Rhubarb BBQ Sauce

Name: Rhubarb BBQ Sauce (Victoria Sauce)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 8 cups rhubarb (chopped); 3 1/2 cups brown sugar (lightly packed ); 1 1/2 cups raisins (chopped); 1/2 cup onion (chopped); 1/2 cup white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar, standardized to 5% acidity); 1 tsp ground allspice; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp salt

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Rhubarb BBQ Sauce is a classic old-fashioned canning recipe that turns tart rhubarb into a rich, sweet, gently spiced barbecue sauce that is perfect for brushing on grilled meats.

Why you’ll love this rhubarb BBQ sauce recipe!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
Ingredients for Rhubarb BBQ Sauce
How to Make Rhubarb BBQ Sauce
Canning Rhubarb BBQ Sauce
Altitude Adjustments
Serving Ideas
Rhubarb BBQ Sauce FAQs
Rhubarb Canning Recipes
Rhubarb BBQ Sauce (Victoria Sauce) Recipe
BBQ Sauce Canning Recipes

This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

This recipe is the Victorian Barbecue Sauce from The Ball Complete Book of Preserving, and it is one of those fun heritage-style recipes that feels a little unexpected at first, but makes perfect sense once you taste it. Rhubarb brings acidity and body, while brown sugar, raisins, and warm spices give it that deep barbecue flavor.

It is especially good if you want a homemade sauce that is a little different from the usual tomato-based versions. The flavor is sweet, tangy, and spiced, with a smooth cooked texture that brushes nicely onto chicken, pork, or ribs.

Why you’ll love this rhubarb BBQ sauce recipe!

I love recipes like this because they use rhubarb in a savory way, which is not something most people think to do. I make plenty of batches of rhubarb jam and desserts every spring, but having a canning recipe like this in the pantry gives me something completely different to reach for.

It also makes a great small-batch canning project. The sauce cooks down in one pot, fills just a few jars, and the finished flavor is so good that it feels like a special pantry staple. If you like old Ball recipes and traditional condiments, this one is a keeper.

A Quick Look at the Recipe

Recipe Name: Rhubarb BBQ Sauce (Victorian Barbecue Sauce)
Recipe Type: Condiment / Barbecue Sauce
Canning Method: Waterbath Canning
Prep/Cook Time: About 50 minutes
Canning Time: 15 Minutes
Yield: About 4 pint jars
Jar Sizes: Half Pint or Pint
Headspace: 1/2 inch
Ingredients Overview: Rhubarb, brown sugar, raisins, onion, vinegar, warm spices, and salt
Safe Canning Recipe Source: Ball Complete Book of Home Canning and Ball Blue Book (Victorian Barbecue Sauce)
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. It is a simple one-pot sauce, but you do need to stir often while it cooks down.
Similar Recipes: I have plenty of rhubarb canning recipes for you to try, including creative ones like pickled rhubarb, rhubarb chutney and rhubarb juice concentrate. Or you can stick with the classics, like strawberry rhubarb jam and rhubarb pie filling. If you enjoy old-fashioned canned condiments, you might also like green tomato ketchup!

Ingredients for Rhubarb BBQ Sauce

This recipe uses a simple list of pantry ingredients plus fresh rhubarb. The combination may look unusual if you have only made tomato barbecue sauce, but the raisins, brown sugar, and warm spices create a familiar barbecue flavor once everything cooks together.

Rhubarb: The main ingredient, providing tartness, body, and a thick cooked texture.
Brown Sugar: Sweetens the sauce and adds a deeper, molasses-like flavor.
Raisins: Add natural sweetness and help give the sauce a rich texture as they cook down.
Onion: Adds savory flavor and balances the sweetness.
White Vinegar: Provides acidity and brightness, and helps create the classic barbecue tang. It’s required for safe canning with the added low acid ingredients (onions), so make sure you use 5% acidity.
Ground Allspice: Adds warm spice notes and depth.
Ground Cinnamon: Brings a subtle sweetness and warmth.
Ground Ginger: Adds a gentle spicy note that works well with rhubarb.
Salt: Rounds out the flavor and balances the sweet and tart ingredients.

You can make small flavor adjustments for personal taste, but for safe canning, keep the ingredient proportions the same. You can use red or green rhubarb, and either one works well here.

The finished color will vary depending on your rhubarb, but the flavor stays nicely balanced. I would not reduce the vinegar or change the amounts of low-acid ingredients like onion.

Using golden raisins (sultanas) will give you a brighter flavor and lighter color, and that’s a common variation for this recipe.

How to Make Rhubarb BBQ Sauce

This is a straightforward cooked sauce that comes together in one pot and then gets processed in a boiling water canner.

Prep the Ingredients

Wash and chop the rhubarb into small pieces, chop the onion, and measure out the raisins, vinegar, brown sugar, spices, and salt. Having everything ready before you start makes the cooking process much easier because the sauce cooks fairly quickly once it comes to a boil.

Cook the Sauce

Combine the chopped rhubarb, brown sugar, raisins, onion, white vinegar, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently so the sugar dissolves evenly and nothing sticks.

Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer gently, stirring often. Cook until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a thin commercial barbecue sauce, which takes about 30 minutes. It will continue to thicken a little as it cools.

Prepare Jars for Filling

While the sauce is simmering, prepare your canner, jars, and lids. Keep the jars hot until you are ready to fill them. This helps prevent temperature shock and keeps everything moving smoothly once the sauce is done.

Canning Rhubarb BBQ Sauce

Ladle the hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, then recheck the headspace and add a bit more hot sauce if needed. Wipe the jar rims clean, apply the lids, and tighten the bands to fingertip tight.

Place the jars into a boiling water canner, making sure they are fully covered by water. Bring the canner back to a full boil and process the jars for 15 minutes (adjusting for altitude). When the time is up, turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars rest for 5 minutes before lifting them out.

Set the jars on a towel and let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Check the seals, remove the bands, and store sealed jars in a cool pantry.

Altitude Adjustments

The altitude adjustments for water bath canning rhubarb BBQ sauce are as follows:

For Under 1,000 Feet in Elevation – 15 minutes for half-pints and pints
For 1,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation – 20 minutes for half-pints and pints
Above 6,000 Feet in Elevation – 25 minutes for half-pints and pints

Serving Ideas

This sauce is made for brushing onto food while grilling, but there are plenty of other ways to use it too. I like it on grilled chicken thighs, pork chops, and meatballs, and it is also really good spooned over pulled pork sandwiches.

It also works as a glaze during the last few minutes of roasting. Try it on baked chicken legs, brushed over a meatloaf, or warmed and served as a dipping sauce for roasted potatoes.

If you like sweet and tangy condiments, it is a nice addition to a cheese board too.

Rhubarb BBQ Sauce FAQs

What does rhubarb BBQ sauce taste like?

Rhubarb BBQ sauce tastes sweet, tangy, and warmly spiced. This version has a deeper flavor from brown sugar and raisins, plus a gentle spice note from cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. It is not strongly fruity, but it does have a slightly old-fashioned flavor that is really nice on pork and chicken.

Can I use half-pint jars for rhubarb BBQ sauce?

Yes, half-pint jars work well for this recipe and are a great choice if you want smaller portions for gifting or for opening just what you need. The canning times are the same for half pints and pints. This recipe has not been tested for canning in quarts.

How long does canned rhubarb BBQ sauce last?

Properly sealed jars will keep well in a cool, dark pantry for at least a year for best quality. Once opened, store the jar in the refrigerator and use it within a few weeks.

Why Is Rhubarb BBQ Sauce Called Victoria Sauce?

The name “Victoria Sauce” or “Victorian Barbecue Sauce” is a nod to the Victorian era, when cooks often made richly flavored condiments from garden produce and pantry staples rather than relying on modern bottled sauces. Rhubarb was especially common in Victorian kitchens, and it was used in far more than desserts, including savory sauces, chutneys, and relishes.
This recipe reflects that older style of cooking really well. It combines rhubarb with brown sugar, raisins, onion, vinegar, and warm spices, which gives it the layered sweet-and-tangy flavor you see in many historic preserves and condiments. So while it works beautifully as a barbecue sauce today, the “Victoria” name points back to its old-fashioned roots and the kinds of ingredients a Victorian cook would have had on hand.