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    Home » Sauce and Salsa Recipes

    Homemade Blueberry BBQ Sauce

    Published: May 14, 2021 · by Anne · This post may contain affiliate links 17 Comments

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    Blueberry BBQ sauce is going to be your favorite new favorite BBQ sauce. It’s naturally sweet with a slight tang. It pairs well with grilled pork, especially ribs or chicken.
    Jump to Recipe
    blueberry barbecue sauce with chicken in a salad
    Homemade blueberry barbecue sauce in a jar

    This blueberry bbq sauce recipe is going to be your new favorite BBQ sauce. It's perfect for grilling season and pairs well with grilled pork tenderloin, pork chops, ribs, chicken breast, thighs, or chicken wings.

    This recipe was originally posted in 2019, it's been updated for content and photos.

    blueberry barbecue sauce with ribs

    Homemade BBQ sauce is much tastier than any bbq sauce you can buy in the grocery stores, and the delicious fresh blueberries are a perfect addition to add natural sweetness.

    Slather homemade blueberry sauce on grilled ribs, or chicken thighs and serve them with a side of homemade coleslaw for a delicious BBQ dinner.

    Why this Recipe Works

    • It's easy to make with very little hands-on time.
    • It's healthy; naturally sweet and blueberries have numerous health benefits.
    the ingredients on a cutting board, ketchup, maple syrup, Apple Cider Vinegar, garlic, blueberries

    Here is What You Will Need

    Ingredients

    • organic ketchup
    • blueberries
    • apple cider vinegar
    • fresh garlic
    • maple syrup

    Equipment

    • Medium Saucepan
    • wooden spoon
    • immersion blender, regular blender or a food processor( helps to make the sauce smooth)

    How To Make blueberry barbecue sauce

    Prepare the ingredients: rinse and dry the blueberries, chop the garlic and measure the ketchup, vinegar, and syrup.

    Ingredients in a sauce pan

    Step 1. Place the ingredients into a saucepan

    Place all of the ingredients into a saucepan and mix everything together. Set the heat to medium-high.

    The sauce in a pan cooking

    Step 2. Simmer the Sauce

    Cook the sauce over medium-high for a few minutes until it begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low heat and cook the bbq sauce for 30 to 35 minutes.

    The sauce after it went through the cooking process

    Step 3. Adjust the Sauce

    This delicious sauce will be ready once the blueberries turn soft, but the sauce will be chunky. If you like a smooth consistency, use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the sauce.

    Tip! The sauce will be chunky from the blueberries. Use an immersion blender or blender to thin the sauce out.

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    The full list of ingredients to make this blueberry barbecue sauce recipe is above. Below are notes about some of the ingredients along with ideas for substitutes.

    Blueberries - Fresh or frozen blueberries will work in this recipe. If you use frozen, thaw them out and drain them before adding them to the sauce.

    Ketchup - Any ketchup can be used in this recipe, I prefer unsweetened ketchup, but it's your choice.

    Thick tomato puree - can be substituted for ketchup in this recipe.

    Apple Cider Vinegar - can be replaced with white vinegar or balsamic vinegar for a sweeter-tasting blueberry barbecue sauce.

    Maple Syrup can be replaced with an equal amount of honey or brown rice syrup.

    blueberry barbecue sauce on a pastry brush

    How to Store Blueberry Barbecue Sauce

    Store blueberry BBQ sauce in the refrigerator in a mason jar or in an airtight container for up to five days.

    blueberry barbecue sauce with chicken in a salad

    Start grillings with high-quality and humanely raised meat from ButcherBox!

    Recipe Variations

    Change up the fruit - Instead of blueberries, use 1 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries, blackberries, or a combination of fresh berries.

    Make it spicy - Add a tablespoon of chipotle chile powder, and chopped chili papers, jalapeno peppers or red pepper flakes.

    Burbon Blueberry BBQ Sauce - Add a quarter cup of bourbon to the saucepan when cooking the sauce.

    For more simple and delicious recipes like this, subscribe to our newsletter and receive a free e-book and meal suggestions straight in your inbox!

    Questions & Tips

    Can I freeze leftover blueberry barbecue sauce?

    Yes, you can freeze leftover blueberry bbq sauce. Place room temperature bbq sauce into an airtight container and freeze it for up to three months. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.

    At what point of grilling do you add the bbq sauce to the meat?

    To prevent over-charring, brush the sauce on a few minutes before serving.

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    blueberry barbecue sauce with chicken in a salad

    Blueberry Barbecue Sauce

    Blueberry BBQ sauce is going to be your favorite new favorite BBQ sauce. It’s naturally sweet with a slight tang. It pairs well with grilled pork, especially ribs or chicken.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections

    Click on serving size to scale this recipe

    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: barbecue sauce, homemade barbecue sauce, homemade bbq sauce
    Servings: 1 cup
    Calories: 40kcal
    Author: Anne
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Scale this Recipe 1 cup

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup fresh blueberries
    • [½ cup ketchup]
    • [½ cup apple cider vinegar]
    • [1 tablespoon maple syrup you can adjust this to your taste]
    • 1 clove fresh garlic crushed

    Instructions

    • Prepare the ingredients: measure the ketchup and vinegar, crush the garlic, rinse the blueberries or if you are using frozen, rinse them off and let them thaw out in a bowl.
    • Add the ketchup, blueberries, vinegar, crushed garlic to a saucepan and cook on low heat stirring occasionally until the blueberries become very soft - about 30 minutes.
    • Add 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and check the taste for sweetness and adjust the flavors.
    • For a smooth sauce, place sauce into a blender, food processor or use an immersion blender.

    Notes

    If you prefer a thinner bbq sauce, use an immersion blender or a blender after the cooking the sauce.
    For spicy blueberry bbq sauce. add 1 tablespoon of chili power or chipotle chili powder

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1/8 cup | Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Sodium: 3mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g

      Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used

      Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

      Check out more of our homemade sauce recipes here!

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      • Easy Basil Cashew Pesto
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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Tessa Simpson says

        June 25, 2019 at 8:40 am

        What a super fun way to to use some of my blueberry bounty!! SO good!

        Reply
      2. Joni Gomes says

        June 26, 2019 at 11:44 am

        This seems to be really easy to make! I am excited to add this to my 4th of July BBQ spread!

        Reply
        • anne says

          June 28, 2019 at 12:29 pm

          Enjoy!

          Reply
      3. Jean says

        June 27, 2019 at 10:43 pm

        Such a unique but delicious bbq sauce! I love how simple and easy it is too.

        Reply
        • anne says

          June 28, 2019 at 12:27 pm

          Thank you!

          Reply
      4. jennifer says

        June 28, 2019 at 9:16 am

        my mouth is WATERING .. I love blueberries and rarely think to do them in savory!

        Reply
        • anne says

          June 28, 2019 at 12:26 pm

          I love serving fruit in savory dishes.

          Reply
      5. paleoglutenfreeguy says

        June 28, 2019 at 10:57 am

        I knew right away from the title I would like this and the recipe does not disappoint! So simple and easy yet such a great balance of sweet, savory and a little spice from the chipotle powder.

        Reply
        • anne says

          June 28, 2019 at 12:26 pm

          Thank you!

          Reply
      6. chihyu says

        June 29, 2019 at 9:01 pm

        What a beautiful sauce! So easy to make and delicious! Perfect for summer BBQ.

        Reply
      7. STACEY CRAWFORD says

        July 01, 2019 at 11:26 am

        OMG, this looks so good! I love the idea of blueberries adding fruity touch of sweetness to bbq sauce. Those ribs 🙂

        Reply
      8. Dave says

        November 29, 2021 at 5:31 pm

        Can I add chipotle peppers to the sauce?

        Reply
        • Anne says

          November 30, 2021 at 11:13 am

          Hi Dave! Yes you can add one or two chopped chipotle peppers to the sauce.

          Reply
      9. Shat from N. California says

        June 29, 2022 at 2:56 am

        Hello, so glad I found this recipe. You see my small local business bbq joint sold his version of blueberry sauce for his pork spareribs. It was delicious. Now he has retired and doesn’t bottle anymore. I can’t wait to make this but, can I use 1 tbsp corn syrup in place of 1 tbsp maple syrup

        Reply
        • Anne says

          June 29, 2022 at 7:34 am

          Yes, you can replace maple syrup with corn syrup or any liquid sweetener.

          Reply
      10. Lauren says

        December 16, 2022 at 8:44 pm

        Tried this recipe. Way way too much vinegar. Maple syrup did not cut through the vinegar I had to put about 2 -3 tablespoons of honey. Then a 1/2 tsp salt.

        Reply
        • Anne says

          December 17, 2022 at 3:25 pm

          Hi Lauren! It sounds like you were looking for a sweeter sauce, I'm glad it worked out adding extra honey!

          Reply

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      Hi there! I am Anne and welcome to Simple and Savory where you will find no fuss and DELICIOUSLY easy recipes that are made with wholesome, fresh everyday ingredients. Read More…

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