Pineapple BBQ Sauce recipe
You’ll love this easy homemade Pineapple BBQ sauce recipe! Sweet pineapple juice combined with a savory homemade barbecue sauce! Goes great with just about any meat – pulled pork, ribs, spiral cut ham, chicken, pork chops and more!
This is one of the easiest recipes to have on hand, especially when you decide to cook or grill at the last minute! There’s little prep time or cooking involved and it stores well in the refrigerator!
It’s also delicious when applied to baked or roasted meats like pork tenderloin, pork chops, chicken wings, chicken breasts or baby back ribs!
Why this recipe works
The flavor profile of salty meat and sweet pineapple complement one another, just like apple sauce and pork chops! Some things just go together and this is one of those things!
- This is kind of a “Hawaiian barbecue sauce recipe” in that it’s sweet, yet savory and doesn’t contain any preservatives like Sweet Baby Ray’s™ pineapple bbq sauce or Kraft™.
- Simple ingredients: no additives, preservatives or fillers
- Versatile: use this pineapple barbecue sauce on grilled meats, oven baked or grilled ribs, chicken or pork. It is also the base for a great glaze for spiral cut ham, baked chicken or pork tenderloin.
Sometimes it’s just easier to whip up a condiment and this one is perfect if you’re looking to give your weeknight chicken dinner a little boost! This is just about as easy as making a basic cream sauce, Caesar salad dressing or Buttermilk dill ranch dressing!
Here’s what you’ll need
This pineapple barbecue sauce contains simple ingredients – you probably have most of this in your pantry right now!
Pineapple juice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, honey, ground clove, salt and pepper. 
How to make Pineapple BBQ sauce
This recipe is simple and quick, so there’s really no need to use an instant pot or slow cooker. Cook on the stovetop for about 10-minutes and it’s done!
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens. Keep the heat on low because the brown sugar burns easily! Taste for salt and pepper.
If you want a thicker sauce, add in a cornstarch slurry; if you want it thinner, add more pineapple juice. How easy is that?
This goes great with pulled pork sandwiches, grilled chicken or baked ham! It’s also a great dipping sauce for chicken wings!
Tips
This recipe is very forgiving, so if you accidentally add too much pineapple juice or too much brown sugar, you can easily correct it!
- Sauce too thin? Add in in the cornstarch slurry at the end off heat; return pan to medium heat and cook till sauce thickens, stirring constantly
- Sauce too thick? Add a little more pineapple juice to the mixture
- Lumpy? Either the brown sugar isn’t completely dissolved, or you added cornstarch directly to the sauce. Anytime you add cornstarch (or flour) directly to a sauce, it will clump and form lumps, that’s why you must dissolve the cornstarch first in liquid; then add it to the sauce.
- After you add the thickening slurry, you’ll want to turn the heat up to medium-high; cornstarch thickens at a higher heat than flour. When the mixture ALMOST begins to boil, turn the heat down a little and keep stirring. Do not bring the thickened sauce to a rolling boil or you run the risk of the cornstarch slurry breaking down and then, your sauce won’t thicken.
Make ahead and storage
You can make this ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Difference between sauce and glaze
In culinary circles, a glaze is applied to meat while it’s cooking and a sauce is applied afterwards. Technically, a glaze is a reduced sauce; it’s a sauce that has cooked down until there’s very little liquid, also known as a “reduction sauce.”
You’ll find glazes are slightly thicker than sauces and often have a higher sugar content due to the addition of sugars (like honey, agave nectar and molasses) and longer cooking time.
In short, when you apply a sauce to the meat while it’s cooking, the sugars caramelize and form a glaze. The high sugar content in the glaze caramelizes, making a delicious, sweet and sticky topping on your meat.
See the recipe notes in the recipe card for how to use this pineapple bbq sauce recipe to glaze your ham! The flavor combination is delicious!
Variations
- Want it spicy? Add a dash of cayenne pepper, Louisiana hot sauce or chili powder
- Want a hickory smoke flavor? Add garlic powder and liquid smoke or smoky paprika
- Want it more tangy? Add 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or 1/2 teaspoon of soy sauce (note: soy sauce has MSG, so if you’re allergic like I am, get Tamari sauce instead
- Serve with chicken wings, turkey wings or as a dip for tater tots or french fries!
Pineapple BBQ sauce is great to have on hand, especially during the summer and grilling season.
More sauce recipes
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you! Thank you!
Ingredients
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 cup ketchup or chili sauce
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
- ½ cup water, for thickening slurry
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, for thickening slurry
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, add all ingredients except the water and cornstarch; cook, stirring continuously, until sugar dissolves1 cup pineapple juice, 1 cup ketchup or chili sauce, ¾ cup brown sugar, packed, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional), 2 tablespoons honey
- Remove from heat; taste for salt and pepper
- To thicken the sauce, combine water and cornstarch in measuring cup (this is the thickening slurry); use a fork or whisk to completely dissolve the cornstarch in the water½ cup water, for thickening slurry, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, for thickening slurry
- Return saucepan to medium high heat, add thickening slurry and stir continuously; right when the sauce starts to boil, it will begin to thicken; do not let the sauce come to a rolling boil. Cook until mixture begins to thicken; taste for salt and peppersalt and pepper to taste
- Apply sauce to chicken, ribs or ham; grill or roast, apply more sauce if you like and enjoy!
Is this recipe safe for canning in large amounts?
That’s a good question! I’ve never made it in bulk, nor have I ever had enough leftover to can…it’s all natural ingredients, but I suspect it might need a hint of vinegar to preserve, or “can” it … Pineapple juice is a natural tenderizer and preservative, so that might be enough to preserve it…I honestly don’t know but I appreciate the challenge! If you figure it out, let me know! Thank you!
This is a delicious barbecue sauce recipe. The pineapple really sets it apart. It’s a nice surprise and everyone loves it…especially on grilled chicken!
I’m definitely going to try I love to try recipes this one I’m hoping that it will turn out like yours