My sister and I used to call this “Secret Sauce #1” when we were little kids because we loved sneaking spoonfuls of the Best Ever BBQ Sauce when our mom wasn’t watching. “Secret Sauce #2” was the beginning of the brownie batter before she added the eggs. We just couldn’t get enough of either! This sauce has basic ingredients, but they come together like magic! We use this barbecue sauce primarily for chicken, but it’s also good on fish, shrimp and ribs.
For a super fun summer twist on this recipe, add about 1 cup of mashed fresh mango and 1/4 cup of your favorite bourbon for a slightly sweeter version!

Best Ever Barbecue Sauce
The best tangy barbecue sauce flavor for chicken, fish or even ribs.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup yellow onion chopped
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp. French’s mustard (can use Dijon, if you prefer)
- 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
- 2-3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup mashed fresh mango *optional
- 1/4 cup Bourbon *optional
Instructions
- In medium sauce pan, heat oil and cook onions until just beginning to brown. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Bring to a boil and boil for one full minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the stove. Cool or use immediately. You can freeze this sauce, but it also keeps for several weeks in the refrigerator.
- If you want to add the mango and bourbon, simply add it with all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil as the instruction above indicates.