This tangy Blackberry BBQ Sauce includes chipotle chili peppers for a bit of smoky flavor. Easy to make it’s the perfect condiment for any type of smoked or grilled meat.
One of my favorite memories from the lazy summer mornings of my childhood was walking across the street in my pajamas (barefoot if Mama didn’t catch me) and picking blackberries from the edge of the woods.
I’d take them back to the house, rinse them off in the kitchen, and then add them to my morning cereal. There is just nothing like fresh blackberries!
Do you remember picking wild blackberries? Southern Food Then and Now is all about traditions, regions and the origins of our favorite cuisine!
The idea is born for blackberry bbq sauce:
The students at the school where I teach live in urban neighborhoods, and most of them, I discovered, have never had this experience.
So when we spotted thousands of blackberries on the edge of the field where we spend recess, I just knew I had to take the moment to show my 1st graders a part of their neighborhood they never knew existed.
We talked about the thorns and the love snakes have for these juicy berries. We discussed the difference between the red ones and the black ones and why we should leave the red ones alone.
I went over why it was crucial to have a grown-up check before you eat anything you find growing…
Then we dove right into that Southern rite of passage known as blackberry picking.
As much as I love blackberries on my cereal, in my smoothies, on my ice cream, and in my cobblers, I wanted to get a little outside the box with this recipe.
It is grilling season, after all, so why not put blackberries on our barbecue? This tangy sauce has chipotle chili peppers to give it a smoky kick, too!
You’ll find it to be absolute perfection on any of your grilled or smoked meats – use it for ribs, chicken or even brush a bit on grilled shrimp.
How to make Blackberry Barbecue Sauce
To make the sauce, you combine blackberries, a chipotle chili pepper (the kind that comes in a can of adobo sauce), tomato paste, brown sugar, garlic, apple cider vinegar, worcestershire sauce, and salt & pepper in a pot.
Bring all the ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. As you stir, use a wooden spoon to crush the blackberries and the chili pepper to release all the flavors they have to offer. Turn the heat off and let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes.
Next, spoon the mixture into a fine mesh sieve and use the wooden spoon to press all of the liquid out into a bowl. Once all you have left in the sieve is the solid part, discard that. Serve the blackberry bbq sauce any way you would serve a more traditional version!
More favorites:
The perfect side dish for whatever you’re cooking on the grill and serving with Blackberry BBQ Sauce is this Watermelon Salad with Cucumbers and Lime Vinaigrette.
And, Blackberry Syrup is great over pancakes, waffles, biscuits or stirred into a cocktail! And Southern Blackberry Mules? Deliciousness in a copper mug!
Blackberry BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 3 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 whole chipotle pepper
- 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
- 6 ounces fresh blackberries
- 1 clove garlic
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heat and stir constantly for 5 minutes.
- Crush blackberries and chipotle pepper as you stir.
- Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.
- Spoon mixture into fine sieve and press until solids are all that remains in the sieve.
- Discard solids and serve sauce as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More recipes you’ll want to try:
Baked Beans with Bacon 
Grilled Fish Tacos with Baja Sauce 
Strawberry Shortcake Mini’s 
Smoked Fish Dip 
Southern Appetizer Board 
Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pie
Carolann says
Oh my gosh, this looks so very delicious! I will make it for sure. YUM!
Pam says
Thanks, Carolann. Hope you like it!
FLORENCE @ VintageSouthernPicks says
I have that blackberry memory too. In fact, we as a family had a favorite roadside picking place. Fond memories (and getting covered with chiggers too). I’ve picked cultivated berries once in a U-Pic place. I couldn’t believe how BIG they were!
Love the sound of your recipe! It looks delish.
Pam says
Thanks so much, Florence!
Bliss says
I love blackberries, probably my berry of choice, so I will be all over this sauce. I can smell it grilling now!
Pam says
Let us know how it turns out. We love it!
Barbara H Garrett says
YUMMMM. This looks amazing. I would love this on a pork tenderloin. Thanks for sharing.
Pam says
That does sound good, Barb. Thanks!
Maria Brittis says
What beautiful food photos, I love BBQ sauces, especially homemade. Great recipe. Will share on FB
Maria
Pam says
Thanks so much, Maria.
Maureen Beaucond says
I have been getting your newsletter for a while and love it! The blackberry sauce looks wonderful!
Pam says
Thank you, Maureen. We appreciate you being part of the family.
Barbara Chapman ~ French Ethereal says
Your blackberry bbq sauce looks delicious! Happy to pin it out to Pinterest.
Thank you,
Barb 🙂
Pam says
Thanks so much, Barb!
Doreen says
Looks absolutely delicious.
Pam says
Thank you, Doreen.
Carol says
Since spicy food doesn’t like me can I leave out the peppers and should I substitute something else in their place?
Pam says
Carol, I don’t know if you’ve tried chipotle peppers before, but they’re not really spicy in the traditional sense. They have a smoky flavor, but not really hot at all.
Dawny says
You might try replacing the chipotle with ginger. I saw a recipe winner years ago in Sunset magazine for Blackberry BBQ sauce, that had ginger. They pair well together.
I like spice. I’m trying Pam’s recipe tonight with grilled chicken.
Andrea Metlika says
I am a huge fan of blackberries and this BBQ sauce is calling my name. Definitely making this.
Pam says
Woohoo! Can’t wait to hear how you like it!
Alison Marras says
I cannot wait until it’s blackberry season here so I can make this yummy sauce!
Pam says
Should be soon! Thanks, Alison!
Jessica Formicola says
This is by far my favorite bbq sauce! It has the perfect amount of sweet and tastes delicious on everything!
Pam says
Thanks so much, Jessica!
Haley D. Williams says
This is a delicious flavor combo!
Pam says
Thanks so much, Haley!
Sujatha Muralidhar says
Thanks so much for making such a interesting post when this blackberry are in season. The pictures are epic for the visual people like myself!!
Pam says
Aw, thanks, Sujatha!
Joel Gerke says
Just made this tonite, thought it would be good since it only had 1/4c apple cider vinegar but it was still acidic. As much as I like Worcestershire sauce, I think 3 Tbls. is too much and the blackberries are not noticeable. I think cut back on the worcestershire and maybe add 1/4 to 1/2c blackberry jam or double the blackberries to bring some BBQ sweetness to it.
Pam says
Thanks for stopping by Joel.