This simple Blueberry BBQ Sauce is a unique twist on traditional BBQ sauces. It's bursting with fresh blueberry flavor and it's a perfect balance between sticky sweet and tangy. Slather it on grilled chicken, pork chops, or even grilled salmon.
Fruit is a delicious addition to to traditional barbeque sauce, especially berries, cherries and peaches as they are juicy, sweet and tart. Blueberries, in particular, work well in barbeque sauce as they have a sufficient amount of pectin to thicken the sauce as it cooks.
Slather on grilled chicken wings, our Cast Iron BBQ Chicken Breast or our Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs. Serve these alongside Tuna Potato Salad, Mango and Corn Salsa, and Skillet Charred Corn on the Cob for an elevated backyard cookout.
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Ingredients that Matter
With just five ingredients, you should have most of these ingredients on hand. Here's why these ingredients are important to this recipe:
- Blueberries. It wouldn't be a blueberry bbq sauce without the blueberries! Here we use a pint (2 cups) of fresh blueberries. You can swap in frozen if needed, and there's no need to thaw them first.
- Ketchup. A classic in barbeque sauces for a reason, ketchup has sweetness, tang and bright tomato flavor. Use your favorite brand.
- Brown Sugar. Using brown sugar in this barbeque sauce adds rich molasses flavor. We often add molasses to our barbeque sauces, but we wanted to keep the list of ingredients as short as possible.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. We love a good tangy barbeque sauce! It helps balance the sweetness in this recipe. We reach for apple cider vinegar as we like the fruit-forward flavor.
- Chili-Lime Seasoning. This is our little secret ingredient. Adding just a teaspoon of chili-lime seasoning (like Tajin) gives a hint of spice with a bit of limey tang. You can up the heat level by adding more. And if you don't have chili-lime seasoning, or don't want to use it for any reason, use an equal amount of regular chili powder instead. It'll work, but the sauce won't be quite as special.
How to Make Blueberry BBQ Sauce
Making homemade barbeque sauce is surprisingly simple! Add the ingredients and cook a bit, then blend until smooth. Here's how it comes together:
- Start by giving the blueberries a rinse. Pick out any moldy or overly soft ones and then dry the berries. Add the blueberries, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and chili-lime seasoning to a medium saucepan.
- Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to a low simmer and cook until the sauce starts to thicken and the berries start to burst, about 20 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally to avoid scorching.
- Let the sauce cool for about 5 minutes. Then carefully transfer to a blender (take caution when blending hot liquids in the blender). Blend on low until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender, just be careful not to burn yourself. If you want a chunkier sauce, use a potato masher.
- Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl if using immediately. Or store in a mason jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Adam's Pro Tip
Notice that because of the pectin in the blueberries this sauce will thicken on proteins as it continues to cook. That means it'll cake on things like ribs if added at the beginning or halfway through the cooking process. So we recommend always doing a final brush with sauce before serving.
Upgrading the Berry BBQ Sauce
While we love the simplicity of this five ingredient blueberry BBQ sauce recipe, you can easily upgrade it with a big pinch of onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and/or black pepper. Try adding some sweetness with maple syrup or honey, or add some heat with fresh peppers like jalapeno or serrano, or some canned chipotle peppers.
Serving Suggestions
This blueberry BBQ sauce recipe is sweet, fruity, tangy and a little spicy. It's an ideal sauce to serve with grilled chicken or chicken seared in a cast iron skillet. It's particularly well suited for grilled or roast pork tenderloin or pork chops.
Use this blueberry barbecue sauce like you would any other BBQ sauce. Either brush on cooked proteins or serve as a dip. If you love this type of recipe, try our other sauces like Tangy Pineapple BBQ Sauce, Spicy Chili-Lemongrass Sauce, or Creamy Chipotle Lime Sauce.
Storage
To store the sauce, place in a mason jar or airtight container, label and refrigerate until ready to use. It should stay flavorful for up to 1 week. Adjust the flavor and consistency after it chills with a splash more apple cider vinegar, as desired.
FAQ
Rinse fresh blueberries then place in a mixing bowl. Cover with water and add about 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Soak for 5-10 minutes then drain and rinse.
Yes, blueberries can stains your clothing, cutting boards, and even countertops. To clean a blueberry stain, make a paste with baking soda and water and rub onto the stained surface. Let sit for at least 10 minutes then add white vinegar and gently rob off with a clean towel. Rinse well.
Blueberry barbecue sauce tastes tangy, sweet and fruity. It has a pleasantly fruity flavor with a nice bright finish.
Blueberry barbecue sauce goes very well with pork, especially grilled pork chops, roasted tenderloin, and even pulled pork. It's also great with grilled chicken breasts or air fryer chicken thighs.
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Recipe
Five-Ingredient Blueberry BBQ Sauce
- Total Time: 40 min.
- Yield: 1 ½ cups 1x
Description
This Five-Ingredient Blueberry BBQ Sauce is a unique twist on traditional BBQ sauces. It's bursting with fresh blueberry flavor and it's a perfect balance between sticky sweet and tangy. It's the perfect compliment to grilled chicken, tofu or pork.
Ingredients
- 2 cups blueberries, rinsed
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. chili-lime seasoning
Instructions
- Place blueberries, ketchup, vinegar, sugar and chili-lime seasoning in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the blueberries start to burst, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to the base of a blender and puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids in a blender to avoid getting burned). Transfer mixture to a mason jar or airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- No blender? No problem. You can use an immersion blender to puree the sauce (use caution when using an immersion blender in thick and hot liquids. Or use a potato masher (the sauce will be chunky if using a potato masher).
- Be sure to pick through the blueberries and discard and super soft of moldy berries.
- For spicier blueberry barbecue sauce, double the chili-lime seasoning.
- No chili-lime seasoning? Swap in regular chili powder and add a pinch of salt.
- This blueberry BBQ sauce is perfect paired with grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, pork chops or even tofu.
- Prep Time: 5 min.
- Cook Time: 20 min.
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Ted Grozier says
Blueberry and BBQ didn’t immediately jump out as a natural combo but this was excellent on the cast iron chicken breast.