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Hawaiian Pineapple BBQ Sauce

Hawaiian Pineapple BBQ Sauce

Hawaiian Pineapple BBQ Sauce is a sweet and tangy homemade sauce made with fresh pineapple, brown sugar, ginger, and a touch of spice. It’s perfect for glazing chicken, ribs, or shrimp and adds a tropical twist to any backyard cookout.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course: Condiment, Sauce
Cuisine: American, Caribbean-style
Calories: 70
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
  • 1½ cups fresh pineapple
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ cup pineapple juice
  • ¼ cup golden rum
  • ⅓ cup ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon molasses

Method
 

Step 1: Sauté the Base
  1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in garlic, jalapeno, and grated ginger. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 2: Add Pineapple
  1. Add fresh pineapple chunks and pineapple juice. Let it cook for 5 minutes to soften. This helps release natural sweetness.
Step 3: Build the Flavor
  1. Stir in brown sugar, dry mustard, cayenne, salt, black pepper, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, and golden rum. Mix well.
Step 4: Simmer
  1. Reduce heat and let the sauce simmer for 12–15 minutes. Stir occasionally. The sauce will thicken slightly.
Step 5: Blend
  1. Turn off heat. Let it cool slightly, then blend until smooth. I like mine slightly thick but still pourable for pineapple bbq sauce for chicken and ribs.
Step 6: Adjust
  1. Taste and adjust salt, sweetness, or spice. Add more vinegar if you want extra tang.

Notes

✅ Let sauce cool before blending to avoid splatter.
✅ Taste after blending for balanced flavor.
✅ For smoother texture, strain after blending.
✅ Works great for hawaiian chicken with bbq sauce and pineapple.