This mango-habanero bbq sauce recipe is perfect for grilled shrimp, fish, chicken or pork, with just the right amount of sweet and heat.
When you're firing up the grill this summer (or spring or fall or, hey winter!), you need to have a good BBQ sauce around. There are some very good ones out there at the grocery store, and some bad ones, but it's pretty tough to go wrong with a good homemade BBQ sauce.
I enjoy making my own sauces for grilling because they're fresher, and I can control what goes into them. I'm not super crazy about too much added sugar and all those preservatives. And I want awesome FLAVOR.
Like this particular recipe. It's Mango-Habanero BBQ Sauce, and it has everything going for it. It's got a touch of sweet from the mango, a nice level of heat from the habanero peppers, and I've made it slightly thick so it sticks to whatever it is I'm grilling.
YES!
Talk about an awesome bbq sauce. Let's talk about how we make it, shall we?
Mango-Habanero BBQ Sauce Ingredients
- Olive Oil.
- Onion. Small, chopped.
- Habanero Peppers. Diced.
- Garlic. Chopped.
- Mango. Chopped.
- Tomato Paste.
- Apple Cider Vinegar.
- Honey.
- Spicy Chili Flakes.
- Ground Mustard.
- Smoked Paprika.
- Ground Ginger.
- Brown Sugar.
- Salt and Pepper.
Mango-Habanero BBQ Sauce - The Recipe Method
First, heat a large saucepan to medium heat and add olive oil with onion and peppers. Cook about 5 minutes, or until everything softens.
Add the garlic and cook another minute, until garlic becomes fragrant.
Add remaining ingredients and stir until everything is combined.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Process until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a ½ cup of water or more and continue to process to your preferred consistency.
Serve the sauce right away, or let it sit awhile to allow the flavors to more fully develop.
How Long Will This BBQ Sauce Last?
The sauce will last a couple weeks in the refrigerator if stored in a sealed container. You can freeze the sauce for up to 6 months to keep it longer. Just remove it from the freezer, thaw completely, then serve cold. Or, you can heat it gently in a small pot to serve warm.
The Heat Factor
Medium-Hot. You'll get a nice level of heat from the habanero peppers.
Looking for a milder bbq sauce? Cut back on the habanero peppers by replacing some with milder peppers, like serranos or jalapenos, or core them out to remove some of the heat.
Want spicier? You can easily add more habaneros, or go with hotter peppers, like the ghost pepper. YES!
Serving Suggestions
I love this bbq sauce on any cut of chicken or pork, on grilled shrimp, on salmon, and also drizzled onto grilled vegetables. It's wonderfully sweet and spicy. Got another way you use it? Let me know! I'd love to hear.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Wear Gloves. It's a good idea to wear kitchen gloves when handling hot peppers. The oils from the peppers can get on your skin and cause a burning sensation. If this happens, see this page - How to Stop the Chili Pepper Burn.
- Thinner BBQ Sauce. If you'd like a thinner, more consistent bbq sauce, swirl in a bit more water to thin it out. You can also use a food processor, blender or immersion blender to process the sauce a bit more to a finer consistency. Or, run it through a sieve.
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Mango-Habanero BBQ Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 habanero peppers diced
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2-3 cups chopped mango I used 2 cups for this recipe, but you can use more as desired
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons spicy chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- ½ cup brown sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan to medium heat and add olive oil with onion and peppers. Cook about 5 minutes, or until everything softens.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute, until garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir until everything is combined.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 20-30 minutes.
- Process until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a ½ cup of water or more and continue to process to your preferred consistency. Serve the sauce right away, or let it sit awhile to allow the flavors to more fully develop.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
William Kercheval says
A real good recipe, good flavor good taste really simple to make
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, William! Thanks for sharing!
Shawn says
Great recipe! So easy to make and a nice amount of heat with the sweet. Getting to put my garden Habaneros to good use!
Just curious as well if there is a way to can it? (Although it's only a small quantity - just thinking about keeping it longer).
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Shawn! You should be able to can with a water bath, but may need to add more acid. Shoot for a pH of 3.5 or lower for home preserving/storage. Or look into pressure canning.
Mike H. says
Thank you, Shawn! Yes, of course. Shoot for 3.5 pH or lower for home canning. Enjoy!
Marion says
This recipe is absolutely delicious!!! Thank you so very much!!! I used 8 habaneros, deseeded, and a can of diced peaches instead of the mango and it turned out great. I will use it for my pulled bbq pork today.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Enjoy, Marion!
Zach says
Habaneros… Seeds in or out?
Thanks.
Mike Hultquist says
I usually leave them in, Zach, but you can remove them if you'd like.
Wendy A. says
Awesome recipe Mike. I have a ton of spicy peppers. I am using many of your recipes. Love them all.
Question - For pressure canning this recipe do I need to have the acidity 3.5-4 or is that just for water bath?
OR do you just recommend the water bath method for this recipe?
Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Wendy, that is just for the water bath. Enjoy!!
Neena Cholette says
So this recipe as is can be water bath canned since there is 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar in it? Thanks Neena
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, though check the pH. Shoot for 3.5 pH or lower for home canning.
Genna Carr says
can you can this?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Genna, you can pressure can this. If you want to use a water bath method, make sure the acidity is 3.5 or lower for safe keeping. You may need to introduce more acid.
Lindsey says
How long would I pressure can this for?
Mike Hultquist says
I don't have specifics for this recipe, but you can refer to this page for information: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/canning-or-jarring-chili-peppers/
Dwayne says
Has prominent is the ginger flavor? A tablespoon powdered ginger seems like a lot.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Dwayne, I like a lot of ginger and ginger powder doesn't have a lot of flavor, to me. You can dial it back to a teaspoon, give it a taste, then adjust to preference. Let me know how it goes for you.
Robert Grant says
I've made this recipe twice now, both times have been a success. This year I only had fermented habaneros to use, so I added a half cup of tabasco peppers to make up for the mellowed out flavor of the habs. Great stuff Mike thanks for the inspiration.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds like an excellent alteration and final sauce Robert.
Tru says
I made this with 2 cups of mangoes... it's redder than the orange sauce shown here. Also, I have only a food chopper, not a blender or processor, so my sauce is chunkier. However, the flavor's what counts, and this sauce delivers. I made it to sauce up shredded pulled pork after dry-rubbing it and putting it in the slow cooker. I prepped it while the pork was cooking and added it to the cooker after shredding the pork. Delicious! Great way to use up the habaneros in my container garden. Also, if habaneros are a bit intense for you, here's a secret: soak the chopped habaneros in a half-cup of an 80-proof liquor like tequila or vodka for 30 to 90 minutes (the longer you soak them, the more heat leaches out) and drain before using. Save the liquor to make a spicy bloody mary or margarita later! Just remember to label it accordingly!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Tru! Nice! I do love the idea of soaking the habs! I must give that a try.
Colleen says
Used about 3C mango for my first time with this recipe, but other ingredients as listed. This was amazing and I cannot wait to put on some grilled wings!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Colleen! Sounds excellent!
Jim Tarrant says
I made the dish exactly as written and it is so, so good. I love the fruitiness of Habaneros and they grow abundantly in our garden. I can imagine using this sauce on all kinds of dishes and can't wait to try it on everything. Mango-habanero sauce on vanilla ice cream, Yes!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jim! Ice cream! Nice.
Jack says
Incredible. Because the mango habanero combo is my favorite, I doubled it. What an amazing recipe! I would like to save some and give some away. Any idea how long this will last in the fridge and/or freezer?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jack! This will last 6 months or longer in the freezer. I never tested the pH of this sauce, but it should easily last a couple weeks in the fridge, properly sealed. Possibly longer.
Sam says
Hi there. Would this recipe be safe for canning in a hot water bath?
Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sam, yes, absolutely. Check the acidity first. It's best at 3.5 or below for home canning. Let me know how it goes.
David says
Noticed you had some roasted Habaneros in one of your pics. This will be my method tomorrow night using your recipe!
I love this guy!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Oh yeah! Extra roasted peppers are great on the side when I got the grill fired up. I love it. Thanks, David!
Marnie says
Your recipes never disappoint! I made this today....going on baby back pork ribs tonight!
I used 2 c. Manga. I might use 3 c. next time. Excellent sauce! Another keeper.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Outstanding, Marnie! Glad you loved it! This is definitely one of my favorite sauces! Wish I had some of those ribs!
sheenam @ thetwincookingproject says
Its mango season here in India. Totally trying this recipe!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I hope you enjoy it!!
Robert Wall says
An absolutely brilliant recipe with a fruit flavoured chilli it's got to be heaven.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thank you, Robert! I do LOVE this sauce!
Jesse-Gabriel r says
Hey Michael!
Wieder ein großartiges Rezept, ich glaube ich werde es auch mal mit Apricots versuchen was sagst du dazu, bestimmt auch super oder!?
Grüße,
Jesse-Gabriel
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hello, Jesse. Lucky for me I have Google Translate! Yes, apricot would be a GREAT addition! Let me know how it turns out. (DEUTSCHE: Ja, Aprikose wäre eine tolle Ergänzung! Lass mich wissen, wie es ausgeht.)
Peter Parris says
Looking forward to making this for some wings this weekend!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Peter! Totally perfect for wings, and chicken in general.
Lent says
Burgers!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Totally! This would ROCK on burgers!