Homemade barbecue sauce doesn't have to be complicated. You'll find this Cherry BBQ Sauce is the perfect sweet & savory addition to beef, pork, and chicken. (One of my favorite ways to serve cherry barbecue sauce is when Grilling Sirloin Steak Tips!)
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Summer is right around the corner and that means that we will get out of the kitchen and cook on the grill more often. I prefer it because it means we aren't heating up the kitchen and we get outside as a family.
It also gives me the opportunity to whip up a delicious homemade BBQ sauce recipe.
I know that making your own condiments and sauces can seem intimidating, but they really are easy to make. They're so much better than store-bought sauces too. I like making my own sauces because often store-bought varieties are crammed with extra sugar and "natural flavors" (what are natural flavors anyway?).
That's why I wanted to share my recipe for Cherry BBQ sauce with you today. It's simple to make, so flavorful, and once you have the basic recipe down you can play with your own flavor profiles!
🧂 Ingredients
- Onion
- Salted butter
- Fresh Garlic Cloves
- Fresh or frozen dark, sweet cherries
- Ketchup
- Brown Sugar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Ground mustard (dry mustard)
- Black Pepper
Equipment
EquipmentBe sure to check out my Juggling Act Mama Storefront on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of great products to make your life easier, including my favorite tools! Thanks so much for being a part of Juggling Act Mama ❤
- Cherry Pitter - optional but this makes pitting cherries so much easier.
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Measuring Spoons
- Cutting Board
- Santoku Knife
- Sauce Pan
- Whisk
🔪Instructions
This is meant to be a brief overview on how to make BBQ sauce from scratch. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below or Jump to Recipe.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat and then sauté the onion in it until tender.
- Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until cherries are tender and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions - and answers - about making cherry BBQ sauce at home:
You can use white sugar, but then you'll miss out on the molasses flavor that the brown sugar adds.
This sauce is delicious on beef, chicken and pork. Remember the sugar in the sauce will caramelize on the meat but take care not to burn it.
Instead of 1 cup ketchup, use the following mixture:
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon of honey or maple syrup
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of sweet paprika or smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
⭐ Tips
If fresh cherries are in season, grab a cherry pitter and get to work! The flavor will be brighter and fuller.
You can use a food processor or potato masher which will help break the cherries down quicker so you can make the sauce faster.
For a super smooth sauce (my preference), use an immersion blender to puree the cherry barbecue sauce.
📖 Variations
- Instead of butter, you can use olive oil to cook the onions.
- This is a mild BBQ sauce, if you would like it hot and spicy consider adding chipotle powder or adobo sauce.
- For a smokier version, use a tiny bit of liquid smoke. A little goes a long way so season and taste, then you can always add more.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
This homemade sauce is totally finger-licking amazing! You're going to want to put it on everything from pork spareribs to steak tips. It also makes a great dipping sauce for chicken tenders!
⏲️ Storage
Store your leftover Cherry BBQ Sauce in a mason jar with a lid tightly secured. It will keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
😋 Similar Recipes
If you love making your Homemade Condiments and Sauces, you have to check out these other tasty recipes:
📋 Cherry BBQ Sauce
Not ready to make your own BBQ sauce yet? Don’t forget to pin this tasty homemade cherry BBQ sauce recipe for later! When you do make it, please be sure to tag me on Instagram @jugglingactmama or #jugglingactmama – I’d love to see your pictures! And finally, if you get a chance, please comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!
Cherry BBQ Sauce
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Equipment
- Sauce Pan
- Cherry Pitter
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups fresh or frozen dark sweet cherries pitted and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup ketchup
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and then sauté the onion in it until tender.
- Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until cherries are tender and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Optional: for a super smooth sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the cherry barbecue sauce.
Notes
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon of honey or maple syrup
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of sweet paprika or smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder ⭐ Tips
- If fresh cherries are in season, grab a cherry pitter and get to work! The flavor will be brighter and fuller.
- You can use a food processor or potato masher which will help break the cherries down quicker so you can make the sauce faster.
- For a super smooth sauce (my preference), use an immersion blender to puree the cherry barbecue sauce.
- Instead of butter, you can use olive oil to cook the onions.
- This is a mild BBQ sauce, if you would like it hot and spicy consider adding chipotle powder or adobo sauce.
- For a smokier version, use a tiny bit of liquid smoke. A little goes a long way so season and taste, then you can always add more.
Nikki from Tikkido says
Oooh, I can't tell you how excited I am to try this recipe! I absolutely LOVE American Spoon Foods' cherry BBQ sauce, but since we moved to the UK, I haven't been able to get it. I think you've saved summer grilling season!
Ang Paris says
YAY I'm so glad! I hope you just love it!
SHELLY KANE says
Could I use canned dark sweet cherries?
Ang Paris says
I have not tried it with canned cherries, but if you do, please let me know how it comes out 🙂