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    Home » condiments » Hitting the Sauce: Saskatoon Berry Barbecue Sauce

    Hitting the Sauce: Saskatoon Berry Barbecue Sauce

    Jun 29, 2020 · 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Saskatoon BBQ Sauce

    Late June is always one of my favourite times in Toronto. The days are long and hot and humid, but the nights are still comfortably cool. In my garden, the honeysuckle and the elderflower are in full bloom, filling the evening air with their perfume.

    It's also the time of year when the saskatoon berries come into season.

    Saskatoon Berry BBQ Sauce

    These versatile berries can be used pretty much anywhere you'd use any other berry. They make delicious muffins, pies and jams.

    And while I do have a notorious sweet tooth, my favourite thing I've made so far is this homemade barbecue sauce.

    It's equal parts sweet and tangy, with just enough heat to keep things interesting. (Though you can most definitely make it spicier by throwing in an extra chili or two, if that's your preference!)

    The fruity flavour makes it perfect for pairing with chicken and pork in particular, though it does work quite nicely with beef if you're looking to change things up.

    Saskatoon berries

    a Berry by Any Other Name

    Here in Canada they're usually known as saskatoon berries or serviceberries, but they also go by juneberries, prairie berries and shadbush. These small trees and bushes can be grown from coast to coast in Canada, as well as the northern United States.

    As you might have guessed from one of their names, they usually come into season in June. Dainty white blossoms give way to clusters of dark purple berries, filling the trees with flocks of local birds looking for a sweet treat.

    While they may look like a blueberry, as members of the rose family they're actually more closely related to plums and apples. The flavour is best described as a sweet and a little starchy, with very little of the acidity that you usually expect in a berry.

    Bowl of Saskatoon Berries

    Picking and Storing Saskatoon Berries

    Saskatoon berries can be tricky to find at the supermarket, so your best bet if you're looking to buy is to check out your local farmers market.

    The other option is to go out foraging. Here in Toronto, saskatoons have become a popular tree among homeowners and have also been planted on many city properties, which means you might just be lucky enough to have a tree nearby that you can pick.

    Either way, look for plump dark purple or blueish berries with smooth skins. Discard any berries that are bright pink (they're underripe), or wrinkled and/or mushy (they're overripe). And whatever you do, do not wash your berries until you're ready to use them!

    Fresh berries will keep in the fridge for a few days. For longer storage, these berries freeze beautifully. Simply arrange the berries in a single layer on a baking sheet, and pop into the freezer for a few hours. Once the berries are frozen solid, transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to one year.

    Sliced Pork Tenderloin with Saskatoon BBQ Sauce

    What To Make with Saskatoon Berry Barbecue Sauce

    If you're looking to keep it simple, just brush some onto your favourite cut of meat in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time, and then serve a little more sauce on the side for dipping. This particular technique works especially well with pork tenderloin, baby back ribs, or chicken thighs.

    • Burgers: Grill up your favourite homeburger (or cheeseburger) recipe, and serve them with a generous dollop of barbecue sauce, thinly sliced onions, 
    • Meatloaf: Brush a generous layer of barbecue sauce onto your favourite meatloaf halfway through the baking time.
    • Pulled Pork: This one's kind of a no brainer, but who cares... it's still delicious! Just toss a generous amount of sauce with pulled pork just before serving. (PS: you can also go with pulled chicken, if that's more your thing.)
    • Chicken Fingers: Saskatoon barbecue sauce is perfect for dipping crispy chicken fingers. It's a great way to elevate the frozen ones from the box... because sometimes that's what you've gotta do.

    Jar of Saskatoon Berry BBQ Sauce

    More Delicious Saskatoon Berry Recipes

    These versatile berries work wonderfully in both sweet and savoury recipes. Here are a few wonderful ways to enjoy them while they're still in season!

    • Saskatoon Berry Scones from Crumb
    • Saskatoon Berry Galette with Lemon and Thyme from Sugarlovespices
    • Eton Mess with Saskatoons and Rhubarb from Kitchen Frau
    • Saskatoon Berry Clafoutis from Diversivore
    • Saskatoon Ice Cream from Jo and Sue
    Print
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    Saskatoon BBQ Sauce Jar

    Saskatoon Berry Barbecue Sauce


    ★★★★★

    5 from 6 reviews

    • Author: Isabelle Boucher
    • Total Time: 50 minutes
    • Yield: 3 cups 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    This sweet-and-tangy barbecue sauce gets its fruity flavour from saskatoon berries, a native Canadian berry that's in season in late June and early July. It's delicious with grilled chicken or pork, or add it to any recipe you'd normally make with a bottled barbecue sauce.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 small onion, finely diced
    • 1 red hot chili, minced
    • 1 tbsp canola oil
    • 2 cups fresh or frozen saskatoon berries
    • ¾ cup cider vinegar
    • ½ cup ketchup
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • 2 tbsp molasses
    • 2 tbsp chili powder
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp mustard powder
    • ½ tsp worcestershire sauce

    Instructions

    1. In a saucepan set over medium-high heat, saute the onion and chili in olive oil until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
    2. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened and berries are very soft.
    3. Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend the mixture until very smooth. (If the sauce is too thick to easily blend, add some water, a tablespoon or two at a time, until it smooths out.) Let cool, then transfer to a container.

    Notes

    Make It Extra-Spicy: For a spicier sauce, add an extra chili or two, or swap out the red chili with a spicier variety like scotch bonnet.

    Storing Saskatoon Berry Barbecue Sauce: The finished sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to a year.

    • Prep Time: 5 mins
    • Cook Time: 45 mins
    • Category: Condiments
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Canadian

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deanna says

      July 16, 2023 at 3:45 pm

      Any preferable way to thin? It’s really thick. Great taste

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Isabelle Boucher says

        November 23, 2023 at 10:23 pm

        You can add a little water to thin it out if you don't like the thickness. I admit I'm kind of a sucker for a super-thick barbecue sauce, but I know it's not everyone's cup of tea.

        Reply
    2. Erica Sparshu says

      July 28, 2022 at 2:30 pm

      I do a lot of canning and a was wondering if this could be canned instead of frozen

      Reply
      • Isabelle Boucher says

        March 23, 2023 at 7:39 pm

        I can't say for sure if this recipe is safe for canning because I haven't tested the PH level, and it is definitely on the sweeter side than most BBQ sauces. This is a great question, though, so I will follow up when Saksatoon berry season rolls around this summer and update based on my findings!

        Reply
    3. Erica Sparshu says

      July 28, 2022 at 2:24 pm

      My husband has been picking berries galore. Was excited to see the recipe
      for saskatoon barbecue sauce. Will definitly try this.

      Reply
    4. Shailaja Desai says

      July 7, 2020 at 3:05 pm

      This looks like a great recipe for the Saskatoon berry sauce and the recipe ideas with it. I've never cooked with these berries and would love to love for them here in Toronto. Lovely blog post Isabelle.

      Reply
    5. Cynthia Priest says

      July 6, 2020 at 12:54 am

      Ooh, lovely addition of ketchup in the barbecue sauce. I like that you added molasses to the barbecue sauce. I will have to try that! (I added maple syrup to mine)

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Kelly Neil says

      July 5, 2020 at 2:34 pm

      The timing of this recipe is perfect! I've never had Saskatoon berries but my father-in-law says there's a huge patch near their house in Cape Breton! Thanks for sharing!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. Sean@Diversivore says

      July 4, 2020 at 1:05 pm

      Fantastic recipe! Always delighted to see more recipes with Saskatoon berries. For that matter, I'm also delighted to see more recipes for fruity barbecue sauces. They're awesome. Love the pulled pork idea too - it seems like a perfect fit. Cheers!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Vanessa says

      June 30, 2020 at 5:11 pm

      Love this Canadian spin on barbecue sauce! Will be the perfect condiment for all those summer BBQs.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Margaret@Kitchen Frau says

      June 29, 2020 at 12:45 pm

      That is a really great looking barbecue sauce recipe! I LOVE the idea of using saskatoons in it - brilliant! Our berries are just past the blossom stage here in the prairies - probably another month away, but I am excited to try your version as soon as we're picking; thanks for the recipe. And thank you for including my post in your round-up - I am honoured.. Happy summer and happy berrying!

      Reply
    10. Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says

      June 29, 2020 at 12:04 pm

      Every summer we cannot wait to go Saskatoon berry harvesting at our friends' acreage! We usually come home with pales of Saskatoons that we freeze. Thank you, now we have another amazing option to use them up! Also thanks for including our recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    Hello! I'm Isabelle, and this is my blog. I'm a 40-something coffee-chugging, booty-shaking, bargain-shopping, trucker-swearing self-taught cook with a major addiction to vintage cookbooks. Come for the recipes, stay for the terrible puns! Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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