Peach Barbecue Sauce
This peach barbecue sauce is sweet, tangy, and spicy. It has it all! You can brush it over BBQ chicken in the last few minutes of grilling for a perfect summer meal!
I originally shared this recipe on August 4th, 2015. I have updated the text and photos to share it with you again today.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe for Maple Peach Barbecue Sauce
I have two summer loves! One is fresh peaches: I love snacking on them straight out of hand, and cooking with them too, like when I add them to Peach Cobb Salads or make a juicy Peach Blueberry Crisp. I have even been known to make fruit salsa with them! Seriously, who doesn’t have a summer love for a juicy ripe peach!?
My second summer love is cooking on the barbecue grill! From Grilled Chicken Thighs to figuring out ways to grill carrots, you will find me grill side most evenings!
When you add those two summer loves together you get this super simple Peach Barbecue sauce.
It is arguably the perfect way to use up any extra peaches you have and preserve them!
After reading this recipe, you’re going to want to go out and snatch up all the fresh peaches you can find and make some of this barbecue sauce to freeze for the rest of the year – and I don’t blame you! There’s nothing like biting into a fresh in-season peach and meeting a refreshingly juicy flavor explosion!
I’m looking forward to hearing how you like this bbq sauce and what you choose to cook with it! Let us know!
Key Ingredients for This Recipe
Peaches
I highly recommend making this barbecue sauce when peaches are in season and then freezing it for use throughout the year. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s nothing like an in-season peach.
To determine which peaches are ready for use, give them a squeeze. If there’s a little give when squeezed gently – you’re good to go! If you can’t find good peaches you can go with nectarines instead, or even a blend of the two!
Remove the skin with a peeler and dice them into chunks so they will cook quickly.
Maple Syrup
You’re going to want pure dark maple syrup for this recipe becuase the flavor has a subtly rich caramel undertone that will balance gorgeously with the chipotle seasoning. If you’re looking for a good maple syrup, my husband and I make our own small batch maple syrup by hand at our home in Vermont.
Chipotle
Chipotle is really just dried smoked red jalapenos that have been ground into a fine powder! Look for dried chipotle chili powder in the dried spice section of large supermarkets. Feel free to use a range to make this sauce less spicy.
Onions
Use a sweet onion for this recipe. The onions will provide a rich savory flavor but since they will carmelize a tiny bit in the pan they’ll express more sugars to make sure the savory doesn’t overpower the sweet.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar will give this bbq sauce a tangy taste that can’t be missed! You can sub in another vinegar such as white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar.
Additional Ingredients
Additionally, you’ll include a mild oil (I recommend avocado), salt, cumin, and allspice.
Step By Step Instructions to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Heat Oil and Add Onion
Swirl your avocado oil in the bottom of a large suacepan. Add onion, cover, and place over medium heat. Remove the lid to stir occassionally until the onion is softened and starting to brown, which should be about 12 to 15 minutes.
Step 2: Add Spice
Sprinkle salt, chipotle, cumin, and allspice, and cook – stirring occassionally – until the spices are fragrant. It should take about 30 seconds.
Step 3: Add Peaches, Maple, and Vinegar
Add peaches, maple syrup, and vinegar, and stir to coat. Cover the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Continue to cook until the peaches are completely soft and breaking down, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Step 4: Blend
Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Cool before using and storing.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Absolutely! This sauce is a great way to preserve peaches when you’re overflowing with the fruit and don’t know how to use it all up. You can freeze it in batches and pull it out to defrost in the refrigerator when you’re ready to use it.
You’re going to want to brush the peach barbecue on at the very end so that it doesn’t burn. If you put it on in the last minute or two, the grill will only sear it briefly to caramelize it.
It depends on what’s in season and what you already have, but in general, it’s safe to say homemade is cheaper (and better-tasting) than storebought! Plus, you get the opportunity to create variations of your favorite bbq sauce by using fresh, seasonal ingredients (like peaches!).
More Peach Recipes and Barbecue Recipes To Check Out
- We think this recipe for Peach Cobbler Smoothie with Oats and this Peach Recovery Smoothie if you are still looking for more peach ideas.
- If you love BBQ flavors try this Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken or this Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Beef to make sandwiches! Delish.
- Our Maple Chipotle Barbecue Chicken is finger-licking good!
Additional Sauce, Condiment, and Pickling Recipes To Make The Most Of Summer Produce
- This Pickled Carrot Recipe is a great way to preserve carrots this summer and fall. They are zippy!
- Our Rhubarb Compote makes a delicious topping for yogurt or ice cream.
- This recipe for Maple Pickled Onions is a great addition to Burgers, Charcuterie Boards and classic Fish Tacos.
- I like to freeze a batch or twelve of this Basil Pesto to last me through the rest of the year. It is perfect for quick dinners all year round!
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Peach Barbecue Sauce
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 3/4 cups 1x
Description
This maple peach barbecue sauce is sweet, tangy, and spicy. It is paleo-friendly, vegan, gluten-free, and super simple to make! You can brush it over chicken in the last few minutes of grilling for a delicious weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil or organic canola oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- Generous pinch allspice
- 1 1/2 cup peeled and diced peaches (2 large freestone, or 3 medium cling stone)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, dark or amber
- 4 teaspoons cider vinegar
Instructions
- Swirl oil in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add onion, cover and place over medium heat. Cook, removing lid and stirring occasionally until the onion is softened and starting to brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle salt, chipotle, cumin, and allspice and cook stirring until the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add peaches, maple syrup and vinegar, and stir to coat. Cover and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low or to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the peaches are completely soft and breaking down, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids.) Cool before using.
Notes
Freezing Instructions
Freeze 1 cup portions of this sauce up to 6 months. Thaw before using.
To Use For BBQ
Brush over the grilled meat or vegetable in the last four minutes of cooking. Turn over to sear the sauce with the heat of the grill, but do not let it burn. It should darken and caramelize in spots.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tablespoons
- Calories: 47
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 254 mg
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
Would you be able to can this recipe instead of freezing?
I did make the sauce and think it is lovely. Anyone can enjoy it as-is. I went back and added more vinegar and a pinch of cayenne pepper. We like a little kick! I put it on grilled turkey tenderloin and served it with grilled veggie succotash. Very nice dinner! I think next time I might use a mix of onion and garlic just because we love garlic, but this is a nice recipe and very versatile. I think I’ll try it on shrimp next. Thanks!
Thanks so much!
I made this using a can of peaches, drained, and onion powder. We rarely get good peaches here and I didn’t have an onion. I left out the chipotles because we don’t like spicy. I just threw it all in the blender, then sautéed some halibut and added the sauce at the end. It was amazingly good and I’ll make it again!
You can’t beat homemade BBQ sauce and this peach version is amazing.
This is one of my favorite sauces indeed. I love the flavor so much!
This peach barbecue sauce came out soooo good! I bathed my grilled chicken with it (LOL!) since it was so good! Next time I make it I’ll make some for the freezer too. Thanks for the recipe!