Blueberry Bourbon Chipotle BBQ Sauce

This lip-smacking, finger-licking Blueberry Bourbon Chipotle BBQ Sauce is so outrageously delicious you will want it on everything. Everything! This easy recipe can come together an hour before your BBQ and is perfect on ribs, pork loin, and chicken. I’ve not tried it on beef yet, but I can’t imagine it’s not just as delicious. You get sweetness, a bit of spice, and a very light nuance of Bourbon. The texture is not too thick or thin either; it’s just a perfect balance. I like it chunky with the fruit pulp, but you can strain it to remove any fruit or chile pulp.

We had some leftovers and warmed the sauce the next day, making it even more amazing. There was just a tiny bit left, and my husband decided to have it on toast. Yeah, that good. So, let’s make this bomb BBQ sauce.

Let’s make Blueberry Bourbon Chipotle BBQ Sauce

So this must come with a warning because it will become your new favorite sauce for all your bbq meats!

This recipe is adapted from The Fresh Market website.

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 of sweet onion or white onion, minced
• 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
• 2 oz bourbon, I used Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon.
• 2 tbsp of chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped.
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp cumin, ground
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 3 cups of fresh, ripe blueberries (or frozen- see note below)
• Kosher salt and course ground pepper

In a small Dutch oven or pan, on medium heat, add olive oil, onion, garlic, a pinch of salt, and pepper and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Make sure the garlic does not burn.

Add brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, chipotle peppers, cumin, bourbon, and tomato paste mix, and bring to a slow simmer. Add blueberries, stir, and crush them with a potato masher or spoon.

Allow the sauce to simmer on low heat; stir and crush the berries.

At first the sauce will be watery but as it continues to cook, it will thicken. Cook between 30 and 45 minutes depending on your desired consistency. At this point, the berries will have broken down, but you can certainly strain the sauce to remove fruit and chile pulp or leave as is. I like to leave it as is, chunky with the berry pulp.

This Blueberry Bourbon Chipotle BBQ Sauce can be refrigerated up to 3 days. If you have a large gathering, you can make this the day before and warm through before serving. Best served warm.

If you love this sauce, try my equally delicious Cherry Barbecue Sauce!

What kind of meats can I use this BBQ sauce on?

The ideal meats are beef and pork ribs, pork loin, brisket, tri-tip roast, and chicken. However, this would be amazing as a sauce for lamb as a condiment. I think it’s a bit heavy for seafood, so ideally, it’s best for the above-mentioned protein sources.

Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes! They should work well, but you may need to add a bit more brown sugar. Fresh, ripe berries tend to be sweeter.

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