at the end of cooking, this sauce turns an everyday dinner into something special
One thing I'd avoid is skipping the simmer time to save a few minutes. The sauce needs those 15 to 20 minutes for the flavors to actually come together. Trust me, I tried rushing it once and it just tasted like spiced tomato paste.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jerk Bbq Sauce
What does jerk bbq sauce taste like?
It's sweet from the molasses and honey, warm from spices like allspice, cinnamon, and cloves, and it finishes with a kick of heat from the scotch bonnet pepper. It's a little different from a classic smoky BBQ sauce, with more depth and warmth in every bite.
How spicy is this jerk bbq sauce?
That's really up to you. One pepper with the seeds removed gives you a fairly mild sauce that even Alex enjoys. If you and Donald prefer more heat, add a second pepper or leave a few seeds in.
What foods pair well with jerk bbq sauce?
This sauce is amazing on grilled chicken, pork, and shrimp. It also works brushed onto grilled vegetables, or even drizzled over old bay salmon for something a little different. I use it as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders too.
How long does homemade jerk bbq sauce last?
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it lasts about two to three weeks. You can also freeze it for up to three months, which I do often so I always have some ready for grilling season.
Recipes You May Like
If you loved this jerk BBQ sauce, here are a few more recipes from the blog that I think you'll enjoy just as much.
- Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs: Juicy, tender chicken thighs that would be amazing brushed with this jerk sauce instead of your usual BBQ sauce.
- Pulled BBQ Chicken In The Crockpot: An easy set it and forget it dinner that pairs perfectly with a spicy homemade sauce like this one.
- Garlic Butter Steak Bites: A quick weeknight dinner that turns into something special with a spoonful of jerk sauce drizzled on top.
Conclusion
This homemade jerk bbq sauce has turned into one of those recipes I make on repeat every summer. It's sweet, a little spicy, and so much more interesting than anything from a bottle. Once you make your own batch, keeping it in the fridge for grilling nights becomes second nature.
I hope this one becomes a favorite in your house the way it has in ours. Let me know how it turns out for you, and don't forget to save this to Pinterest so you can find it again next time you're firing up the grill!
