Homemade Watermelon BBQ Sauce: Your Secret to Sweet & Tangy Summer Grilling
Get ready to elevate your grilling game with a truly unique and incredibly delicious concoction: Homemade Watermelon BBQ Sauce! This recipe is not just quick and simple to whip up, but its delightfully sweet and tangy flavor profile will leave your taste buds singing. Perfect for celebrating National Watermelon Day, or any summer day for that matter, this sauce is a game-changer. Plus, don’t miss out on a fantastic opportunity to enter a $325 Visa gift card giveaway!
Embracing the Fun of Foodie Holidays
Who doesn’t love a reason to celebrate, especially when it involves delicious food? I’m a big fan of quirky national holidays that give us an excuse to indulge in our favorite treats. Whether it’s National Toasted Marshmallow Day, National Raspberry Cream Pie Day, or even National Cream-Filled Donut Day, these calendar markers add a touch of joy and culinary adventure to our lives. They inspire us to try new recipes, rediscover old favorites, and simply appreciate the wonderful world of food.
Today, however, holds a special place in the summer calendar for many: National Watermelon Day! And why shouldn’t this magnificent fruit have its own dedicated celebration? Watermelon embodies the essence of summer – it’s incredibly juicy, perfectly sweet, and an absolute joy to eat. From picnics and beach days to backyard barbecues, watermelon is a staple in our household all season long. So, when I spotted National Watermelon Day on my list of fun food holidays, my immediate thought was, “What new and exciting watermelon creation can I whip up?”
Beyond the Expected: A Savory Watermelon Twist
My blog is already home to a delightful collection of watermelon recipes. If you’re looking for a refreshing drink, check out my watermelon drinks. For a light and vibrant side, there’s a delicious watermelon salad. To beat the heat, you can’t go wrong with watermelon popsicles or a cooling watermelon granita. But as I reviewed my extensive collection, I noticed a gap: a savory watermelon recipe. It was time to change that, and what better way than with this incredible Watermelon Homemade BBQ Sauce?
The Benefits of Crafting Your Own BBQ Sauce
While store-bought BBQ sauces offer convenience, there’s an unparalleled satisfaction that comes from creating your own from scratch. Homemade sauces allow you to control the quality of ingredients, eliminate unwanted preservatives or high-fructose corn syrup, and, most importantly, customize the flavor profile to your exact liking. This Watermelon Homemade BBQ Sauce is a prime example of how easy and rewarding it can be. The magic lies in the fresh watermelon, which provides a natural sweetness and a subtle fruitiness that perfectly complements the rich, savory notes of a classic BBQ sauce. It’s a fantastic way to introduce a unique, refreshing twist to your favorite grilled meats and vegetables, making every bite an exciting experience.
Beyond the flavor, crafting your own sauce means you know exactly what goes into it. No artificial colors, no hidden ingredients, just pure, wholesome deliciousness. Plus, the aroma that fills your kitchen as this sauce simmers on the stove is an added bonus – it’s simply heavenly!
Why Watermelon Works Wonders in BBQ Sauce
You might be wondering, “Watermelon in BBQ sauce? How does that work?” Trust me, it’s a revelation! Watermelon, with its high water content and natural sugars, transforms into a concentrated flavor powerhouse when puréed and simmered. It provides a foundational sweetness that balances the tang of vinegars and the umami of soy sauce, resulting in a complex and well-rounded sauce. The fruit’s inherent freshness prevents the sauce from becoming overly heavy or cloyingly sweet, maintaining a vibrant and zesty character that is truly addictive.
Moreover, this recipe offers a brilliant solution for using up that half or quarter of a watermelon sitting in your fridge. We’ve all been there – you buy a large watermelon, enjoy a few slices, and then the rest sits, waiting for its next purpose. Rather than letting it go to waste, transforming it into this spectacular BBQ sauce is a smart and incredibly tasty way to prevent food waste. It’s a win-win: you get an amazing sauce, and no precious watermelon goes uneaten. I absolutely adore watermelon, and finding new ways to incorporate it into my cooking is always a delight.
The Simple Steps to a Sensational Sauce
Creating this sweet, tangy, and savory sauce is surprisingly straightforward. The process begins by blending fresh watermelon chunks into a smooth purée. I used my trusty Vitamix blender, which makes quick work of this task, ensuring a perfectly smooth base for the sauce. Once blended, this vibrant watermelon purée is transferred to a saucepan, where it’s joined by an array of complementary ingredients: aromatic minced garlic, savory soy sauce, rich brown sugar, tangy balsamic vinegar, and sharp white vinegar. A touch of salt and pepper rounds out the flavor profile.
The mixture is then brought to a boil, allowing all the flavors to meld and deepen. Following this, it’s reduced to a gentle simmer, patiently cooking until it thickens to the perfect BBQ sauce consistency. This simmering process is crucial; it not only concentrates the watermelon’s flavor but also allows the vinegars to mellow slightly, creating a harmonious balance between sweet, tart, and savory notes. Your kitchen will be filled with an irresistibly delicious aroma during this stage – it’s truly one of the best parts of making homemade sauces!
This sauce is incredibly versatile. It’s fantastic slathered on grilled chicken, brushed onto ribs, mixed into pulled pork, or even used as a dipping sauce for sweet potato fries. The unique flavor of watermelon truly elevates classic barbecue, adding a bright, summery twist that will impress everyone who tries it. I sincerely hope you join me in celebrating watermelon’s special day by making yourself a batch of this fantastic homemade BBQ sauce. You won’t regret it!
Watermelon Homemade BBQ Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup watermelon puree I used my blender to puree
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 Tbsp. Truvia Brown Sugar Blend or 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. white vinegar
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
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Combine watermelon puree, garlic, ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, and vinegars in a medium sized sauce pan. Heat to boiling and then lower to a simmer.
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Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cool and then serve. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions and Storage Tips
Once your Watermelon Homemade BBQ Sauce has cooled, the possibilities are endless! It’s an ideal accompaniment to a wide variety of grilled and roasted dishes. Imagine succulent grilled chicken breasts or thighs basted with this sweet and tangy sauce during the last few minutes of cooking, creating a beautiful glaze and an explosion of flavor. It also pairs exceptionally well with pork, whether you’re slow-cooking ribs until they fall off the bone or preparing tender pulled pork sandwiches. The fruitiness of the watermelon cuts through the richness of the meat, providing a refreshing counterpoint.
Don’t limit yourself to just meat, though! This sauce is fantastic on grilled vegetables like corn on the cob, bell peppers, or zucchini, adding a vibrant kick. You can also serve it as a dipping sauce for homemade chicken tenders, crispy potato wedges, or even as a glaze for meatballs. For those who enjoy a little extra spice, a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce can be added during simmering to customize the heat level.
To store your freshly made BBQ sauce, simply transfer it to an airtight container or a glass jar. It will keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to one week, allowing you to enjoy its unique flavor throughout your summer meals. For longer storage, you can even freeze it in smaller portions for a few months, ensuring you have a taste of summer whenever the craving strikes.
An Exciting Giveaway: Win a $325 Visa Gift Card!
Now for an even more exciting part – a fantastic Visa Gift Card giveaway! We’re giving away $325 in cash to help you celebrate the upcoming back-to-school season. As someone who grew up in Arizona, where many kids head back to school earlier than in other regions, I know how quickly those expenses can add up. Here in Southern California, we still have about another month of summer break, but the thought of school supplies, new clothes, and other necessities is already on many parents’ minds. Going back to school can be quite expensive, and a little extra cash can go a long way in easing that burden.
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This incredible giveaway is sponsored by the following fabulous bloggers! Be sure to check out their amazing blogs for more delicious recipes, inspiring ideas, and creative content! Your support helps us continue bringing you great content and exciting giveaways.
Diary of a Recipe Collector – Or Whatever You Do – Cooking and Beer
Beyond Frosting – Recipe Runner – Julie’s Eats & Treats
House of Yumm – Bitz & Giggles – Petite Allergy Treats
Chez CateyLou – Mom Loves Baking – Mariah’s Pleasing Plates
Lemon Tree Dwelling – Yummy Healthy Easy – Food Faith Fitness
Belle of the Kitchen – Spoonful of Flavor – The Gunny Sack
I Dig Pinterest – The Cookie Writer– Lemons for Lulu – Maebells
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