For me, summer is here officially. There’s nothing that we love more than firing up the grill and enjoying dinner sitting at the picnic table in the backyard. Homemade BBQ sauce is one of those things that some people insist on cooking down for hours upon hours, so if you’re looking for that…keep looking. But if you’re looking for a super quick sauce that takes just a few minutes, that will be the star of any summer cookout or potluck this summer- look no further!
Naturipe had contacted me about participating in the Very Berry Month Of May celebration on their site. A chance to make something with berries? I’m always down for that! I chose blueberries, and ended up using them to create this awesome barbecue sauce. Blueberries are cooked down with a bit of honey and water, then quickly pureed. It’s then combined with basic ingredients to form an absolutely delicious sauce that’s great brushed on pork, chicken, or beef.
I love the purple-tint that the sauce has too – it really screams “BLUEBERRY!”. And it’s definitely there in the flavor as well. A bright fruitiness and change of pace from the traditional barbecue sauces I usually go for.
Naturipe has been kind enough to host a giveaway here at Tide & Thyme. This awesome KitchenAid 7-Cup Food Processor is up for grabs! Slices, shreds, chops – the perfect size for pureeing a few berries, shredding a block of cheese, or making a batch of homemade baby food! To enter just leave a comment below telling me your favorite way to use fresh, in-season berries. Contest will run through June 1st at 12 PM. I’ll chose a winner using a Random Number Generator thingy.
Want a couple of extra entries?:
Like Tide & Thyme on Facebook – leave a separate comment letting us know you did so.
Like Naturipe Farms on Facebook – leave a separate comment letting us know you did so.
Also, make sure to stop by their site and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $500 gift card from Williams-Sonoma. I could think of a bunch of great ways I could put that to use in my kitchen – how about you?
UPDATE: Congratulations to our winner, Entrant #11 – Shanna! Thanks so much for entering, everyone!
Blueberry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
For the blueberry puree:
2 cups blueberries
3 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup water
For the sauce:
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup molasses
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 chipotle peppers, finely chopped
1 Tbsp adobo sauce (from the can)
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
salt and pepper
hot sauce
To make the blueberry puree combine the blueberries, honey, and water to a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until blueberries have softened and busted open – about 10 minutes. Place into food processor or blender and puree until relatively smooth – a few one second pulses.
Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the blueberry puree and mix until combined. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and/or hot sauce.
Can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Disclaimer: I have been compensated for my time to create a recipe for Naturipe Farms. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
