This Rhubarb BBQ Sauce transforms fresh rhubarb into a sweet, tangy, homemade barbecue sauce that's bursting with flavor. Balanced with maple syrup, brown sugar, tomatoes, and Dijon mustard, it's the perfect way to add a unique twist to everything from ribs and pulled pork to grilled chicken and burgers. Once you try it, you'll be looking for excuses to put it on everything.
Rhubarb BBQ Sauce Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Condiment, Sauce
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 10 Minutes Prep + 12 Minutes Cook Time
- 🍴 Servings: About 2 Cups (16 servings, 2 tablespoons each)
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Sweet, tangy, smoky, and slightly savory
- 🍚 Best Served With: Ribs, chicken, pulled pork, burgers, brisket, and grilled vegetables
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes! The flavor improves after chilling.
Summarize and Save This Content On
If you've only used rhubarb in desserts, you're in for a surprise. Its natural tartness makes it a fantastic ingredient for homemade barbecue sauce, creating a flavor that's both familiar and completely unique.
My grandma always grew lots of rhubarb in her garden, and while most of it ended up in pies and crisps, she loved experimenting with savory recipes too. This sauce feels like the perfect combination of those old-fashioned garden ingredients and modern barbecue flavors.
This recipe was inspired by our hot honey BBQ sauce and pairs perfectly with pulled pork sliders, grilled chicken, or best beef ribs recipe.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Sweet, tangy, and packed with flavor: Fresh rhubarb, maple syrup, tomatoes, and seasonings create a homemade BBQ sauce with the perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and tangy flavors.
- Quick and easy: Made with simple pantry ingredients in one saucepan, this homemade sauce is ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Versatile and make-ahead friendly: Perfect for grilling, dipping, glazing, and meal prep, with flavors that become even better after chilling.
Ingredients
You only need a few pantry staples and some fresh rhubarb to create this flavorful homemade sauce. Most of the ingredients are likely already in your kitchen.
- Flavor Base: Onion, garlic, and olive oil create the savory foundation.
- Rhubarb and Tomatoes: Provide the perfect balance of tartness and richness.
- Sweeteners: Brown sugar and maple syrup mellow the rhubarb and create classic BBQ flavor.
- Seasonings: Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and optional chili flakes add depth, tanginess, and a hint of heat.
- Water: Helps everything cook down into a smooth, pourable sauce.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredients, ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Adjust the sweetness: Use honey, extra maple syrup, less sugar, or coconut sugar to suit your taste.
- Make it spicy: Add extra chili flakes, cayenne pepper, chipotle powder, or hot sauce.
- Add smoky flavor: Stir in liquid smoke, smoked paprika, or chipotle peppers in adobo.
- Customize the flavor: Add bourbon, apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger, or roasted garlic.
- Create specialty versions: Try peach-rhubarb, strawberry-rhubarb, maple-bacon, or bourbon BBQ variations.
How to Make Rhubarb BBQ Sauce
This homemade Rhubarb BBQ Sauce comes together in just 5 simple steps. Everything cooks in one saucepan and blends into a smooth, flavorful sauce in minutes.
Step 1: Cook the onions and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
Step 2: Simmer the sauce. Add the rhubarb, crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, water, and chili flakes, if using. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is very soft.
Step 3: Blend until smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. For a chunkier sauce, blend only partially.
Step 4: Serve or store. Use the sauce immediately on ribs, chicken, pulled pork, burgers, or grilled vegetables. Allow any leftovers to cool completely before transferring to an airtight jar and refrigerating until needed.
Expert Tips
- Build flavor first: Allow the onions to soften fully before adding the garlic and remaining ingredients.
- Cook until tender: The rhubarb should be completely soft before blending for the smoothest sauce.
- Sauce thickness: Sauce should coat the back of a spoon but still pour easily.
- Blend carefully: Use an immersion blender whenever possible, or cool slightly before transferring to a blender.
- Adjust to taste: Add extra maple syrup for sweetness, vinegar for tang, or chili flakes for heat.
- Store for better flavor: The sauce tastes even better after several hours in the refrigerator.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy hot BBQ sauce.
Storage Directions
Refrigerator: Store cooled sauce in an airtight jar or container for up to 1 week.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers. Thaw at room temperature when you are ready to use.
Reheat: Warm gently in a saucepan or microwave before serving if desired.
Make Ahead: Prepare up to several days ahead. The flavor improves as it rests.
Serving Suggestions
- For baking or grilling: Brush onto BBQ ribs in oven, chicken, pork chops, burgers, or sausages during the final minutes of cooking.
- For sandwiches: Toss with pulled pork, air fryer rotisserie chicken, loose meat sandwich, roasted spatchcock chicken recipe or brisket.
- For entertaining: Add to charcuterie boards, barbecue platters, or appetizer spreads.
- For dipping: Serve with air fryer chicken tenders, pulled pork fries, onion rings, or roasted vegetables.
- For everyday meals: Drizzle over easy roasted carrots, potatoes and onions, grain bowls, or baked potatoes.
Rhubarb BBQ Sauce Recipe FAQs
It has the familiar sweet and tangy flavor of barbecue sauce with a brighter, fruitier finish.
No. Discard all leaves and chop it.
Yes. Thaw and drain excess liquid before using.
More Rhubarb Recipes
Do you love cooking with rhubarb? Here are some delicious rhubarb recipes you may also enjoy trying.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Rhubarb BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
- immersion blender OR a regular blender
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced, approximately 4oz, 113g
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 2 cups rhubarb, chopped evenly approximately 8oz, 225g, all leaves discarded
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes approximately 8oz, 225g
- ½ cup brown sugar packed, 3.5oz, 100g
- ¼ cup maple syrup 2fl.oz, 60ml
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- ¼ cup water 2fl.oz, 60ml
- ¼ teaspoon dried chili flakes optional
Options
- 2-3 drops liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Add the rhubarb, crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, water, and chili flakes or liquid smoke, if using. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is very soft.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. For a chunkier sauce, blend only partially.
- Use the sauce immediately on ribs, chicken, pulled pork, burgers, or grilled vegetables. Allow any leftovers to cool completely before transferring to an airtight jar and refrigerating until needed.
Notes
- Makes 2 cups or 32 tablespoons
- Build flavor first: Allow the onions to soften fully before adding the garlic and remaining ingredients.
- Cook until tender: The rhubarb should be completely soft before blending for the smoothest sauce.
- Sauce thickness: Sauce should coat the back of a spoon but still pour easily.
- Blend carefully: Use an immersion blender whenever possible, or cool slightly before transferring to a blender.
- Adjust to taste: Add extra maple syrup for sweetness, vinegar for tang, or chili flakes for heat.
- Store for better flavor: The sauce tastes even better after several hours in the refrigerator.
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