Homemade Blueberry BBQ Sauce
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You’re reading it right, this is a recipe for blueberry BBQ sauce! Inspired by my favorite Maine BBQ spot, this homemade BBQ sauce uses blueberries for natural sweetness and a mild tartness. It’s a homemade BBQ sauce that will surprise you!
Here in Maine, where blueberries are everywhere, it makes sense they’d find their way into barbecue sauce, too.
Trust me, this homemade blueberry BBQ sauce won’t taste anything like blueberry jam. It cooks down to a thick, smoky, sweet sauce with a flavor similar to a Kansas City style BBQ sauce.
This easy at-home version works beautifully brushed onto chicken, pork, or ribs, and it’s just as good served as a dipping sauce alongside grilled or baked meats.
It’s rich, balanced, and perfect for basting onto BBQ chicken thighs, glazing pork, or adding something a little different to your next cookout.
What You Need
Step-by-step instructions and exact amounts can be found on the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan (2-quart capacity or larger) with a heavy bottom
- Rubber spatula
- Blender, immersion blender, or food processor
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Olive oil: Prevents the onions and garlic from sticking during cooking.
- Red onion: Fresh onion will add a bright, fresh flavor, and I personally like the sweetness of the red onion to complement the blueberries. Feel free to use white or yellow onions instead.
- Fresh garlic: For added flavor and brightness.
- Chili powder: The chili powder adds an additional layer of spicy flavor and smokiness.
- Smoked paprika: I love using smoked paprika for color and for giving the BBQ sauce an extra smoky flavor.
- Blueberries: I recommend fresh blueberries when they’re in season (summer). If fresh berries aren’t available, frozen wild Maine blueberries are my favorite backup. The blueberries add a lovely sweetness, brightness, flavor, and consistency to the BBQ sauce. The sauce won’t taste overwhelmingly like blueberries, but will complement the other ingredients perfectly.
- Ketchup: For consistency and tang. The ketchup is the glue that holds this sauce together.
- Apple cider vinegar: The vinegar has a tartness and fruitiness that helps cut through all the sugar and richness coming from the berries, brown sugar, and ketchup. Apple cider vinegar has a milder bite compared to white vinegar and adds more flavor.
- Light brown sugar: Adds a deeper and smokier sweetness.
- Molasses: I use “fancy” grade unsulphured or dark molasses. This will add a layer of bitterness and smoky flavor to this blueberry barbecue sauce recipe. Don’t worry, the sauce won’t be bitter. The molasses will give the sauce a deep “simmered all day” taste.
- Worcestershire sauce: The Worcestershire sauce adds extra salt, flavor, and a little bit of tanginess.
- Black pepper: For extra seasoning and bite.
How To Make Blueberry BBQ Sauce
In a medium sized saucepan, with a heavy bottom, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan and cook until soft (about 5-7 minutes), stirring often to prevent burning.
Once the onions have softened, add the minced garlic, chili powder, and paprika. Cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.
Add all of the remaining ingredients to the saucepan and stir. Turn up the heat to medium high or high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
Once bubbling, give the sauce a stir and reduce the heat to medium. Continue simmering for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The BBQ sauce should be bubbling the whole time. Turn down the heat if the mixture is splattering too much or bubbling too furiously.
The BBQ sauce is done when the berries are very soft, the sauce is a thick and syrupy consistency, and the mixture has reduced to about 3 1/2- 3 1/3 cups.
At this point, the sauce can be served as is, or you can blend it to a smooth consistency using an immersion blender, regular blender, or food processor. Allow the BBQ sauce to cool slightly before blending so the hot liquid doesn’t burn you.
Serve immediately or store in a jar for later use!
Variations and Substitutions
- You can use frozen blueberries in place of fresh ones. When using frozen berries, I like to use wild Maine blueberries. Use the same 2 cup measurement listed on the recipe card, no need to thaw!
- Distilled white vinegar or rice wine vinegar (unseasoned) can be used in place of apple cider vinegar.
- Dark brown sugar can be substituted for light brown sugar. You can cut the amount of molasses in half if you’re using dark brown sugar, or you can keep the recipe as written for a smokier sauce.
- Make a spicy blueberry barbecue sauce, try adding cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Add a tiny amount at first and add more to taste.
Serving Suggestions
Serving a side of fruity BBQ sauce is a fun (and delicious) way to shake up your summer barbecue! This sweet and tangy homemade BBQ sauce makes the perfect addition to any grilled protein! Here are few serving suggestions that I know you’ll love:
- Brush onto grilled shrimp, baked salmon, pork tenderloin, or on top of my BBQ pulled pork sliders.
- Add to any chicken dish, like chicken wings, chicken breast, or chicken thighs. The chicken can either be marinated in the blueberry BBQ sauce or basted during the grilling process. The sauce holds up super nicely!
- Serve alongside baby back ribs. This is my personal favorite! I like to dip my smoked ribs into a side of blueberry BBQ sauce for extra flavor.
- Toss with pulled pork to make super easy BBQ pulled pork sliders. This works with pulled chicken and beef too! Serve your sliders on sweet Hawaiian rolls with a scoop of creamy homemade coleslaw for the ultimate BBQ sandwich.
If you love condiments with fruit as the star, try my Cranberry Mustard Dipping Sauce!
Pro Tips For The Best Blueberry Barbecue Sauce
- Use the best blueberries you can find. Fresh blueberries will give you the best flavor, especially during the peak summer season. In Maine, blueberries are a summer staple, so they’re an easy fit in a sauce like this. If fresh berries aren’t available, frozen blueberries work just as well and make a great barbecue sauce.
- Cook the sauce to your preferred thickness. If you like a thicker BBQ sauce that clings to chicken, pork, or ribs, let it simmer an extra 5–10 minutes. As it cooks down, the extra moisture will evaporate, giving you a thicker sauce. Keep in mind it will thicken a little more as it cools.
- Blend for the texture you prefer. For a smooth, glossy BBQ sauce that’s easy to brush over grilled or roasted meats, blend the sauce with an immersion blender or countertop blender. If you prefer a more rustic blueberry BBQ sauce with little bursts of fruit, you can skip this step and leave it slightly chunky.
Storage
Allow your BBQ sauce to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or mason jar. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
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Easy Blueberry BBQ Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups 11-12 oz fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsulphured or dark molasses
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium sized saucepan, with a heavy bottom, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onions and cook until soft (about 5-7 minutes), stirring often to prevent burning.
- Add the minced garlic, chili powder, and paprika. Cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients to the saucepan and stir. Turn up the heat to medium high or high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once bubbling, give the sauce a stir and reduce the heat to medium. Continue simmering for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. The BBQ sauce should be bubbling the whole time. Turn down the heat if the mixture is splattering too much or bubbling too furiously.
- The BBQ sauce is done when the berries are very soft, the sauce is thick and syrupy, and the mixture has reduced to about 3 1/3-3 1/2 cups.
- For a chunky BBQ Sauce, serve as is. For a smooth BBQ sauce, cool slightly and using an immersion blender, regular blender, or food processor, blend until smooth.
One of my favorite way to use blueberries.