This Cherry Barbecue Sauce is tangy, fruity and so delicious. Made with fresh or frozen cherries and basic pantry ingredients. Try it on grilled or baked tofu.
This idea for this sauce came about after getting some cherries that were a bit soft and not the most flavorful. As it turns out, barbecue sauce is a great way to make use of subpar fruit and prevent waste. Cherries add a delicious fruity note to this savory sauce.
If you love cherries be sure to check out this spritzer for a refreshing drink or try my Cherry Chocolate Chip Brownies for a sweet treat.
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Ingredients
This sauce is made with many of the same ingredients in most barbecue sauces with the addition of one less than typical...cherries. You can use fresh or frozen cherries to make this sauce.
- dark sweet cherries
- ketchup
- brown sugar
- apple cider vinegar
- onion powder
- ground mustard
- hoisin
- oil
- garlic
- salt
- pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Smoky - add ½ teaspoon liquid smoke to give this sauce a smoky flavor
- Spicy - add a dash of cayenne for a bit of spice
How to make Cherry Barbecue Sauce
If you use fresh cherries for this recipe you will need to remove the pits. This can be done with a tool designed to remove the pits or by carefully cutting the fruit away from the seed. This will be the longest and most hands on part of making the sauce. From there the process is super simple.
Heat oil in a pot. Add pitted cherries and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until sauce has thickened. Blend for a smooth sauce, if desired.
Top Tip
If you use frozen cherries for this sauce let the fruit thaw and double check there are no pits. Machines are used to pit the fruit, but sometimes one or two are missed.
Equipment
To make this recipe you will need a small pot and measuring tools. You will only need a blender or immersion blender if you would like the sauce to be smooth. A cherry pitter is handy to remove pits from fresh cherries.
Storage
Store barbecue sauce in an airtight container in the fridge. Good for up to 2-3 weeks.
We haven't tried freezing the sauce.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think! Leave a review and rating in the comments below. This helps me continue to provide great recipes for you.
Recipe
Cherry Barbecue Sauce
Equipment
- immersion blender or blender optional
- cherry pitter optional
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 2 cups dark sweet cherries pitted and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- pinch of salt and pepper
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke optional
Instructions
- Hear oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add cherries and garlic, sauté for 1 minute.1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil, 2 cups dark sweet cherries, 2 garlic cloves
- Stir in remaining ingredients.1 cup ketchup, ½ cup light or dark brown sugar, 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, pinch of salt and pepper, ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes or until cherries are very tender and sauce has thickened.
- Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender to puree until smooth, if desired.
Notes
- If you use frozen cherries for this sauce let the fruit thaw and double check there are no pits. Machines are used to pit the fruit, but sometimes one or two are missed
- Spicy - add a dash of cayenne for a bit of spice.
- Smoky - add ½ teaspoon liquid smoke to give this sauce a smoky flavor.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!