Watermelon BBQ Sauce

This summer-infused and grill-friendly watermelon bbq sauce is made from a blend of fresh watermelon, brown sugar, balsamic and apple vinegar, and seasonings.

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About Watermelon BBQ Sauce

BBQ sauce is great year-round, but it especially shines in the fair-weather months when outdoor grilling is easy.

And what better way to enjoy BBQ sauce than with a hint of another warm-weather flavor like watermelon?

Because that’s exactly what this sauce does: combines some of the best flavors of summer into one delicious sauce you can use to jazz up all your favorite grilled meats.

What’s in watermelon bbq sauce?

To get started, you’ll need to collect the following ingredients:

• Seedless watermelon – This will be blended and everything is used, both the pulp and the juice.
• Dark brown sugar – Added for sweetness and consistency. If you’d prefer, you can substitute this for 3 tablespoon of honey.
• Olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Balsamic vinegar – Using two different vinegars gives this sauce an especially great flavor. However, you can substitute the balsamic vinegar for an equal part more apple cider vinegar if you want.
• Soy sauce
• Garlic
• Dijon mustard

How long is watermelon bbq sauce good for?

Once prepared and cooled, this sauce can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Can you freeze Watermelon BBQ sauce?

Yes, you totally can!

Once you’re ready to freeze, transfer the BBQ sauce to a freezer bag, taking care to remove as much air as possible. BBQ sauce can be frozen for up to three months.

HOW TO PICK A WATERMELON

• Check the stem. If it’s green, that means the watermelon was picked before it had a chance to become ripe. A brown stem is what you want.
• Pick a watermelon with a large yellow spot. This means the watermelon had some time to sit and ripen in the sun.
• Aside from the yellow spot, check the other colors of the watermelon. It should be a deep, dark green, with creamy, light yellow stripes.
• The outside of the watermelon should look “dull.” A shiny watermelon is likely underripe.
• Press the watermelon with your thumb. If you feel it give a little, it means the watermelon is ripe.
• And finally, gently knock on the watermelon with your knuckles. If the watermelon sounds hollow, that means it’s full of juice, which is what you want. Aovid watermelons that sound like you’re tapping plastic.

Notes & tips for making watermelon bbq sauce

• Watermelon is a very juice fruit, and because of this, it can take a while for the sauce to “cook down” to the consistency we all know and love for BBQ sauce. Be patient! It’s okay if you go past the suggested cook time if the liquid is taking longer to reduce; getting the consistency right is more important.
• This sauce is great on savory meats like chicken, pork, or beef.

More delicious sauce recipes

More recipes with watermelon

How to make watermelon bbq sauce

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – To kick things off, blend the seedless watermelon in a food processor until smooth.

Step 2 – Add the following ingredients to a medium saucepan: blended watermelon, dark brown sugar, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and dijon mustard.

Step 3 – Stirring occasionally, cook the sauce down until it’s thickened and reduced by half, about 30 minutes. This process may take longer than 30 minutes, so be patient – it’s more important that the sauce has the right consistency than to stop cooking at a specific time.

Step 4 – Serve and enjoy!