The best blueberry BBQ sauce recipe
This blueberry BBQ sauce has the perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and tangy. Juicy blueberries cook down with bourbon, brown sugar, and spices into a rich, smooth sauce that’s perfect for ribs, chicken, or pulled pork.
It comes together quickly on the stovetop and can be blended smooth or left a little chunky. Brush it on grilled meat, spoon it over roasted pork, or use it as a dip—it’s an easy way to add big flavor with very little effort.
I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
Pook’s Pantry participates in affiliate programs. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may earn a small commission. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.
Blueberry BBQ sauce recipe
Unlike most blueberry BBQ sauces, this version balances sweet, smoky, and tangy without being cloyingly sweet. This easy homemade BBQ sauce, is unlike anything you’ll find in the aisles of the grocery store.
Why This Recipe Works
🫐 Sweet + Heat – The combination of sweet blueberries and brown sugar balance the heat from the jalapeño and the crushed red pepper.
🫐 Versatile – This sauce goes with everything from chicken wings and pork butt to burgers and sandwiches.
🫐 Quick & Easy – Everything cooks in one pot, then blend it up! Ready from start to finish in about 45 minutes.
What you need to know
This fruity BBQ sauce is something different than the usual store-bought sauce and it barely requires more than an occasional stir. If you are a beginner cook or you just want something delicious and unique that will not take the entire afternoon, this is the recipe for you. I have a few friends who are not experienced cooks, by their own admission, and they’ve made this blueberry barbecue sauce multiple times.
Fattier meats tend to pair really well with it – like pork ribs, pulled pork, chicken wings, and chicken thighs. The reason they work well together is the acidity in the sauce cuts through the fattiness in those proteins.
I have made this recipe 4 times already. SO GOOD!
-Will
Ingredients
- Blueberries – You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.
- Ketchup – Gives it the familiar BBQ sauce taste.
- Brown sugar – A little sweetness balances the flavors.
- Apple cider vinegar – Acidity helps to give it a little tang.
- Substitution: Balsamic vinegar is less acidic and sweeter than ACV. You may want to reduce the sugar to compensate for the added sweetness if you use this vinegar. Keep in mind, this will completely change the taste, as these vinegars are very different from each other.
- Bourbon – The alcohol will mostly cook off, leaving a smoky sweetness behind.
- Onion and garlic – These aromatics give the blueberry BBQ sauce great flavor.
- Jalapeño pepper – I used a whole pepper, but you can adjust to your preferences.
- Substitutions: If you prefer smoky heat, you can swap out jalapeño for chipotle peppers. If you prefer less heat, use half of a pepper.
- Salt and pepper – Everything needs to be seasoned.
- Crushed red pepper – A little extra spice, it is optional if you prefer less heat. You can also use only crushed red pepper in place of the jalapeño.
- Neutral oil – I use avocado, but grapeseed or canola are also good options.
- Bay leaf – Adds a subtle flavor in the background, it won’t be overwhelming.
How to make
Here’s a quick summary of how to make blueberry bourbon BBQ sauce. Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
- Sauté aromatics – First, heat a bit of canola or grapeseed oil in a medium pot, then add the onions and garlic. Let them sweat a few minutes until fragrant and starting to turn translucent.
- Add the remaining ingredients – Stir to combine well, then let the BBQ sauce cook down for roughly 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Check your sauce – At this point, it should start looking thick and syrupy. If your sauce is still thin, let it cook down for another 5 – 10 minutes, or until your desired consistency.
- Finish the sauce – Remove the bay leaves and using an immersion blender (or regular blender), carefully blend until smooth.
How to safely blend hot liquids
Working in restaurant kitchens for many years, I have plenty of experience blending hot liquids, and unfortunately accidents can happen. Here’s why it happens and how to avoid it:
When steam is created from hot foods, it creates pressure. That pressure can build inside the blender, causing the lid to pop off and hot liquid to spill. The liquid needs room to expand, so when you’re blending hot liquids, never fill more than halfway.
Second, always vent the blender lid by removing the center cap. Cover the opening with a thick, folded kitchen towel to allow steam to escape while protecting your hand. Start blending on low speed and gradually increase as needed. (Use a dark towel – blueberries stain.)
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
How to adjust blueberry BBQ sauce
- Too sweet → Add a splash of vinegar or mustard to give it some bite.
- Too tart → Add a tablespoon or two of brown sugar.
- Too thin → Simmer longer to let the liquid evaporate.
- Too thick → Add water or bourbon to thin.
- Not smoky enough → Add a teaspoon or two of smoked paprika, chipotle chili pepper, or chipotles in adobo sauce.
FAQ’s
Yes! Frozen blueberries should be thawed and drained before adding to the sauce.
They could make your sauce watery if they aren’t drained. Not the end of the world, but the sauce will require more time to cook down until it reaches that thick and syrupy stage before blending.
If properly stored, in an airtight container in the fridge, this blueberry bourbon barbecue sauce will last up to 2 weeks.
Yep! Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Helpful Tools and Equipment
- Vitamix Blender – This is the same one I own. It isn’t inexpensive, but it’s worth every penny.
- Immersion Blender – This is the blender that I use most often. It makes quick work of blending up this sauce.
- Dutch Oven – A heavy-bottomed pot works perfectly for so many things, including making BBQ sauce.
Storage / Freezing Information
To store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Gently reheat in a small pot on the stovetop over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, to prevent burning. If sauce has thickened, add a splash of water or apple juice to thin.
Variations and substitutions
- Spicy – Add in a pinch of chipotle or ancho chili powder to give it even more of a spicy, smoky kick.
- Alcohol-Free – To make this without bourbon, swap in apple juice or apple cider.
- Mixed Berry – For a mixed berry variation, swap half of the blueberries with blackberries or raspberries.
- Tomatoes – You can also swap out ketchup for canned tomatoes, but you’ll need to adjust the vinegar and sugar to your tastes, because ketchup is already seasoned and tinned tomatoes are not.
What to serve with blueberry BBQ sauce
- Brush on ribs during the last 10 minutes of cooking or grilling time.
- Toss with pulled pork for a delicious sandwich.
- Glaze baked chicken thighs during the last 5 – 10 minutes.
- Spread on sandwiches and burgers (try it mixed with mayo).
- Try it as a fruity sauce for chicken wings.
If you like this BBQ sauce, try these
- Apple bourbon BBQ sauce
- Bourbon BBQ sauce
- Peach bourbon BBQ sauce
- Chipotle apple BBQ sauce
- Pineapple mango BBQ sauce
Please share
If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars!
I hope you love this blueberry BBQ sauce recipe as much as we do! Please consider rating and/or commenting.
Your shares help this site to grow and I appreciate it so much. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.
Blueberry Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries any bad/moldy fruit discarded / 450g *see note
- 1 cup ketchup 235g
- ½ cup brown sugar 100g
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar 120mL / adjust to your preferences if you don't like vinegar
- ½ cup bourbon 120mL
- 1 small red onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced (measure with your heart)
- 1 jalapeño diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt I use Diamond Crystal, see note
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil such as grapeseed or canola
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, like a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium / medium low heat and sauté onions and garlic until translucent and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring to a simmer, and cook down for approximately 30 minutes, until thickened and syrupy. Keep an eye on your sauce, if it comes to a rapid boil, reduce the heat.
- Remove bay leaves and let cool slightly.
- Carefully transfer to a blender and purée until smooth, or use an immersion blender to blend in the pot. *See note
- Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up two weeks.
Video
Chef’s Notes
- Taste your blueberries! If they are super sweet, you may not need as much sugar. Conversely, if they are really tart, you may need a bit more, depending on your preferences.
- I happen to love vinegar, so I used 1/2 cup. If you are not a fan of the strong flavor, use 1/3 – 1/4 cup.
- A note on salt – Not all salt is created equal. A teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt weighs about 2.7 grams, Morton’s kosher salt weighs a little over 5 grams for a teaspoon and table salt weighs 6 grams for a teaspoon. So, adjust accordingly, depending on what kind of salt you are using.
- When blending hot liquids in a blender – The way I do this is to remove the clear blender cap in the middle of the lid, then place a clean, folded kitchen towel over the hole (I recommend using a dark towel for this in case it gets stained). The towel covers the hole so you won’t get splashed, but it also allows steam to escape. Place your hand on top of the towel to hold in place, then turn the blender on low to get it started. When the sauce has started moving, increase the speed. Decrease the speed when the sauce is blended to your liking before shutting off to avoid splashes.
- The flavor of this sauce is much smoother and deeper after it has been baked, and the vinegar mellows out a bit. If you find that the flavor is too sharp to use as a dip, brush it on whatever you are cooking, and let the sauce bake/grill for 5 – 10 minutes. The transformation is incredible.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. Use your preferred nutritional calculator using the products and brands you are using for exact information.
Buy me a coffee? If you ever wondered how you can lend a hand, show a little support or just say “thanks” for the recipes? You can “buy me a coffee” to help me keep the free recipes coming.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂
Questions? Send me an email, I’m happy to help. I’d love to send you weekly tips and recipes, so you can get updates about what’s happening in the kitchen!
Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my photos or recipe (other than for personal use) without prior written permission. Thank you!
Originally published 6/12/17, most recent update 4/21/26.
How long will this keep in the refrigerator?
About a week! Thanks, Jamie!
can you use this to marinade steak overnight? And if you can’t use this to marinade when is it a good time to put it on the steak you are grilling?
I’ve never used it as a marinade. I would brush it on during the last few minutes of grilling. Because of the sugar, it can burn. So, just keep an eye on it. Hope that helps, Matthew!
Hi it says I need written permission to use your blueberry bourbon BQ sauce. I would like to try it for the ribs I am cooking today.
Hi Bill!
You don’t need permission if it’s for personal use 🙂 That’s more for people (companies, other bloggers, etc.) who want to use my recipes for commercial (for profit) uses. So, make those ribs and slather them with this sauce. I hope you love it.
This is a great sauce. I used it for back ribs, but it would complement any pork or chicken dish. I will make this again as well as share it with friends and family.
Thank you so much, Bill! I really appreciate the kind words and I’m so happy that you loved this BBQ sauce.
could this be processed in a hot water bath for longer shelf life, for Christmas gifts?
I haven’t processed it for canning, so I can’t say for sure… but, I’d certainly be willing to try! I would think it should be fine. If you are an experienced canner, give it a go and please let me know how it worked out 🙂
Made this yesterday. We picked 3#. Blueberries, so tripled the recipe. After getting everything in the stockpot, let it start simmering then used an immersion blender to smooth it all out. Didn’t have to let it cool & process afterwards. Ladled into 24 4oz jelly jars. Put in canner, 5# pressure for 8 min, npr.. seems to have gone well!
Hope this helps.
I have pictures but don’t see how to add them here.
Hmmmm… let me see if I can help you 🙂
Awesome! I hope you love it! Thanks for the canning info 🙂
I read somewhere that you shouldn’t can something with oil in it. Did yours keep alright?
Hi Becky, I’ve never canned it, I keep it in the fridge. But, a handful of readers have water bath canned the sauce and they reported success. So, I’d say maybe try it with some of the sauce and keep some in the fridge. I hope that helps 🙂
This is hands down my favorite BBQ sauce. Easy to make, I used my own bourbon to make the sauce. Made this for a hog roast that I cooked for a party and it was a big hit! Thanks for the great recipe!!
Thank you so much, Jeremy!!! This makes me so happy, I’m glad you liked it!
My favorite BBQ Sauce EVER!!!! When Jeremy made it with a pig he roasted it was by far one of my favorite meals. Once you have this BBQ sauce it will ruin all others!!!
Thanks, Jenny!!! I’m so happy that you liked it! I’m thrilled that it’s one of your favorites 🙂 xx
Can you freeze it?
Yes you can! 🙂
We have been blessed with lots of blueberries this year and I was looking for different recipes when I came across this one… I’m eager to try it and of course was wondering if this could be processed in a hot water bath. As I’m reading the reviews I noticed somebody else already tried it… Perfect! We love giving homemade food gifts…
Ilona, I love homemade food gifts too! This will be great! I have never processed it in a hot water bath, but if if others have and it worked for them , that’s good news 🙂
It rarely lasts long enough to bother canning it! Please do let me know how it turned out for you, as I am curious. A few people have asked this question, so I’d love more feedback! Thanks 🙂
I was thinking of using blackberries???
Ooh!!! Yes, do try it! I’ll bet it’s amazing!
So I have 45# of blueberries …decided to try out this recipe…OMG amazing! I don’t give out compliments easily, but you nailed it! The only thing I have to say is hubby doesn’t like too much heat, so I left out the jalapeño and only put in 1/4 tsp ground red pepper…..perfect, just enough heat! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Jan! I appreciate the compliment 🙂 I’m glad that you were able to adjust the recipe to the perfect heat level for your personal taste! And, I’m jealous of your 45# of blueberries!!!
I’m definitely making this for a 4th of July party! What kind of bourbon do you use or recommend?
Hi Jonah! I’m partial to Bulleit or Woodford, but use whatever you have 🙂 I hope you love the BBQ sauce!
My husband made this to go with a smoked pork butt. Oh my goodness, I told him it was the best barbecue sauce I have ever had! I printed out the recipe to keep in my favorite cookbook so we don’t lose it. Thanks for Such a great recipe.
Thank you so much, Patti!!! You absolutely made my night! I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such a lovely comment. Thank you!!! 🙂
I made two slabs of pork ribs for supper. Instead of my usual doctored bbq sauce, I made it from scratch starting with the tomatoes, no ketchup here. I made several swaps. Replaced bourbon with scotch, swapped out the jalapeno and crushed red peppers with other tasty heat items that add depth. Then used roasted tomatoes and paste and built the flavors from there. So ono! Mahalo
Mahalo Mai! I’m glad you were able to make it your own and loved it! 🙂
Have you tried canning this recipe? I am excited to give it a try, as an serious canner I am always looking to put up items for later use. The ingredients lend me to believe that it would do well. Thoughts?
Hi Joanne, I have not canned it, but I know a few readers have. They’ve been successful, but as I have not done it myself, I can’t give you any tips or advice. Since you are a serious canner, I’m sure you already know what to look out for 🙂 If you do decide to can it, I’d love to hear the results – maybe I can update the recipe to include this option?
I canned this last summer in a hot water bath. I have a lot of experience canning jams. The issue is whether this is acidic enough. My blueberry jam recipe needs 1/4 Cup lemon juice (equivalent acidity to vinegar) for 4 cups of mashed blueberries making about 5 cups of jam. This recipe uses triple the vinegar for much less blueberries so I think it is safe for hot water bath canning. But I have not measured it specifically myself only done the above analysis.
Thank you for the comment, Sue. If you canned it last summer, have you used it? Did it turn out ok?
How could I make this with a homemade blueberry jam we already canned rather than fresh blueberries?
Hi Jenn! I haven’t tried that, but *in theory*, it should work. I would suggest adjusting the SUGAR, because otherwise, I think it would be too sweet. Let me know how it turns out, I’d be interested to know what you thought.
Made this sauce, with a few adjustments as ingredients I had on-hand.
Changes made: Used homegrown Italian plums; omitted crushed red pepper and substituted chipotle in adobo sauce for more smoky flavour, used shallots, and strained tomatoes as I prefer to control the sugar, and finally ended with balsamic vinegar, for depth. Turned out excellent. Thank you for the recipe-fantastic!
I made this today for ribs. Delicious!! My husband and I absolutely loved it. I used half the amount of red pepper flakes and omitted the jalapeño. I’m a wimp. The heat was perfect, added flavor, but wasn’t overpowering. Plan on using the sauce for wings next week. Thanks!
Thank you so much, Tracy! I’m so glad you were able to make a couple of changes to find the right amount of heat for yourself. I love this sauce on wings too 🙂 Thank you so much for the lovely comment!
Hi Pook!
I’m wondering if I might sub out the ketchup and use Chili sauce? I’m guessing then there would be adjustments on heat. Any reason to stick with the ketchup?
Hi Sheila, you certainly can try that. I would taste it before adding extra heat, especially if you don’t like things EXTRA spicy.
Sauce was very good.