Summer Citrus BBQ Sauce
Sometimes you need a good Paleo BBQ sauce. This Summer Citrus BBQ Sauce is quick, easy, and the ingredients are readily available. We have some amazing sauces: have you tried our fenugreek coconut curry sauce yet? It is magic. This BBQ sauce is also magic, but in a different way: it’s ready for summer grilling!
This was a spur of the moment sauce creation by Holley. I had been using the sous vide, experimenting with pork ribs (it just makes sense as the way to make them tender without losing the flavor by boiling the meat, you know? Read more about sous vide cooking here), and realized that I had a bunch of people coming over but I hadn’t planned a sauce! Ahhhh!
Thankfully Holley had been brainstorming summer BBQ sauces for a few days leading up to this AND all the ingredients were in my kitchen. Oranges, grapefruit, and limes in sauce form? Yes please!
“The Paleo Experience” Program
Speaking of yes please, Michelle Tam from Nom Nom Paleo has teamed up with Dr. Akil Palanisamy (author of The Paleovedic Diet, which I’m going to talk about in a sec) to do a weekend course in California called “The Paleo Experience“!
I had really wanted to go to this and was even ready to cancel a visit with my sister to go, but when I looked into flights they were super inconvenient and way more expensive than I was comfortable with. Crap. I still haven’t been able to meet Michelle 🙁
You should go if you can. It would be a great experience. Maybe Michelle and Akil will team up with us next time….
Ready or Not…
OK, you can’t go either? Don’t worry, I have some more good news: Nom Nom Paleo releases their second recipe book, “Ready or Not!: 150+ Make-Ahead, Make-Over, and Make-Now Recipes” tomorrow!
I can’t wait to check this out! I loved their first book, “Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans“!
Not only that, but we are giving away 2 copies! Scroll down to enter the giveaway!
The Paleovedic Diet
If you haven’t heard of Dr. Akil Palanisamy or his book The Paleovedic Diet, it’s time to check them out. When I heard that Michelle Tam was doing a weekend paleo course, I had to know more. That’s when I first discovered Akil.
And when I read the name of the book, I was super curious. I have been interested in Ayurveda for almost a decade now – in fact, I’m hoping to go to India next year to learn more about Ayurvedic principles of health. It was Deepak Chopra and an ex-girlfriend first introduced me to Ayurveda. I use some of the principles when creating meals and flavor profiles. Do you have any experiences with Ayurveda?
I started reading Akil’s book the other day, and after only a couple pages I got up and found a highlighter. I am really impressed so far. After the first 15 pages I thought “this is one of the most complete and easy to understand explanations of food and diet that I have come across! People need to read this book! Everyone needs to read this book!”
I think that I’m pretty knowledgeable about healthy food, but I’ll admit that there are a few areas that I’m confused about when it comes to all the conflicting information out there. Dr. Palanisamy clears things up so well. AND, through this information, he gives you the power to change your diet to work for you.
I am super excited for the rest of the book, and don’t be surprised to hear me raving about it in the future!
Man, do I ever wish I was going to The Paleo Experience with those too! If you get the chance, let me know how it is. Say hi to both of them for me. Tell them that Holley & I would love to meet up with them, maybe over the grill with some Summer Citrus BBQ Sauce.

Summer Citrus BBQ Sauce
- Total Time: 10-15 min
- Yield: 1.5-2 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 156ml tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp crushed garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup grapefruit juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp or one small diced green chili pepper
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and stirring regularly reduce for 8-10 minutes until it becomes a sauce texture.
- Coat desired meat and cook as regular, or put in a sealed container to use later.
- Category: Sauce
- Method: stove-top
- Cuisine: BBQ
Simon & Schuster Canada provided the copies of “Ready or Not!: 150+ Make-Ahead, Make-Over, and Make-Now Recipes by Nom Nom Paleo” for the giveaway, as well as a copy for Holley & I to check out. All opinions expressed here are my own.
This looks outstanding!! We have bbq chicken on the menu for later this week – I am using this sauce! Thanks!
I wanna see photos Renee! Tag us @theprimaldesire
I love Michelle and all her recipes. It was her site that inspired me to change my diet. I have her first book and her App. I’ve been anxiously awaiting for her new book to come out.
What is the app like? Do you use it often?
Ah man, I was all stoked to enter this contest, then I read the blue font – only Canadian citizens eligible – WHAT? My fathers family is from Quebec, (don’t hold that against me) but does that count? I am a stones throw from the border by Niagara Falls, does an “honorary citizen” count? Hey, I could pick out Justin Trudeau from your Canada Day post! Oh well, guess I will just have to be happy with the free awesome citrus BBQ sauce post.
Aimee, you’re the best!
Tell you what, if you have a Canadian address we can send it to, you can enter!
Sweet! My niece just married a Canadian and they live in St. Catherine’s, I will be sure to have that address ready for you
Yay! lol Good luck Aimee!
Thanks for the chance to win the book!
Excited about this giveaway!
Looks yummy! Cant wait to try it!
I’ve never made my own BBQ sauce before! I bet all that citrus juice makes it PERFECT!
Love the idea of using all three citrus fruits for this sauce. I bet it would go fabulously with chicken or shrimp as well. Yum!
We’ve been grilling pretty much every single day, so I can’t wait to try out this new bbq sauce!
Wow! I love the idea of infusing citrus flavor into BBQ sauce! Definitely looking forward to giving this a try! Thanks for the great recipe!
I have not tried them yet. I came across your page while looking into the paleo diet. It is something that I am very interested in trying out. Love your page. Very inspiring.
Oh! I’m glad you found us! Don’t be scared to reach out with questions
I love all her instant pot recipes! Her live instant pot for beef stew was the first instant pot recipe I ever made after leaving it in the box for months because I was too intimidated by a new potentially dangerous kitchen device. I made her kalua pig on the regular too!
Love Nom Nom Paleo! I seriously make her Cracklin’ Chicken every week so that’s my favorite recipe. So sad you couldn’t go meet her! Sounds like an awesome experience.
Ooh! I haven’t tried that yet!
These are perfect not only for summer but winter season too. Thanks for sharing !
This BBQ sauce sounds amazing! I love that it’s packed with citrus flavor and a little bit sweet from the honey and tang from the mustard. Yum!
I love the writing like I feel like your talking to me
I love Michelle too. So inspiring. This sauce looks bomb! Can’t wait to try it.
This looks superb!! A delicious BBQ sauce by the sounds of it. Need to give this a whirl!
All about the homemade bbq sauce! yum! and awesome giveaway, that book is amazing!
so excited about the cookbook!
Those ribs look magical! It’s still hot enough here that I can fire up the grill and make these myself.