Sugar Free Blackberry BBQ Sauce
This Sugar Free Blackberry BBQ Sauce is the perfect blend of sweet, tangy, and smoky flavors without any added sugar. Made with simple ingredients, it’s a delicious way to elevate grilled meats, burgers, roasted veggies, or even nachos. This Sugar Free Blackberry BBQ Sauce brings bold flavor while keeping things light and wholesome.
Nearby where we live is a restaurant that my husband and I often frequent for date nights. One of my favorite (but very off plan) items that they sell are their nachos. These nachos have white corn chips topped with crispy pulled pork, black beans, roasted corn, cotija cheese, pickled red onions, queso blanco sauce, sour cream, jalapeños, cilantro, and some really yummy blackberry barbecue sauce.
Well, this was my absolute favorite dish that this restaurant served. But, alas, one day when hubby and I got comfy at a table and started browsing the menu (despite the fact I knew exactly what I was going to get), it was just…gone. After quizzing one of the waiters (fun fact: the waiter used to be one of “my” kids in Awana), he delivered to our ears the very sad news that the nachos were discontinued. I mean, it’s not the end of the world because I really don’t need them (I’m sure the BBQ sauce alone was chock full of sugar). But, I was disappointed.
And I continued to crave it. So I decided to create a Trim Healthy Mama version of this amazing nachos dish, starting with the sugar free blackberry BBQ sauce.
Sugar Free Blackberry BBQ Sauce Ingredients
- Blackberries. The star of the sugar free blackberry BBQ sauce is, of course, blackberries. For my barbecue sauce, I used two pounds of frozen organic blackberries from Azure Standard. These seem to squish up faster and easier than fresh blackberries. However, fresh blackberries can definitely be used instead.
- Ketchup. The bulk of almost any barbecue sauce (including The Best Sugar Free Barbecue Sauce) is ketchup (or catsup). I prefer to make my own homemade ketchup or use something like Heinz No Sugar Added ketchup. Keep an eye the ingredients!
- Apple Cider Vinegar and Lime Juice. A well balanced barbecue sauce has acid. Apple cider vinegar provides that acid and lime juice does too, plus a bit of brightness from the lime juice. I keep a bottle of Santa Cruz Organic Lime Juice (and their lemon juice) in the fridge at all times because I use the juice more than any other part of the fruit.
- Worcestershire Sauce. This is a cheffy ingredient that I added because it really does up the flavor a notch or two.
- Sweeteners. I use THM-friendly sweeteners in my recipes, usually THM ones or my homemade sweetener blend. Since this is not a baking recipe, the sweetener line is pretty versatile and can be increased or decreased to taste. Also, I added some molasses to give it a barbecue-y flavor as well as a little sweetness boost. Unsulphured blackstrap molasses is the best for blood sugar, but reduce or omit it if it spikes yours (keep in mind each serving has a small bit).
- Spices. This recipe includes some of my favorite spices that compliment the blackberries and the overall flavor profile. Salt and pepper are subjective–add more or reduce it to your taste.
Sugar Free Blackberry BBQ Sauce Uses
This Sugar Free Blackberry BBQ Sauce recipe is quite versatile. It is best served with foods that lean on the salty side to balance the sweetness of the sauce. It is excellent on shredded pork, chicken, or beef. It makes a great glaze for turkey and chicken while cooking it on the stove or grill. It’s yummy as a dipping sauce for air fried sweet potato fries. It goes well on grilled cheese sandwiches or wraps (especially with turkey or chicken). It is a good condiment on a charcuterie board (especially good paired with salami, sharp cheddar, or goat cheese). It is amazing as a glaze for carrots or other veggies. It is great as a glaze to cook bacon in and drizzle bacon with (think upscale restaurant breakfast bacon). It is good for dipping chicken nuggets or tenders. And it is amazing drizzled over crossover nachos (as I mentioned earlier).
Sugar Free Blackberry BBQ Sauce
Cook Time45 minutes 
Total Time8 hours 50 minutes 
Diets 
THM Fuel 
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen or fresh blackberries
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar free ketchup
- ⅛ cup THM Super Sweet Blend (or equivalent sweetener)
- 1 tablespoon unsulphured blackstrap molasses
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dry ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon mineral salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a saucepan over high heat, stir together the blackberries and water. Bring to a boil. Mash with a potato masher or a wooden spoon and the side of the pan. Continue to boil, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes.
- Remove the seeds by straining them through a fine mesh sieve or a chunk of cheesecloth. Discard the seeds and pulp and return the liquid to the saucepan.
- Whisk in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly. Allow to boil for about 1 minute.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until reduced by about half. The sauce should thicken as it reduces.
- Pour into airtight containers such as mason jars and pop in the fridge overnight to allow the flavors to develop.
- Serve cold or reheat over medium heat before serving.
