Seriously Easy Pineapple Barbecue Sauce
Posted: July 25, 2025
Updated: January 18, 2026
Instinct Level 4 – Advanced Technique: Patience and precision shine here: complex steps, longer time, sharper skills required.
Instinct Level 3 – Intermediate Balance: A little layering, some timing, and a dash of judgment — you’ve got this.
Instinct Level 5 – Expert Challenge: Multi‑stage, high‑skill cooking with nuanced judgment — a true kitchen adventure.
Instinct Level 2 – Easy with Guidance: Simple skills, short prep, clear steps — just follow along and you’re golden.
Instinct Level 1 – Beginner Friendly: You’ll breeze through this: quick, easy, no judgment calls, barely any cleanup.
Store-bought barbecue sauces usually miss the mark for me – cheap ones taste cloyingly sweet, and the good ones are surprisingly expensive. A few years ago, I set out to make a rib-worthy sauce that was less sugary, big on smoky-tangy flavor, and built from what I love most in a great BBQ sauce. The result is now a must-have at every cookout I attend (my niece dubbed it the “one million thumbs up BBQ sauce”), and the best part is that it’s cheap, easy, and can be made entirely from shelf-stable and frozen ingredients.
servings (≈3½ tablespoons per serving)
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Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Equipment
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Ingredients
Item
Quantity
Mise en Place / Notes
crushed pineapple (in juice)
1
18-ounce can
lightly drained
ketchup
½
cup
garlic
4
cloves
peeled, root ends removed
apple cider vinegar
1
tablespoon
Worcestershire sauce
2
teaspoons
hot pepper sauce (optional)
3
dashes
to add a spicy kick, adjust to taste
liquid smoke (optional)
1
teaspoon
for additional smoky flavor - a little goes a long way...taste before adding more
The Process
Mise en Place
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1.
Prepare the garlic: Separate 4 cloves of garlic and peel – easiest way to peel is to cut off the root end and a bit of the top, removing any root and dry parts, lightly crush the garlic with the side of the knife (which makes it easier to peel and releases more flavor compounds), then remove the peel.
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Preparation
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2.
Blend the sauce: Add 1 18-ounce can pineapple, ½ cup ketchup, garlic, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 ½ tablespoons Fab Four Seasoning, and optional ingredients (if desired) into the food processor. Blend on medium-high until garlic is completely pulverized and no longer visible and all the ingredients are combined, typically 30 to 60 seconds. The sauce should be completely smooth but may retain some texture from the crushed pineapple.
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3.
Taste and adjust: This is your chance to make this sauce all yours. Taste the sauce and adjust ingredients based on your preference (see troubleshooting for flavor adjustments).
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Serve
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4.
Pour contents into a jar, condiment bottle, or other preferred container. It’s ready to use immediately!
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Notes
Serving Suggestions
I use this barbecue sauce for my ribs – both do not include a lot of sugar (none added) and the sweetness of the sauce pairs well with the rub used on the ribs.
One of my favorite uses for this sauce is transforming leftover chicken into restaurant-quality pulled chicken sandwiches. Simply shred the chicken, warm it through with a generous amount of sauce, and serve on toasted brioche buns with crunchy coleslaw. The combination of textures and flavors is incredible.
Use this as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets.
The bromelain and acid in the pineapple and vinegar make this a great marinade to tenderize meats (like a glaze for chicken pieces or to marinate pork shoulder for pulled pork). Just be sure that the meat isn’t marinading for longer than 2 hours since the bromelain can make the meat mushy.
Troubleshooting
Too sweet: Add more vinegar.
Too tangy: Add more pineapple or sugar.
Not spicy enough: Add hot sauce or cayenne pepper.
Not enough depth: Usually if something isn’t quite there, you are missing acidity or umami. Adding soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or vinegar might help.
Make Ahead, Storage & Leftovers
Store leftover sauce in a jar or other sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. (To be honest, I stored the sauce in a sealed jar in the pantry for several months, forgot about it and was still able to use it as the sauce for pulled chicken sandwiches with no issues but I don’t want to make any promises or get anyone sick so use this information at your own risk.)
Additionally, you can freeze portions for up to 3 months without significant loss in quality.
Substitutions & Variations
Simmer the sauce: If you want to intensify the flavor a bit, you can simmer in a saucepan at low heat for about 5 to 10 minutes, stir frequently to ensure that the bottom doesn’t burn or stick to the pan.
Substitutions & Variations – Shelf-Stable & Frozen Ingredients
Everything is shelf-stable except for the garlic – frozen, peeled garlic cloves can be added straight from the freezer.
Substitutions & Variations – Gluten-Free
No real substitutions needed – just make sure that the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce are gluten-free (Heinz ketchup and Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce are both highly popular brands and gluten free).
Substitutions & Variations – Vegan & Vegetarian
Since traditional Worcestershire sauce has anchovies – simply replace with your favorite vegan version. Alternatively, a homemade vegan sauce or a combination of equal parts soy sauce (tamari or coconut aminos also work), ketchup, and white wine vinegar have a similar flavor profile.
FAQs
Q: Why is this sauce different from store-bought barbecue sauces?
A: This sauce uses natural fruit sweetness from pineapple instead of added sugars, making it less cloying than most commercial versions. The fresh ingredients and ability to customize flavors also make it much more flavorful and cost-effective than premium store-bought options.
Q: Can I really make this sauce in just 10 minutes?
A: Absolutely! Since there's no cooking required, you literally just blend all ingredients together. The longest part is peeling the garlic cloves, but even that takes just a couple of minutes.
Q: Does this sauce need to be cooked, or can I use it raw?
A: The sauce is designed to be used raw and is ready immediately after blending. However, you can simmer it for 5 to 10 minutes if you want to intensify the flavors, as mentioned in the variations section.
Q: Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned crushed pineapple?
A: Yes, but you'll need to chop it finely or pulse it in the blender first. Use about 1 cup of fresh pineapple chunks. Keep in mind that canned pineapple is slightly sweeter and more consistent in texture.
Q: What if I can only find pineapple chunks instead of crushed pineapple?
A: Pineapple chunks work perfectly! The blender will break them down. You might even prefer the slightly chunkier texture it creates in the final sauce.
Cost
4 servings
| Ingredient | Per Serving | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pineapple (canned or fresh) | $ | 0.45 | $ | 1.79 | |
| ketchup | 0.01 | 0.02 | |||
| garlic | 0.08 | 0.32 | |||
| vinegar | 0.01 | 0.04 | |||
| Worcestershire sauce | 0.03 | 0.12 | |||
| Fab Four Blend | 0.08 | 0.30 | |||
| hot pepper sauce | 0.06 | 0.24 | |||
| liquid smoke | 0.02 | 0.08 | |||
| Total | $ | 0.73 | $ | 2.91 |
For about the price of the cheaper version, you have a delicious, custom-made sauce.
Nutrition Facts
serving size: 3½ tablespoons
| calories | 85 |
% daily value*
| total fat | 0.3 g | 0% |
| saturated fat | 0.1 g | 0% |
| trans fat | 0.0 g | 0% |
| polyunsaturated fat | 2.0 g | 0% |
| monounsaturated fat | 5.2 g | 0% |
| cholesterol | 0.0 mg | 0% |
| sodium | 414.8 mg | 18% |
| total carbohydrates | 20.9 g | 8% |
| dietary fiber | 1.7 g | 6% |
| sugars | 0.0 g | 0% |
| protein | 1.1 g | 2% |
micronutrients
| vitamin a | 19.4 mcg | 2% |
| vitamin c | 47.6 mg | 53% |
| calcium | 30.6 mg | 2% |
| iron | 1.0 mg | 5% |
| vitamin d | 0.0 mcg | 0% |
| magnesium | 19.5 mg | 5% |
| potassium | 192.3 mg | 4% |
| zinc | 0.2 mg | 2% |
| phosphorus | 17.9 mg | 1% |
| thiamin (b1) | 0.1 mg | 10% |
| riboflavin (b2) | 0.1 mg | 5% |
| niacin (b3) | 0.7 mg | 4% |
| vitamin b6 | 0.3 mg | 18% |
| folic acid (b9) | 21.9 mcg | 5% |
| vitamin b12 | 0.0 mcg | 0% |
| vitamin e | 0.2 mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet; your needs may differ.
Nutrition information is estimated using USDA databases and may vary based on ingredient brands and preparation methods.
The 2,000-calorie reference is used as a general guide. Individual calorie needs typically range from 1,600-2,400 calories per day for adult women and 2,000-3,000 calories per day for adult men, depending on age, activity level, and other factors.
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