If you have ever spent a hot and humid afternoon picking through briars and brambles to get your hands on sweet-tart and juicy wild blackberries, then you know how precious this Wild Blackberry Homemade BBQ Sauce is. Mixed with a little blood, sweat and tears (optional), we are sharing this amazing BBQ sauce recipe with you.
You can thank my husband for the idea. If it were up to me, these little beauties would have been in a blackberry cobbler. This is definitely one of those times when I am glad I listened to him. (Yeah, yeah, this is my way of saying he was right.)
Wild Blackberry Homemade BBQ Sauce. The second best idea my husband has ever had.
If you have any romantic notions about picking wild blackberries, forget them. They are a quite tricky fruit to pick, but well worth the pain and suffering.
Wild blackberries are an excellent fruit for the perfect tangy-sweet taste in this homemade BBQ Sauce.
These were the first batch of blackberries picked from my mom and step-dad’s this year. So. good.
Tips on picking wild blackberries:
- Wear long sleeves and pants and shoes with covered toes. No matter how hot it is outside, you will thank me for this later.
- Pick the berries in clusters by cupping them in your hand, careful not to grab a briar.
- Only pick the ripe berries. Once you pick them they do not continue to ripen. Just tug a little and if it comes right off, it is ripe. If not, the berry isn’t ready.
- Place picked berries in shallow containers and don’t pack them in. If they are weighed down by other berries they will start to bruise.
- Squat down and look at the bush from all angles. You will be surprised at how many ripe, juicy blackberries are hiding in there.
(About to head over there to pick more as soon as I finish this post. That means more blackberry recipes are coming!)
The idea for making these fresh wild blackberries into the BBQ sauce of dreams came from my husband. He heard of someone using a blackberry sauce with pulled pork.
After giving it just a little thought, I knew we could make an amazing sauce.
This is a super-easy recipe that anyone can make at home. Get our complete homemade bbq sauce recipe and how-to at the end of this post. This batch will almost fill a quart-sized jar, and can easily be increased if you have a huge blackberry crop.
One thing I knew for sure…I wanted people to know it was blackberry BBQ sauce when they tasted it. The vibrant color, fruit and seeds are my favorite part of this homemade sauce recipe.
(If you aren’t a fan of seeds, then…not sure you like blackberries anyway. But you can certainly strain the blackberry “mush” through a sieve first if you prefer.)
Kind of looks like blackberry jam, doesn’t it? Trust me…this is definitely a tart and tangy BBQ sauce.
More deliciously different Southern recipes:
Sweet + Smoky Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
Tennessee Tomato Gravy
Bacon Lover’s Baked Beans
Blueberry and Buttermilk Fried Chicken Salad
Fried Green Tomato BLT’s
Okra Peppers and Vidalia
We made the recipe thin enough to brush and baste your favorite grilling meats, but thick enough to stick.
The sauce is sweet, but not so sweet and sugary that it burns easily.
The first thing we put this sauce on? Ribs. So delicious!!
Look how gorgeous this Homemade BBQ Sauce is. And it tastes even better than it looks.
The fruity bursting berry flavor combined with brown sugar, honey and spices…my mouth is literally watering thinking about it. You have to try this BBQ sauce recipe and let us know what you think.
Warning, the next few pictures are graphically delicious.
So good, I couldn’t quit eating these saucy ribs. Not only did we baste the ribs while cooking, but we dipped them into more while eating.
What can I say, I ♥ the sauce.
P.S. This BBQ sauce is also excellent on chicken. (Yes, we had it again the next night.)
Ok, this is the last picture of sauce-smothered ribs I will share.
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Wild Blackberry Homemade BBQ Sauce
Tangy, sweet and tart homemade barbecue sauce made with wild Tennessee blackberries. This sauce is great for grilling, dipping, and basting.
Buy This
- 3 1/2 cups fresh wild blackberries rinsed and drained
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yellow prepared mustard
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cook That
- In a medium sized sauce pan combine 2 1/2 cups of the blackberries with all remaining ingredients except the water.
- Using a hand held blender, blend all ingredients to desired consistency. Heat to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the water and the remaining whole berries. Increase heat to a low boil, stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or to desired thickness. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
- Remove from heat and cool. Pour into a clean quart jar and seal. Refrigerate.
Recipe Notes
If you do not have a hand held blender, place the noted ingredients into a standard blender or food processor before cooking.
BBQ Sauce will thicken upon standing and refrigeration.
34 Comments
Jagruti
June 25, 2017 at 1:58 pmThis wild blackberry BBQ sauce looks incredibly tasty, little tart little sweet..oh my mouth is watering 🙂 just too good.
Teri
June 25, 2017 at 7:58 pmThank you so much! It is one of the recipes I am most proud of. Can’t wait to make it again, hope you have the chance to try it.
Tracy Bruno
July 15, 2017 at 8:25 pmCan this recipe be canned?
Trinity Parris
October 29, 2017 at 10:37 amDid you try canning it?
Dannii
June 25, 2017 at 2:30 pmI just love fruity BBQ sauce. I have had cherry, but never blackberry and it sounds amazing.
Teri
June 25, 2017 at 7:57 pmOOOh…Cherry BBQ Sauce…that sounds awesome. I feel another BBQ sauce recipe post coming.
Garlic + Zest
June 25, 2017 at 4:32 pmI haven’t seen wild blackberries since I was a kid and your post really brought back memories for me. That barbecue sauce looks and sounds mouthwatering! I’m coming to your next cookout!
Teri
June 25, 2017 at 7:57 pmHopefully they were the good kind of memories (and not the ones of getting poked by briars).
pattysaveurs80
June 25, 2017 at 5:04 pmLove everything blackberry, most of all blackberry jam! Your blackberry bbq sauce looks so good, mouthwatering!
Teri
June 25, 2017 at 7:56 pmIt turned out better than expected. Ready to make some more and try it on other food.
Tracy Bruno
July 15, 2017 at 8:22 pmThis sounds absolutely delicious! Is it possible to can this recipe?
Teri
July 15, 2017 at 8:26 pmI personally have not canned it but I plan on trying. Since it is cooked with sugars and vinegar, I bet it would turn out great. The only thing I might do before canning is not leave any of the berries whole. (Or possibly strain it.)
This recipe made 1 quart. We used it all within a week, stored in fridge. If you do try canning it let me know.
Trinity Parris
October 29, 2017 at 10:38 amDid you ever try canning it? Looking for feedback before I try today…
Teri
October 29, 2017 at 10:51 amNo, I haven’t been able to get my hands on enough blackberries to do another batch. I’m sure it would can great, especially with the high acidity of the berries. Are you thinking pressure canner or water bath?
Kim Williams
August 29, 2017 at 4:17 pmMy daughter just made this sauce – delicious!! Thank you so much for the awesome recipe, we never would have thought to use blackberries!
Teri
August 29, 2017 at 8:08 pmI am so happy you tried it and loved it. ???? As soon as I can get my hands on more blackberries I am making it again. Thank you for taking the time to comment
Rachel Stuart
October 8, 2017 at 3:12 pmDelicious! My husband and I picked some of the tart invasive blackberries that are all over Seattle, and made this jam. We subbed 3 tsp of chipotle chili adobo sauce for the sriracha, and it is perfect.
Next time I’ll put it through the food processor and see if I can’t remove some of those seeds, but other than that this sauce is perfect! Thank you!
Teri
October 11, 2017 at 10:42 amI am so thrilled that you tried it and love it. I definitely will be making it again and maybe strain it through a fine sieve or cheesecloth for a smoother sauce. (I love the berries and seeds, but I could see where having a smoother sauce would be enjoyable for most people.) Thank you for trying our recipe and taking the time to let us know how it turned out.
Diana
February 7, 2018 at 3:51 pmYou’re so lucky to find wild blackberries. They don’t grow where I live! Love this recipe, looks and sounds amazing.
Teri
February 7, 2018 at 9:00 pmI’ve made it with store bought berries as well, just as good, although turns out a little sweeter than the wild ones.
Veena Azmanov
February 7, 2018 at 4:27 pmI love wild berries and they are so tart they make a perfect combination with meat. This looks so good. Love the pictures. Saving for later.
Teri
February 7, 2018 at 9:00 pmOh I do hope you have a chance to try it. Very good, I think you will love it.
Dana
February 7, 2018 at 4:30 pmI love love love using fruits in savory sauces like this! Bringing sweetness to meats is so clever, and I love when unsuspecting fruits are involved 🙂
Teri
February 7, 2018 at 9:01 pmThank you so much! This is one of our favorite sauces to use. (Great on chicken too.)
Emily
February 7, 2018 at 5:13 pmI am for sure pinning this BBQ sauce recipe. It sounds so delish!
Teri
February 7, 2018 at 9:02 pmI hope you get a chane to try the sauce. Let me know what you think.
K.C.
February 7, 2018 at 5:34 pmI remember picking wild blackberries. ..and the stained fingers and face! We ate more than we took home. That sauce is to die for! I’m still drooling over your pics.
Teri
February 7, 2018 at 9:02 pmThank you so much! We did eat our share, I had to keep my husband out of them so I would have enough to make the sauce. lol
Adam R Stevens
July 10, 2018 at 8:00 pmThis is my new signature sauce to accompany my pulled pork smoked in my homemade barrel smoker. I just picked a bag full of fresh wild blackberries on my property in Central Virginia and used them in your recipe. Absolutely delicious. I am so glad I found your recipe.
Teri
July 11, 2018 at 4:23 pmThat is so awesome. I am glad you tried it and it turned out great for you. I’m ready to make another batch very soon. (Also I appreciate you taking the time to stop by and let us know. Thanks!)
Chad Baker
August 18, 2018 at 12:24 amEvery August we have a hillside nearby with a bumper crop of large wild blackberries. We plunder them then go looking for recipes to try them with. Came across this article and gave it a try. It tastes amazing by itself. We can’t wait to try it over our favorite meats. Thanks so much for sharing this one!
Teri
August 18, 2018 at 2:07 pmFirst of all, thank you so much for trying the recipe and taking the time to share your feedback.
Second of all, I’m SUPER jealous of your blackberries! I wish we had more.
Enjoy your meal, I think you are going to be very happy. 🙂
Rose
September 1, 2018 at 12:29 amWhat a delicious sounding barbecue sauce recipe! Wild blackberries are wonderful.
Teri
September 4, 2018 at 8:10 amThank you so much, it really turned out great and is one of my favorites. Can’t wait for more blackberries.