This easy Whole 30 BBQ sauce is smoky, sweet, and flavor packed! Made with real ingredients and sweetened with dates, making it Paleo approved as well. Great for grilling, slow cooker meats, tacos, and as a dipping sauce.
Soak the dates in HOT water for 15 minutes. Save the water as you will use this to thin the BBQ sauce.
Add soaked dates and remaining ingredients to a food processor (start with ½ cup water). Blend on high speed until ingredients are mixed and BBQ sauce is smooth (scrape down sides of food processor if needed). Add additional water if you'd like a thinner consistency.
Transfer to a small sauce pan and simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. This helps the flavors meld together.
Serve immediately, or allow to cool before transfering to the fridge.
Enjoy!
Notes
A smaller food processor (7 or 8 cups max) works best.
Start by adding ½ cup water. You can add more based on how thin you want your BBQ sauce to be.
After sauce has simmered, taste the BBQ sauce. If you'd like it spicier or more smoky, you can add a little extra smoked paprika and/or chili powder.
If you aren't needing this to be Whole 30, but do want a Paleo BBQ sauce, you can add a little honey to get more sweetness if desired. Note: Honey is NOT Whole 30 approved.
Serving size is based on 2 tbsp. sized servings.
Sauce should be stored in an airtight container (I prefer a mason jar) in the fridge and will stay good for up to 2 weeks.