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    Home » Recipes » Sauce, Spread and Seasoning Recipes

    Best Blueberry BBQ Sauce Recipe

    Published: May 24, 2019 Updated: May 30, 2019 / By: Dawn | Girl Heart Food 67 Comments

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    A jar of blueberry barbecue sauce.

    Homemade BBQ sauce recipe made with blueberries? Yep! This blueberry BBQ sauce is so much tastier than any store-bought bottled sauce. There’s just a touch of spice and a little sweetness, all perfectly balanced. With very little prep and some cook time, you’ll be left with the tastiest homemade BBQ sauce that can be used on so many things.

    A jar of blueberry barbecue sauce alongside a blueberry.

    Hi everyone! How’s it going? How was your weekend? Do you guys watch Chef’s Table? I really enjoy that one.

    For those of you who are unfamiliar, it’s basically a series showcasing various chefs and their restaurants, their stories and some amazing food. I swear, every time I watch that show I get so inspired and it puts me right in the mood to cook.  

    Ok, well I’m usually always in the mood to cook, always in the mood to eat but even more so after watching this.  

    Do you have any show recommendations? I’m always up for checking out something new, especially when it involves food! Without further adieu, onto this fruit BBQ sauce!

    What Goes in Blueberry BBQ Sauce?

    Speaking of food, how about more food, LOL? It’s so awesome to use ingredients in unexpected or non-traditional ways. Like, making homemade BBQ sauce with blueberries! I love experimenting in the kitchen and it’s definitely my happy place.

    So, what goes in BBQ sauce? The base of many homemade BBQ sauce recipes is ketchup. Besides ketchup, in this blueberry barbecue sauce recipe you’ll find:

    • Plenty of blueberries (4 whole cups … after all this is a “blueberry” sauce recipe)
    • Tomato paste (to thicken)
    • Aromatics like garlic and shallot
    • Some mustard and vinegar to brighten
    • Some seasoning
    • Touch of maple syrup to reinforce the  sweet side of things
    • Chili peppers and cayenne pepper for some heat
    • Cilantro stems for a little freshness

    Sounds yummy, right?

    How To Make BBQ Sauce

    Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

    1. In a heavy-bottomed pot cook garlic, shallot and chili in some olive oil for a few minutes.
    2. Add remaining ingredients to pot, including:
      • tomato paste
      • blueberries
      • balsamic vinegar
      • maple syrup
      • whole grain Dijon mustard
      • ketchup
      • Worcestershire sauce
      • salt
      • pepper
      • cayenne pepper
      • cilantro stems
    3. Stir to combine.
    4. Cover and cook on low for about an hour (or until you’ve reached your desired consistency), stirring every 20 minutes or so, ensuring that it isn’t sticking.
    5. Then blend with an immersion blender or mash with a potato masher or simply leave as is!
    6. Pour into a jar.
    Some fresh blueberries on a wooden board.

    Tips for Making Blueberry BBQ Sauce

    • Use a heavy-bottomed pot. Whenever I’m making sauces or jams I find that a heavy-bottomed pot works best and stuff don’t tend to stick like it would with a thinner pot.
    • Fresh cilantro stems were added to this blueberry BBQ sauce to add a little freshness and something different. If you’re not a cilantro fan, feel free to substitute with parsley or omit altogether.
    • Don’t leave the sauce and do whatever. Be mindful to check on occasionally and stir so there’s no sticking/burning.
    • Not into spice? Omit the chili peppers if you like (though this isn’t a spicy BBQ sauce). If you like things spicier, though, add a little more.
    • As mentioned above, I used an immersion blender to lightly blend the sauce. If you don’t have that, use a potato masher. Alternatively, just break up with a spoon or leave as is. Make as smooth or as chunky as you wish.
    Overhead shot of a jar of homemade BBQ sauce.

    How To Thin Barbecue Sauce

    Is this blueberry BBQ sauce too thick? No worries! Just thin it out with a touch of ketchup or water, starting with about 1 tablespoon. Be careful not to add too much so that the flavours are diluted. Remember, you can always add more but can’t take away.

    How To Thicken Barbecue Sauce

    Is your blueberry barbecue sauce too thin? Continue cooking until it reduces or thicken with a cornstarch slurry (use about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of cold water). Stir and mix into the BBQ sauce until things thicken.

    Ways To Use Blueberry Sauce

    This homemade BBQ sauce recipe is legit good, you guys, and always gets rave reviews from those that make it (dare I say the best BBQ sauce recipe?). It’s delicious on SO many things, but some of my faves are:

    • Ribs
    • Chicken wings
    • Hamburgers
    • Pork chops or roast
    • Pulled pork sandwiches
    • Stir into homemade beans
    Overhead shot of a jar of blueberry BBQ sauce with a spoon in the jar.

    Enjoy this Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe? You May Enjoy These Too

    • Rhubarb Jam With Ginger and Orange
    • Mixed Berry Chia Seed Jam
    • Easy Lemon Curd

    What ingredients have you used in unexpected ways? I’d love to hear! It’s always nice trying new things.  

    This upcoming grilling season is the perfect time to try this BBQ sauce from scratch. It’s an easy and delicious recipe!

    If you make this easy blueberry BBQ sauce, be sure to leave a comment below!

    This recipe was originally published in May 2016 but has been updated.

    A jar of blueberry barbecue sauce alongside blueberries.

    Best Blueberry BBQ Sauce Recipe

    Dawn | Girl Heart Food
    Homemade BBQ sauce recipe made with blueberries? Yep! This blueberry BBQ sauce is so much tastier than any store-bought bottled sauce. There's just a touch of spice and a little sweetness, all perfectly balanced. With very little prep and some cook time, you'll be left with the tastiest homemade BBQ sauce that can be used on so many things.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr 5 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Course Condiment
    Servings 16 2 tablespoons per serving
    Calories 54 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 shallot, peeled and minced (or small yellow onion)
    • 2 red Thai chili peppers, minced (or to taste)
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 4 cups blueberries, frozen or fresh (I used frozen)
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
    • ¾ cup ketchup, regular or low sodium
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional
    • 1 tablespoon, cilantro steams, minced (few stalks, no need to use leaves)

    Instructions

    • Heat olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat.
    • Add garlic, shallot and chili peppers. Cook about 5 minutes.
    • Add tomato paste, blueberries, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper (if using) and cilantro stems. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook about an hour or until you've reached your desired consistency/thickness, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes.
    • Carefully using an immersion blender, blend sauce (or use potato masher or spoon or simply leave as is). I didn't puree a lot because I wanted some texture.
    • Allow to cool (jam will further thicken as it cools), portion into a storage jar, cover, store in the refrigerator and enjoy within a few days up to a week. Yields about 2 cups, approximately. Serve with your favourite BBQ foods!

    Notes

    • Use a heavy-bottomed pot. Whenever I’m making sauces or jams I find that a heavy-bottomed pot works best and stuff don’t tend to stick like it would with a thinner pot.
    • Fresh cilantro stems were added to this blueberry BBQ sauce to add a little freshness and something different. If you’re not a cilantro fan, feel free to substitute with parsley or omit altogether.
    • Don’t leave the sauce and do whatever. Be mindful to check on occasionally and stir so there’s no sticking/burning.
    • Not into spice? Omit the chili peppers if you like (though this isn’t a spicy BBQ sauce). If you like things spicier, though, add a little more.
    • I used an immersion blender to lightly blend the sauce.  If you don’t have that, use a potato masher. Alternatively, just break up with a spoon or leave as is. Make as smooth or as chunky as you wish.

    Nutrition (estimate only)

    Nutrition Facts
    Best Blueberry BBQ Sauce Recipe
    Serving Size
     
    2 tablespoons
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Sodium
     
    205
    mg
    9
    %
    Potassium
     
    105
    mg
    3
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    11
    g
    4
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    8
    g
    9
    %
    Protein
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    187
    IU
    4
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    5
    mg
    6
    %
    Calcium
     
    11
    mg
    1
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Based on 1 serving.
    Nutrition information provided is an estimate only.

    Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

    Keyword blueberry barbecue sauce, homemade bbq sauce recipe, summer recipe

    Tried this recipe?

    If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!

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    Hi, I'm Dawn! Welcome to Girl Heart Food, a food blog that's all about easy comfort food recipes (especially cheesy recipes) that'll satisfy your taste buds and make your belly happy. Have a look around and find something that'll inspire you to get into the kitchen and whip up something delicious to enjoy today!

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