AIP BBQ Sauce (Tomato-Free, Nightshade-Free) with Pork Chops

If you’ve been searching for a true AIP BBQ sauce that’s completely tomato-free and nightshade-free, this is it. Instead of relying on ketchup, paprika or chiles, this sticky, sweet barbecue sauce builds its depth from ripe peaches and fresh ginger. The result is bold, glossy and layered, with just enough warmth to feel like late summer slipping into fall. In this recipe, the AIP BBQ sauce gets brushed generously over pork chops brined in coconut sugar and salt, then spooned over the top of the cooked chops as a glaze. Make this for grilling in a cast-iron pan or a grill pan.

How this AIP BBQ Sauce fits AIP and Paleo

This AIP BBQ sauce is fully compliant with AIP Core and AIP Modified, and it’s also Paleo-friendly. Traditional barbecue sauce relies on tomatoes and nightshade-based spices like paprika and chiles. This nightshade-free BBQ sauce replaces tomatoes with peaches, and fresh ginger provides warmth instead of pepper heat. Made with whole, minimally processed ingredients and no refined sugar, it’s designed specifically for anti-inflammatory eating and elimination-style protocols.

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My tried-and-true method for a juicy, tender pork chop is an 8-hour brine. A good brine is equal parts sugar and Kosher salt, and for this AIP-compliant brine, I’m using brown coconut sugar. (Blonde or golden coconut sugar works, too.) Heat two cups of water over low heat and stir in the sugar and salt until just dissolved. Throw in a few sprigs of fresh thyme and garlic cloves. As soon as everything is dissolved, remove the brine from the heat and cool it down with a few ice cubes. Or, refrigerate to cool, if you have time. Either way, you don’t want to pour a hot brine over the chops – room temperature is cool enough.

Nestle the chops snuggly into a small baking dish. Here, I have two pork chops cut at 1¼-inches thick. Pour the brine over until the pork chops are fully submerged. Make sure the garlic and the thyme also get tucked into the brine, then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Now, let’s make the AIP BBQ Sauce. Peel, pit and cube one pound of peaches. Peaches stand in for the typical tomato base in this nightshade-free BBQ sauce, plus sweet onion, apple cider vinegar, brown coconut sugar, sticky date syrup, coconut aminos, plus garlic and ginger, both for heat. This is an unfussy BBQ sauce… I just add everything into a medium-sized saucepan and bring it up to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer.

Once the sauce has simmered uncovered for around 30 minutes, blend it with an immersion blender or transfer it to a counter-top blender. If it’s still too thin after blending, let it gently simmer until it’s reduced. You’ll know it’s done when the sauce heavily coats the back of a spoon. Then, season it to taste.

How to Reverse Sear pork chops

Remove the pork chops from the brine and give them a pat dry. The brining process will season the inside of the chop and make it juicy and tender once it’s cooked. You’ll still want to season the outside with just a pinch of salt. Not nearly as much as you would have used if you hadn’t brined. Place them on a roasting rack and set the oven to 275°. We’re going to roast them low and slow first. This is called the Reverse Sear method, and it ensures that the chop will cook up to the right temperature in the oven gently. A meat thermometer is necessary to nail this method. For medium pork, target an internal temperature of 140°, since the chop will come up 5 to 10 degrees in the finishing sear and rest. Target 145° for medium-well.

Once they chops have reached the target temperature, remove them from the oven and baste with a bit of the peach bbq sauce on all sides. Then, sear the chops in a cast iron pan with a little olive oil or avocado oil until they are just caramelized.

Caramelization will happen very quickly — you’ll need only a minute or so for each side, since the sauce has quite a bit of sugar. But since the chops cooked fully in the oven, you’re only searing them to add a delicious layer of flavor with the sauce and that perfect browned exterior.

Remove them from the heat and let the chops rest for a few minutes. Spoon the bbq sauce over the top and serve.

With ripe peaches standing in for tomatoes and fresh ginger bringing warmth instead of pepper heat, this sauce delivers everything you expect from a classic barbecue sauce — glossy, balanced, and just bold enough to cut through rich grilled meats. Spoon it generously over pork chops, brush it onto chicken, or serve it alongside anything coming off the grill. Once you have a tomato-free, nightshade-free BBQ sauce that actually tastes this good, it becomes a staple.

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AIP BBQ Sauce (Tomato-Free, Nightshade-Free) with Pork Chops

5 from 1 vote

AIP BBQ sauce made without tomatoes or nightshade spices, using peaches and fresh ginger for natural sweetness and warmth. Refined sugar-free and perfect for pork chops and summer grilling.

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Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Pork Chop Time (with Brining):9 hours hrs

Servings: 3 cups

Author: Christina Marche

Ingredients

For the brine

• 2 cups water
• ⅓ cup brown coconut sugar
• ⅓ cup Kosher salt
• 2 large cloves of garlic
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• Ice cubes

For the BBQ sauce

• 1 lb peaches, peeled, pitted and cubed (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• 1 large clove of garlic
• ½ tsp fresh ginger
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup brown coconut sugar
• 2 tbsp date syrup
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos
• Kosher salt
• 2 1¼-inch thick bone-in pork chops
• Olive oil or avocado oil
• Kosher salt

Instructions

Make the brine

• Warm the water in a small saucepan over low heat and add the salt, coconut sugar, thyme and garlic.
• Stir until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved, then cool the brine with a few ice cubes.
• Place the pork chops in a small baking dish and pour the brine over until the chops are submerged. Nestle in the thyme and garlic.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least eight hours.

Make the BBQ sauce

• Combine the peaches, onion, garlic, ginger, apple cider vinegar, water, coconut sugar, date syrup and coconut aminos in a small saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit and onions are soft and the mixture has thickened.
• Blend until smooth and continue simmering, if necessary, until the sauce heavily coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt to taste.

Cook the pork chops

• Remove the pork chops from the brine, pat dry and season lightly with salt.
• Roast on a rack in a 275° oven until the internal temperature reaches 140° for medium or 145° for medium-well, about 25-30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and glaze the chops generously with the peach BBQ sauce.
• Heat olive oil or avocado oil in a cast-iron pan over high heat and sear the pork chops for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until caramelized.
• Remove to a platter and rest the chops for up to 10 minutes before slicing and serving with extra sauce on the side.

Notes

To double the recipe: Double the brine for four pork chops, but do not double the sauce. The recipe makes enough sauce for four chops. 

Course: Dressings and Sauces, Main Course

Cuisine: AIP, AIP Modified, Paleo