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    Home » Recipes » Condiments

    Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com · 6 Comments

    Hawaiian BBQ Sauce

    Jump to Recipe
    Pin image with text of Hawaiian bbq sauce in a small bowl with a spoon.

    Huli-Huli sauce is a delicious Hawaiian BBQ sauce made with brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, and a few other key ingredients! This copycat teriyaki-style BBQ sauce is sweet, savory, and makes a perfect marinade for chicken!

    Best Huli Huli BBQ Sauce

    This Hawaiian BBQ sauce is made with a delectable blend of sweet, savory, and salty ingredients! I made this recipe as a copycat of the beloved Hawaiian Huli-Huli sauce that is sometimes difficult to get your hands on depending on your location.

    If you ever have the pleasure of visiting sunny Hawaii, you’ll see a version of this sauce mentioned on menus everywhere. It’s a signature flavor, and once you taste it, you’ll understand why!

    Square image of Hawaiian bbq sauce in a small bowl with a spoon.
    The sweet and savory flavor of this Hawaiian BBQ sauce tastes great with pork or chicken!

    With this recipe, you can make your own version of Huli-Huli Hawaiian BBQ sauce at home!

    Jump to:
    • Best Huli Huli BBQ Sauce
    • 🌎 Origin
    • ❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
    • 💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
    • 🥡 Storing
    • 🍶 Try Some of My Other DIY Sauces!
    • ❓ FAQ
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    This sauce is pretty much a staple in Hawaiian households and has been growing in popularity here in the states. Have your own Hawaiian BBQ at home by slathering this sauce over pulled pork, grilled chicken kabobs, and more!

    🌎 Origin

    In 1954 a World War II naval officer named Ernest Morgado founded a poultry company with a chicken farmer in ‘Ewa, Hawaii.  At a meeting with farmers the following year, Morgado cooks up some BBQ chicken in a teriyaki-style sauce claiming it was his grandmother’s recipe.

    Once Morgado noticed how popular the sauce was, he began making marinated chicken for charity fundraiser events. His BBQ chicken grew in popularity, raising thousands of dollars for local charities over the years!

    Morgado has always said the name “Huli-Huli” was created by accident!

    Morgado’s chicken was originally roasted on a spit that was turned regularly. “Huli” is the Hawaiian word for “turn” and spectators would often shout “huli huli” as the chicken cooked.

    In 1967 Morgado and the Pacific Poultry Company trademarked the name “Huli-Huli”. The dish became a staple in Hawaii and could be found at most roadside stands, gas stations, and restaurants.

    It wasn’t until 1986 that Morgado finally decided to bottle the beloved Huli-Huli sauce to be mass-produced and sold in stores!

    ❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!

    It’s Versatile! Use it as a sauce or use it as a marinade, chicken, pork, even beef ribs, it can go with almost anything!

    It’s Quick! Make your own delicious BBQ sauce in only 15 minutes!

    It’s Flavorful! There’s a reason this sauce is so popular, the pineapple adds just the right amount of sweetness for a BBQ sauce unlike any other!

    🥘 Ingredients

    This recipe requires a handful of simple ingredients you should be able to find at your local grocery store.  I often keep frozen ginger cubes on hand for recipes such as this!

    Image showing ingredients needed to make Hawaiian BBQ Sauce.
    • ⅓ cup Ketchup – Any ketchup will do.
    • ½ cup Light Brown Sugar - Pack the measuring cup to make sure you get the right amount. Dark brown sugar has twice the molasses as light sugar and would skew the taste, so light is preferred.
    • ¼ cup Soy Sauce – If you are worried about sodium you can use Low Sodium soy sauce.
    • ½ cup Pineapple Juice – This is ½ of one can of pineapple juice.
    • 2 tablespoons Mirin - Mirin is similar to Sake but with more sugar and less alcohol. In its place, you could also use a dry Sherry, rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice.
    • 1 ½ teaspoons Garlic – This is about 1 ½ cloves of garlic. If you are a garlic lover you can always throw in 2 cloves. They should be minced, or finely grated.
    • 1 tablespoon Ginger – The ginger should be grated. If using frozen ginger, you will need 1 cube.
    • 1 tablespoon Chili Paste – I use the Sambal Oelek brand.

    *Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*

    🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions

    This awesome sauce is ready in just 4 easy steps! This recipe will make 1 ½ cups BBQ sauce with 2 tablespoons per serving.

    Process photo 1 showing sauce ingredients in sauce pan.
    Process photo 2 showing sauce heating up in sauce pan.
    Process photo 3 showing sauce after cooking in sauce pan.
    1. Grate. Use a microplane to finely grate the garlic. If you do not have a microplane, mince the garlic very finely.
    2. Boil. Add all of the ingredients (⅓ cup ketchup, ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup soy sauce, ½ cup pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons mirin, 1 ½ teaspoons garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, and 1 tablespoon chili paste) to a saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
    3. Thicken. Stir the sauce frequently as it boils- it will begin to thicken. Once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon or your spatula, remove the saucepan from heat.
    4. Cool. Allow the sauce to cool slightly before serving. Allow the sauce to cool completely if you are going to store it for later use.

    I recommend using this as a marinade and sauce for some boneless country-style pork ribs, or you could keep it traditional and serve it up on some grilled or baked Huli Huli chicken! Enjoy!

    💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes

    • Keep marinating meat covered and chilled. When using this sauce, marinate meat for at least an hour but up to overnight.
    • It works in the slow cooker. If you plan on making crockpot chicken, you can pour in this sauce and it will cook all day. If you want the yummy, caramelized bits like from the grill, pop it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes (but keep a close eye).
    • Don’t walk away. Monitor and stir your sauce as it thickens or it may burn.
    • Turn and baste! If you’re going for that authentic Huli-Huli flavor, be sure to turn your meat while grilling and baste it with as much sauce as possible.

    🥡 Storing

    As mentioned above, allow the sauce to fully cool before storing. It can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

    I do not recommend freezing your homemade Hawaiian BBQ sauce.

    Tall image of Hawaiian bbq sauce in a small bowl with a spoon.

    🍶 Try Some of My Other DIY Sauces!


    • Sweet and Sour Sauce
    • Bloves Sauce
    • Teriyaki Sauce
    • Arrabbiata Sauce
    • Hibatchi Mustard Sauce

    ❓ FAQ

    Can I substitute the pineapple in this sauce?

    If you aren’t a fan of pineapple juice, or you’re allergic, you can substitute it for orange juice at a 1:1 ratio. It will change the flavor some, but it will still be delicious.

    Where can I find Mirin at the grocery store?

    Mirin is usually on the Asian foods aisle near the soy, tamari, and teriyaki sauces (as is the chili sauce).

    What do I do if my Hawaiian BBQ sauce gets too thick?

    If you over-boil your sauce and it reduces too much, you can thin it out by whisking in some broth!

    Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    📋 Recipe

    Square close up image of Hawaiian bbq sauce in a small bowl with a spoon.
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    5 from 54 reviews

    Hawaiian BBQ Sauce (Huli Huli Sauce)

    Huli-Huli sauce is a delicious Hawaiian BBQ sauce made with brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, and a few other key ingredients! This copycat teriyaki-style BBQ sauce is sweet, savory, and makes a perfect marinade for chicken!
    Author | Angela
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 57kcal
    Prep 5 minutes
    Cooking 10 minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes
    Pin Recipe Share on Facebook

    Ingredients
     

    • ⅓ cup ketchup
    • ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
    • ¼ cup soy sauce
    • ½ cup pineapple juice
    • 2 tablespoon mirin (or use a dry Sherry, rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice)
    • 1 ½ teaspoon garlic (finely minced or grated)
    • 1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
    • 1 tablespoon chili paste (I use Sambal Oelek brand)

    Instructions

    • For best results, grate your garlic and peeled ginger on a microplane so that you have a very fine consistency in your sauce. Alternatively, chop them both until they're very finely minced.
    • Bring a saucepan with all of the ingredients (ketchup, light brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, mirin, garlic, ginger, and chili paste) to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
      ⅓ cup ketchup, ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup soy sauce, ½ cup pineapple juice, 2 tablespoon mirin, 1 ½ teaspoon garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, 1 tablespoon chili paste
    • Stir frequently as the sauce boils and thickens. Once the sauce reaches the point where it clings to your spoon or spatula, or your desired thickness, remove it from heat.
    • Cool slightly before serving, or cool completely before storing.

    Equipment You May Need

    Cutting Board
    Grater Set
    Sauce Pan

    Notes

    • Yields 1 ½ cups of Hawaiian BBQ Sauce (calculated for 2 tablespoons each serving).
    • Keep stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to a week.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 57kcal (3%) | Carbohydrates: 14g (5%) | Protein: 1g (2%) | Fat: 1g (2%) | Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 355mg (15%) | Potassium: 65mg (2%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 12g (13%) | Vitamin A: 37IU (1%) | Vitamin C: 2mg (2%) | Calcium: 12mg (1%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
    Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!
    Hawaiian BBQ Sauce, Huli Huli Sauce
    Course BBQ, Condiments, Sauces
    Cuisine American, Hawaiian

    author profile photo
    Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com

    Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!

    bakeitwithlove.com/about/
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elisia says

      January 10, 2023 at 8:24 pm

      This was AMAZING! Will definitely make it again, probably do a double batch next time

      Reply
    2. Joycelyn says

      October 28, 2022 at 12:31 pm

      Odd, never seen this recipe made or purchased at times with no mango or tomato paste added instead of ketchup, a condiment I never buy.
      That said, your recipe looks to be quick to make when one is in a pinch for a quick sauce so will give yours a go swapping the ketchup and mirin for tomato paste and either my red or white rice vinegar plus an addition of mango.
      Many thanks for the recipe idea

      Reply
    3. Debbie K says

      June 14, 2022 at 12:31 pm

      I'm making hawiian BBQ pork. Can I cook the pork with this sauce on it while cooking?

      Reply
      • Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says

        June 15, 2022 at 10:06 am

        Sure thing! Treat it like you would in this chicken recipe: https://bakeitwithlove.com/baked-huli-huli-chicken/
        Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Sherika Holman says

      June 01, 2022 at 9:53 pm

      This blog makes me hungry; What is your top tip for bbq? Thanks

      Reply
      • Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says

        June 02, 2022 at 6:22 am

        My top tip for BBQ? When grilling, hold off on saucing your food until it's about done cooking. This way the sugars in the bbq sauce won't burn. 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi there, I'm Angela! I am an avid vintage cookbook collector, recipe creator, animal lover, and total foodie. I love sharing recipes that are new, fun, and creative as well as great classic recipes just like my Grandma used to make!

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