Three easy barbecue sauces to make at home, plus the ultimate homemade mayonnaise..

I love barbecue! Whether it’s with just my family, a couple of neighbours or all my favourite people crowding into the garden and talking the night away. We always grill plenty of meat and seafood, create fabulous salads and enjoy all the smells and flavours that come with al fresco dining. But I think a good barbecue becomes a great barbecue when you add some delicious homemade barbecue sauces to your grilled meats, fish and vegetables. So here are my three favourite easy barbecue sauce recipes, plus my personal pièce de résistance: a brilliant homemade mayonnaise.

Warm roasted garlic and herb barbecue sauce

Lovely with: steak, lamb, chicken, sausages and grilled vegetables.

You will need

2 whole garlic bulbs
3 tbsp olive oil
40g butter
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
A large handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat the oven to 190°C fan
Slice the top off each garlic bulb to expose the cloves. Drizzle with a little olive oil and wrap loosely in foil
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the garlic is completely soft and golden.
Allow the garlic to cool enough to handle, then squeeze the softened cloves from their skins
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Add the roasted garlic and gently mash it into the butter
Add the thyme, Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Stir well and cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes
Add the chopped parsley and season generously with salt and black pepper.
Blitz with a stick blender
Test for runniness – this is a sauce for draping luxuriantly across your hot-off-the-grill meats and vegetables, so if it’s a bit thick you could add a little warm (not boiling) water (from the freshly boiled kettle) to bring it to the consistency you want.

Why I like it: It has that rich, slightly sweet roasted garlic flavour without being a heavy gravy-type sauce. It would be particularly good spooned over a chargrilled steak.

Warm smoky tomato and pepper BBQ sauce

Lovely with: chicken, pork, sausages, steak and grilled vegetables.

You will need:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée
1½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp honey or maple syrup
½ tsp dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat.
Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until soft and translucent, not browned.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the roasted peppers, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, smoked paprika, oregano and red wine vinegar.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Stir in the honey or maple syrup and season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
Blend until smooth using a stick blender. Alternatively, leave it slightly chunky if you prefer a more rustic sauce.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. A little more vinegar will give it freshness, while another tiny drizzle of honey will make it sweeter.

You can make this completely in advance and reheat it gently. If you want a little sweetness, add a teaspoon of maple syrup.

Why I like it: A warm and smoky barbecue flavour that works equally well with everything from a pork chop to grilled halloumi.

Chilled lemon, herb and yoghurt sauce

Lovely with: grilled chicken, lamb, prawns, salmon and vegetables.

You will need:

300g Greek yoghurt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ lemon, plus more to taste
1 small garlic clove, very finely grated
2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional – ½ to 1 tsp Dijon mustard. I have found just a touch of mustard adds a little savoury depth without taking away from the freshness of the yoghurt, but you can experiment with this to try it for yourself

Method

Put the Greek yoghurt into a bowl.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, mint, parsley and olive oil (and Dijon mustard, if using)
Mix thoroughly and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Taste and add more lemon juice if you want a sharper, fresher sauce
Make it several hours ahead and refrigerate so the flavours develop.

Why I like it: It cuts through richer grilled meats beautifully and is particularly good with fish. It also gives you something cool and fresh alongside all that lovely smoky barbecue food.

And now for my personal piece-de-resistance… easy homemade mayonnaise!

I love mayonnaise. Dollops of it on my plate, a generous portion mixed into my tuna salad, always with roasted vegetables and definitely with chips. It’s also a must-have for any barbecue food-laden table. You can of course buy bottles or jars of the stuff and we do that, too, but for a special occasion a home-made mayonnaise is a fabulous way to treat your taste buds.

You will need:

2 egg yolks
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
250ml light olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice

A hand held immersion blender

Method

I was so excited when I discovered this method. I had made mayonnaise previously, but the requirement to so slowly and carefully pour the oil into the jug while still holding the blender resulted in almost as many fails as successes. This is a one-pot mayonnaise method that has never gone wrong.

Put your egg yolks, mustard, olive oil and lemon juice in a blender cup or jug that is narrow enough to ensure the oil completely covers the egg yolks and other ingredients.
Carefully lower the stick blender into the oil and place it on the bottom of the blender cup or jug. Blend for about 20 seconds – do not lift the blender stick – until the emulsion forms – when it all comes together with the egg yolks into a single, creamy liquid. At this point, you can wiggle the blender stick around a little to ensure all the oil is whipped into the mix.
Transfer to a bowl and place in the fridge until you need it. It will last a couple of days in the fridge, but to be honest, it’s unlikely to make it back to the fridge once your friends taste it at the barbecue.

Why I like it: Fresh, creamy and delicious! It’s also easy to tweak – put a clove or two of roasted garlic in for a garlic mayo; fold fresh parsley, tarragon and chives in when it’s made for a fresh herby mayo; add sriracha or chipotle for some heat; or add a dollop of mango chutney and a teaspoon of mild curry powder for a coronation chicken mayo.

Tip: Keep the egg whites to make meringue, or make yourself scrambled eggs for breakfast the next day and throw them in for extra protein.

Barbecue sauces FAQ

What sauces are good for a barbecue?
Go for a selection that covers the main flavours that go well with your grilled meats or fish. My trio: a roasted garlic and herb sauce, a smoky tomato and pepper sauce, and a lemon and herb yoghurt sauce, plus, of course, the ultimate easy home-made mayonnaise.

Can barbecue sauces be made in advance?
Yes. Homemade barbecue sauces are ideal for preparing in advance. The roasted garlic and herb sauce and smoky tomato and pepper sauce can be made ahead and gently reheated, while the lemon, herb and yoghurt sauce and homemade mayonnaise should be kept chilled until serving.

What sauce goes well with grilled steak?
Roasted garlic and herb sauce is particularly good with grilled steak. Its rich, slightly sweet roasted garlic flavour complements the smoky, charred flavour of the meat.

What sauce goes well with grilled fish?
A chilled lemon, herb and yoghurt sauce is an excellent accompaniment to grilled fish. The fresh lemon, mint and parsley cut through the richness of fish such as salmon and also work well with prawns.

How do you make homemade mayonnaise?
An easy way to make homemade mayonnaise is to combine egg yolks, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and olive oil in a narrow jug, then use a stick blender to emulsify the ingredients. Keeping the blender on the bottom of the jug initially helps the mayonnaise come together quickly.

Eddie – Friday 14th August 2026.