A New England Twist on a Southern Tradition: Blueberry Habanero BBQ Sauce

I thought I was going to die. Maybe not literally. But I was miserable. It was 40-something degrees out, and I was camping on a field in a Go-Zebo - which, yes, is a pop-up gazebo. And it looked like it was going to rain. So hypothermia was not out of the question. How had I gotten myself into this situation?

My friend and I had entered a barbecue competition in Lexington. He owned the smoker and cooked the meat. I made the rub and the barbecue sauce. Barbecue takes awhile so the competition took place overnight. Luckily we only lived 20 minutes away so some friends brought us a tent. My friend’s arm was broken so it took a lot longer to get the tent up than it should have. But we did, and we beat the rain by a few minutes.

It was a fun night. We had to wake up every hour or so to check the smoker. Since it was muddy out, we left our shoes outside the tent, under an overhang. It worked okay for a few hours, but eventually our footwear got soaked. Once I had to cross several hundred feet of muddy field in moonlight to get to the port-a-potties, the inside of which were pitch black. So fun times.

But in the morning the sun came out, our shoes started to dry, and I made my barbecue sauce. Growing up in New England, my idea of barbecue sauce was a tiny tub with a foil top or a plastic bottle with a Kraft label. Basically just sweet ketchup with a few extra spices. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people who grew up in New England thought that was all that barbecue sauce was. But the team next door to us made ribs with cherry barbecue sauce. The best barbecue I’d ever had. It opened my barbecue horizons.

Since then I’ve learned that in eastern North Carolina barbecue sauce is just sweet vinegar and hot pepper. In western North Carolina they add tomato, but very little, and the sauce is still very thin. In South Carolina the barbecue sauce is mustard based. If you were to continue south and west from the Carolinas, you’d come across a different barbecue sauce in each region. It’s not until you get to Kansas City that you would find a sauce that resembles the sweet stuff that comes in a Kraft bottle.

Since New England is not beholden to any particular barbecue tradition, we can be bold and creative. I realized at the barbecue competition that instead of ketchup or mustard, fresh fruit can be a great starting point. So with that in mind, I’ve developed a barbecue sauce that reflects my New England roots. It’s a blueberry sauce with a honey mustard base and kicked up with some habanero. It might sound crazy, but it’s just as good on ice cream as it is pulled pork. Don’t take my word for it. Try it for yourself.

Blueberry Habanero BBQ Sauce

Serves: Well, that really depends on how much barbecue sauce you like on things, doesn’t it? Makes about a pint of sauce.

Active Time: 10 minutes plus the occasional stir.

Total Time: 45 minutes

SPICE MIX

Ingredients:
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground mustard
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp clove
¼ cup brown sugar

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together. Set aside 2 tbsp for the sauce. You can use the rest later for another batch of sauce or use it as a dry rub for pulled pork or grilled chicken.

BBQ SAUCE

Notes: Barbecue sauce is an intensely personal endeavor. Think of this not a strict recipe, but a guideline. The heat, salt, and sugar levels are all up to you. Since it’s a sauce, it should be a little hotter, saltier and sweeter than you like since it will be diluted by whatever you’re adding it to. Also, don’t ever listen to anyone who tells you that there’s a “correct” amount of salt or sugar to put in anything. If you’re cooking, you can make it however the hell you like it. Everyone’s tastes are different.

The amount of habaneros you use is also up to you. If spice is not your thing, only use half of a pepper and remove the seeds. I usually use about three whole peppers, but then most of my friends complain about it. If you’re not sure, use less. Unfortunately, unlike the sugar and salt, this isn’t something you can adjust at the end.

The blueberries are also important. When using fresh fruit, there’s a lot of variation in flavor. So make sure you taste a few berries before using them. If they’re sweet, be prepared to use a little less honey. If they’re tart, use a little less vinegar. If they’re bland, use a little more of both.

Ingredients:

12 oz. of fresh blueberries
½ - 3 fresh habanero peppers, stems removed
¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ - ½ cup (or more) honey
2 tbsp of spice mixture
2 shots (1.5oz) bourbon or whiskey (optional)
Salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor, puree the blueberries, habaneros, and vinegar.

2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the blueberry-habanero puree, mustard, ¼ cup honey, and spices. If using the bourbon, add one shot. Then drink the other shot.

3. Heat over medium heat until sauce begins to bubble, stirring occasionally.

4. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Pro tip, keep an eye on it, or you might have to explain why there’s BBQ sauce splattered all over the walls of your kitchen.)

5. Let it cool a little then add salt and honey to taste.

The sauce is best with pulled pork, but it would be great with pork tenderloin or grilled chicken or vanilla ice cream.