Really Amazing Rhubarb BBQ Sauce
May 20, 2020, Updated May 14, 2025
Seasonal Fresh Rhubarb is blended into a tangy & zesty Barbecue Sauce!
An easy Sauce & Glaze – terrific using on the grill and as a side sauce.
Rhubarb is famously paired with strawberries, yet in this bbq sauce, I’m adding a bit of raspberries.
Make it Homemade!
A fruity Barbecue Sauce does not need to be loaded with sugar to be flavorful. Homemade is better ~ no unwanted preservatives and flavorings!
Look for stalks that are firm without blemishes.
With tops on – that is a key to their freshness, but remove them, they are not edible.
I like to buy rhubarb with a bright deep pink color… so pretty, yet the color does not affect its flavor.
Rhubarb has its own distinctive flavor:
Totally, its own flavor ~ part tart, part sweet, part tangy… heavenly perfumy and addictive!
This recipe is a pure celebration of Spring!
Rhubarb is abundant, this big, old-fashioned plant sports gorgeous pink stalks with ruffled green leaves (although leaves are not edible.) My love for rhubarb goes back to my grandparent’s fruitful garden in Long Island, NY where it thrived. Stewing it was a memorable preparation I enjoyed as where flaky pies studded with strawberries. Botanically a vegetable, it is called a “pie plant” and considered a fruit – mostly showing up in jams and lovely pies. Creative chefs and cooks praise it’s rich jewel color and sharp, tangy-sweet essence. When roasted in the oven, it holds it’s shape (if not overcooked), on the stovetop it falls apart quickly.
Adding as a Glaze:
To add as a Glaze – the sauce should be added at the last step on the grill or in pan.
The sauce should just be warmed through, and not cooked.
The uses are endless especially as it is Grill Season!
I brushed some on my grilled chicken which I generously sprinkled with fresh rosemary when it was mostly cooked through. The bbq sauce made a nice glaze – and I also served the grilled chicken breasts with some extra rhubarb bbq sauce on the side.
Try it on many proteins; perfect for salmon and thicker fishes, shrimp, a glaze for grilled or stir-fried vegetables, tofu and tempeh.
Enjoy this recipe with my favorite fruit – Rhubarb!
Karen
Really Amazing Rhubarb BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 medium-large stalks fresh rhubarb, 1 1/2 cups sliced
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil*
- 1/3 cup shallots, peeled, 1/2″ dice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, don’t leave this out!
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper or about 4 grates of pepper mill
- 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar, can use brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes in juice
- 1 teaspoon chipotle in adobe, minced (from can)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup fresh raspberries, can use frozen
- 1/4 cup filtered water
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Recipe:
Instructions
Note from Karen:
- Might seem like a lot of ingredients, although the sauce comes together rather quickly with many pantry ingredients.
Recipe:
- Wash and dry the rhubarb, slice 1/2 inch thick and set aside.
- Add oil to a 8 inch skillet and set to medium-low heat. Add shallots and sauté for 5 minutes until softened, but not colored, stirring from time to time. Add garlic, cloves, pepper, sugar and honey. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer; cook one minute.
- Add tomatoes and their juice, chipotle, vinegar and dijon mustard – and cook 2 minutes to incorporate the flavors.
- Add the cut rhubarb, raspberries and 1/4 cup water; bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cover. Cook until the rhubarb is softened – three to five minutes.
- Uncover and cool 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and purée in a small 4 cup food processor. Puree as you like – very creamy or a little chunky.
Uses:
- The Rhubarb bbq sauce can be a base for richer sauces – try swirling cold butter into the warm sauce – or add zip to your vinaigrettes by adding a few tablespoons!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
