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Step up your summertime grilling with this homemade blackberry barbecue sauce. A tasty BBQ sauce perfect for basting on chicken or pork.
A fruity BBQ sauce
The blackberries are ripe on the vine and it's still BBQ season! Making a homemade BBQ sauce takes your grilling up to the next level.
This blackberry BBQ sauce is made with fresh or frozen blackberries and is a perfect accompaniment to grilled chicken or grilled pork. Just imagine that finger-licking goodness after eating some baby back ribs slathered with this sauce!
I've removed the seeds from this sauce making it perfectly smooth and you can whip up a batch in less than 15 minutes. Make it ahead of time and use it for dinner any night of the week.
Another delicious BBQ sauce using fresh summer fruit is Peach BBQ Sauce.
Ingredients for blackberry bbq sauce
This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.
- Blackberries - Fresh or frozen can be used which means this BBQ sauce can be made any time of the year!
- Ketchup - Use your favorite brand. Ketchup is the base for this sauce adding tang and a bit of sweetness.
- Honey - A delicious sweetener for this sauce. Brown sugar can also be used.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - Any great BBQ sauce needs some vinegar to make that perfect tang!
- Seasoning - Garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and dried mustard
Making BBQ sauce with blackberries
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and place over medium heat
- Stir oven until mixture comes to a simmer. Reduce heat and let simmer for 3-5 minutes until berries are broken down and soft.
- Place mixture in a sieve to remove seeds
- Use a spatula or a spoon to help push the sauce through the sieve
- Use any place you'd use BBQ sauce
Recipe tips
- If adding frozen blackberries, there is no need to thaw them first. Just add frozen berries straight to the pot.
- Stir sauce often to avoid scorching
- Can make and used right away, but flavors will continue to develop if covered and refrigerated for at least 12 hours
- When using on barbecued meats, add near the final minutes of cooking time. Allow the sauce to thicken and caramelize on each side. Add 2-3 coats of sauce on each side and cook for 2-3 minutes between coats.
More blackberry recipes
If you have a surplus of blackberries or just love great blackberry recipes, you'll want to check out these recipes too.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be sure to check out all my grilling recipes!
Blackberry BBQ Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 2 cups blackberries
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat2 cups blackberries, 1 cup ketchup, ¼ cup honey, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Bring to a simmer and then cook over medium low heat for 3-5 minutes until berries are broken down
- Pour into a sieve over a heat proof container
- Push sauce through sieve with a spatula or a spoon. Discard remaining seeds and pulp
- Allow sauce to cool then cover and refrigerate until ready to use
Notes
- If adding frozen blackberries, no need to thaw first. Just add frozen berries straight to the pot.
- Stir sauce often to avoid scorching
- Can make and use right away, but flavors will continue to develop if covered and refrigerated for at least 12 hours
- When using on barbecued meats, add near the final minutes of cooking time. Allow sauce to thicken and caramelize on each side. Add 2-3 coats of sauce on each side and cook for 2-3 minutes between coats.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Kathy says
Can this be canned and sealed in a water bath to give as gifts
Kathy says
Hi Kathy,
I'm afraid this hasn't been tested for home canning.
Kathy
Shannon says
How long would you say this bbq sauce is stable in the refrigerator for? Very excited to try this.
Kathy says
Hi Shannon,
This BBQ sauce should be used within two weeks when stored in the fridge.
Enjoy!
Kathy 🙂
Valentina says
I think I like blackberries even better in sauces than raw. I can't say that about many other berries. In any case, I know I would love this BBQ sauce. It's on my list for grilling before summer is over. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy says
Perfect for summertime grilling!
David @ Spiced says
Your brother makes his own garlic powder!? That's awesome!! Also, I love this recipe, Kathy. I've only made homemade BBQ sauce a couple of times, and I've never made one with blackberries. Blackberries are one of my favorite summer fruits, though, and I can see how this would pair beautifully with grilled and smoked meats!
Kathy says
Yes!!! He has an organic farm and has sold for year at the Santa Fe Farmers Market, but now he has also started doing some of his own spices, including the garlic powder! It's so fragrant.
This BBQ sauce is perfect for all that outdoor grilling!