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Keto BBQ Sauce – Homemade And Smokey

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In the summertime, there’s nothing quite like a big ‘ol plate of BBQ chicken. But what’s a keto follower to do when most BBQ sauces are loaded with sugar? Make some homemade Smoky Keto BBQ sauce, of course!

Keto Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe front shot

INGREDIENTS IN THIS HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE

The ingredient list for this low sugar bbq sauce recipe looks a bit long, but I promise – it’s mostly spices and stuff you already have lying around your house.

You’ll start by sautéing some onions and garlic in a little oil. Most homemade BBQ sauce recipes skip this step, but it adds much more depth of flavor to the sauce. It’s worth the extra few minutes (and the slightly higher carb count).

After that, you’ll mix in your tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, spices, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and your keto-friendly sweetener. Then you just let it simmer on the stove for about 20 minutes, and it’s ready to use!

Once it’s made, you can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Keto Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe top side view shot

WHICH SWEETENER IS BEST FOR KETO BBQ SAUCE?

I’ve tested this recipe with varying proportions of liquid monkfruit extract versus powdered erythritol, and I find that the powdered erythritol works the best in this recipe. Be sure to use powdered, though, as it will dissolve much better than a granulated version.

I prefer a tangier, smokier BBQ sauce – so the two tablespoons of powdered sweetener work perfectly for me. But if you prefer a sweeter sauce, you can just add more erythritol to this. Remember that the carbohydrate in erythritol is largely unmetabolized by the body, so even though you might see carbs on the package – they shouldn’t affect your blood sugar (or ketosis status).

(PS – Not familiar with erythritol? Check out details about why erythritol makes a great keto sweetener.)

CARBOHYDRATES IN THIS BBQ SAUCE

The tomatoes and onions in this contain natural sugar, and Worcestershire sauce typically has a little bit of added sugar. All are key ingredients for developing flavor, but they do add a little bit of carbohydrate to the recipe.

In this case, 2 tbsp contains 7 grams of total carbohydrate. But remember, this was sweetened with erythritol, which is added into the total carbohydrates – yet it’s not metabolized by the body. Because of this, you’ll be happy to know there are only 4 grams of net carbs after you subtract out the fiber and sugar alcohol.

If that’s still a little high for your liking, you can always use just 1 tbsp of sauce instead of 2 tbsp to cut that carb count in half.

Keto Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe top side view shot

WAYS TO USE THIS BBQ SAUCE:

I’m sure you’ve got plenty of ways to use this in mind, but here are a few additional recipe ideas for you where you could incorporate this BBQ sauce:

  • Toss it with keto chicken wings
  • Slather it on some oven-baked chicken thighs
  • Mix it with southwestern pulled pork tenderloin
  • Coat these easy oven-baked ribs
  • Use it as a dip for these air fryer cauliflower wings
  • Combine it with ground beef to make some BBQ beef, then use that to top keto nachos

I hope you enjoy this homemade BBQ sauce recipe as much as I do! If so, be sure to leave a recipe rating and let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Keto Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe top side view shot

Keto BBQ Sauce – Homemade And Smokey

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 24 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne (or more to taste)
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp liquid smoke
  • 2 tbsp powdered erythritol

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for about 4 minutes until tender.
  • Add the remainder of the ingredients, being sure to stir well when adding the powdered erythritol. Simmer on the stove for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 24kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 0.5gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 403mgPotassium: 188mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 304IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg
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