Peach BBQ Sauce
intro
Sweet, smoky, tangy homemade peach BBQ sauce made with ripe summer peaches, perfect for slathering on grilled chicken, ribs, burgers, or veggies.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep fresh peaches
Bring 1L of water to a rolling boil over high heat in a small saucepan. Score a shallow 2cm X on the bottom of each peach, blanch in boiling water for 45 seconds, then immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water for 1 minute to stop cooking. Slip off loosened skins, cut peaches in half to remove pits, then dice into uniform 1cm pieces.
Combine sauce ingredients
Add diced peaches, 180ml ketchup, 65g packed light brown sugar, 60ml apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and optional 1/8 teaspoon cayenne to a 2L heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir with a silicone spatula until all ingredients are fully incorporated and no dry spice clumps remain.
Bring to gentle simmer
Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a low gentle simmer (small, consistent bubbles breaking the surface at 93C/200F), which takes 5-7 minutes. Do not allow the sauce to reach a hard rolling boil, as high heat can burn the sugar and create a bitter flavor.
Simmer to reduce
Reduce stovetop heat to medium-low to maintain a steady low simmer, and cook the sauce uncovered for 18-20 minutes. Stir every 3-4 minutes to prevent the sauce from sticking and burning on the pan bottom, until peaches are completely soft, the sauce has reduced by roughly 25%, and it thinly coats the back of a metal spoon.
Blend to desired texture
Remove the saucepan from heat and let the sauce cool for 5 minutes. For a completely smooth sauce, carefully transfer the mixture to a high-speed countertop blender, vent the lid and cover with a kitchen towel to release steam, and blend on medium speed for 30-45 seconds until uniform. For a chunkier sauce, use an immersion blender directly in the pot for 10-15 seconds, leaving small soft peach pieces intact.
Cool and store sauce
Let the finished sauce cool completely to room temperature (approximately 25 minutes) — it will thicken further as it cools. Transfer to a sealed, sterilized glass jar, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months for later use. Use as a glaze or dipping sauce for grilled meats, veggies, or sandwiches.
Tips
2.Always vent your blender lid (and cover with a kitchen towel) when blending hot sauce, as trapped steam can build pressure and cause hot liquid to splatter and cause burns.
3.If your sauce is too thin after blending, return it to medium-low heat and simmer for 3-5 additional minutes, stirring constantly, until it reaches your preferred thick, spreadable consistency.
OMG this homemade peach BBQ sauce is a total game changer! I made it for our family cookout last weekend and everyone was begging for the recipe. It’s the perfect balance of sweet from the peaches and tangy smoky BBQ flavor, even my picky 7 year old was slathering it on his grilled chicken. So easy to throw together too, I didn’t even have to run to the store for any fancy ingredients!
I whipped up a double batch of this for my weekly meal prep and it’s SO good. I’ve used it on pulled pork, roasted veggies, even as a dip for sweet potato fries all week. The cook time is so short for how complex the flavor tastes, I’ll never buy store-bought BBQ sauce again. 10/10!
Brought this to my neighborhood potluck last night and it was gone in 20 minutes flat! People were drizzling it on burgers, ribs, even the coleslaw? Wild. Only note is I added a tiny extra pinch of cayenne for a little heat kick and that was chef’s kiss. Super easy recipe, no complicated steps at all.
I was a little skeptical that peach BBQ sauce would live up to the hype but wow, this delivered. I made it to go with smoked ribs for my partner’s birthday dinner and he said it’s the best BBQ sauce he’s ever had. The only thing I messed up was I didn’t let it simmer long enough the first time, so it was a little runny, but 10 extra minutes on the stove fixed it right up!
My kids loved this! We made it together on a rainy Saturday and they had a blast helping me measure ingredients and stir the pot. We used fresh peaches we picked up at the local farmers market and the flavor was unbeatable. We slathered it on grilled chicken thighs for dinner and there were zero leftovers. Total win for a family dinner night!
Made this to take on our camping trip last weekend and it was perfect for campfire hot dogs and grilled foil packet chicken. It traveled really well in a mason jar and didn’t need any fancy equipment to make ahead at home. Love that it’s easy enough for a beginner like me, I’m usually terrible at making sauces from scratch!
This is such a solid base recipe! I added a tablespoon of minced chipotle in adobo to mine for a smoky spicy kick and it was insane. Served it over smoked pork chops and my roommate said it’s better than the BBQ sauce from our favorite local smokehouse. Will absolutely be making this again all summer long.
Wait I’m so mad I waited so long to try this recipe! I had a ton of ripe peaches from my tree out back that I needed to use up and this was the perfect use for them. It’s sweet, tangy, has that perfect BBQ depth, and my whole family went crazy for it at our Sunday dinner. Only question – can I freeze this to save for later when peach season is over?