This post was sponsored by Fruits From Chile, however all views and opinions are my own.
We love fresh plums in our house, and thanks to the country of Chile, they’re available from December through April. This means we can enjoy fresh juicy plums pretty much year-round!
Chile has been exporting fruit for hundreds of years and is recognized not only as the largest fruit exporter in the Southern Hemisphere, but also as one of the world’s premier fruit suppliers. Chile exports more than 2.6 million tons of fruit annually to more than 100 countries across the globe.
One day at the grocery store I was brainstorming a recipe for homemade BBQ sauce. In the condiment aisle I checked the ingredient lists of different BBQ sauce brands. With corn syrup and other not-too-healthy-sounding ingredients at the top of the ingredient lists it struck me — why not make homemade BBQ sauce at home?
At home later that day I roughed out the recipe for this vegan BBQ sauce. It has some of the usual suspects you’ll find on the store shelves — brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Other than that it stands alone! Loaded with fresh Chilean plums, this recipe contains no ketchup or corn syrup. As they say in Spanish, “¡Increible!”
Ingredients
Method
Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped plums to the preheated pan.
Cook the plums until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. If the plums begin to brown, reduce the heat.
Carefully spoon the hot cooked plums into the bowl of a small food processor or blender. Purée the plums until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
You can proceed with the recipe using the food processor if you want. I like to transfer the puréed plums to a bowl and whisk in the ingredients by hand so I can easily taste the seasonings.
Add all of the other ingredients to the puréed plums.
Process or whisk everything together until well combined.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to suit your taste — you may like your plum BBQ sauce a bit sweeter, or maybe spicier. Use the recipe as a base and then make it your own!
Store vegan BBQ sauce in a glass or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to one week. Use it anywhere you would any other BBQ sauce.
Notes & Tips
Choosing Fresh Plums
- Plums come in all kinds of colours and shapes! They might have smooth skin or slight bumps; Dark plums can be almost blue-black or purple-black in colour.
- Chilean plums have a firmer, crunchier texture during the spring.
- Plums shouldn’t be super soft to the touch. A slightly firm plum yields the best texture.
- If your plums are too firm and not quite ready to eat, place them in a brown paper bag for 1 to 2 days at room temperature.
- Storing plums in the fridge slows down the ripening process. At the end of Chilean plum season (April/May), it’s best to keep plums on the counter until they’re ready to eat. They ripen quickly, so keep an eye on them.
- You can freeze plums! Lay sliced plums on a baking sheet, and place the sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the plum slices to a large zip-top bag for up to two months.
If you don’t have, or don’t want to use liquid smoke, simply omit it from your vegan BBQ sauce. Keep in mind, however, this recipe has been tested with the flavour of liquid smoke balanced with all of the other ingredients.
The colour of your BBQ sauce is dependent on the plums you use.
Store vegan BBQ sauce in a glass or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to one week.
Substitutions
Any light, neutral-tasting oil will work in this vegan BBQ sauce recipe, however, coconut oil adds a touch of flavour I really like.
Any mix of fresh plums from Chile will work for this recipe.
Garlic powder can be substituted for onion powder. I prefer using onion powder for its more subtle flavour, and find garlic powder can sometimes be overpowering. Another seasoning option is to chop half a clove of fresh garlic and process it with the plums.
Use Vegan BBQ Sauce With These Great Recipes
Smoky & Spicy Black Bean Burgers
🖨 Recipe
Vegan BBQ Sauce With Fresh Plums
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- 1 12-inch (30-cm) pot
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Food processor, high-speed blender, or immersion blender
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Glass jar with lid for storage
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 2 cups plums, pits removed, chopped
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon Sriracha, or any other hot sauce you like
- 1 pinch black pepper, ground
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped plums to the preheated pan and cook them until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. If the plums begin to brown at all, reduce the heat.
- Carefully spoon the hot cooked plums into the bowl of a small food processor or blender. Purée the plums until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add all of the other ingredients to the puréed plums. Process or whisk everything together until well combined.
- Taste the vegan BBQ sauce and adjust the seasoning to suit your taste — you may like your sauce a bit sweeter, or maybe spicier. Use the recipe as a base and then make it your own! Store vegan BBQ sauce in a glass or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge for up to one week. Use it anywhere you would any other BBQ sauce.
Tiffany Geer says
I have a bunch of plums and want to try this recipe. Is it possible to can it once it’s done to save it for the winter months?
Kelly Neil says
Hi Tiffany! Yes, you can 100% can it in a water bath to preserve!