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Sometimes you just need to up your summer BBQ game with a homemade Cherry BBQ Sauce that makes everything finger-licking good!
In our house, I am the grill master. I am sure my husband would be if I let him, but he's not the cook in the house. I'm also kind of a sauce snob because a bad sauce can ruin a dish really fast. That is especially true for BBQ. There are very few store-bought sauces I like which is why I love making my own. I love making sauces that use seasonal ingredients, and in the summer, that means I'm reaching for my husband's favorite cherries in my Homemade Cherry BBQ Sauce.
Haven't made your own BBQ sauce before?
This is the summer to do so! You've probably spent the last year in and out of quarantine and have likely been baking up a storm, and maybe you even jumped on the sourdough trend. All that was fine for being stuck inside, but it's summer, things are opening up again, and you probably want to be a bit more social now.
It's time to show off those kitchen skills you've been practicing these last few months with that sourdough loaf you've mastered and something fun outside on the grill.
This Cherry BBQ Sauce is
- Easy to make!
- Simple ingredients!
- It comes together in minutes!
- Easy to use on everything from chicken to pork or whatever you decide to grill up this summer!
Bringing the magic to life!
This sauce is one you'll want to add to everything made with simple ingredients.
- Cherries - Fresh or Frozen
- Sriracha Sauce - I use Steve's Paleo Goods.
- Tomato Paste
- Brown Sugar
- Molasses
- Dijon Mustard
- Coconut Aminios
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Water
- Onion Powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Paprika
How to Make Cherry BBQ Sauce
- Combine all of the ingredients into a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Allow the mixture to come to a low simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and let it go until the cherries start to fall apart.
- Using an immersion blender to blend the sauce or transfer the sauce to a blender and puree.
- If you removed the sauce from the pan, return it to the pan and stove and allow it to simmer on low until it thickens about 5-10 minutes.
Tips and Tricks
For this recipe it doesn't really matter. When I can get fresh cherries I tend to use them but I have also used frozen cherries and find the sauce to be just as delicious.
This is especially important if you are using fresh cherries. A simple cherry pitter will do the trick easily.
This sauce calls for a quarter of a cup of brown sugar and molasses but if you want it a bit sweeter you can up the brown sugar to a half of a cup or add in a bit of honey.
Add a bit of red pepper flakes or chipotle powder. I would start with about ¼ teaspoon unless you like things really hot.
Try my Blueberry BBQ Sauce that I love for wings.
Storing Homemade BBQ Sauce
I store any leftover cherry BBQ sauce in a glass jar or sealed container in my fridge for about a week. If I want to store it longer I will put it into a freezer safe container and store in the freezer. If frozen I warm it up in a small saucepan before serving to bring it back to together.
Serve and Enjoy
This cherry bbq sauce goes delicious on something as simple as grilled chicken, slathered over some of my bbq ribs, over something a little extra like my Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, and even a simple, fresh piece of grilled salmon. The possibilities are endless.
Homemade Sweet and Smokey Cherry BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ C Pitted Cherries fresh or frozen
- ½ C Sriracha Sauce I use Steve's Paleo Goods
- ½ C Tomato Paste
- ¼ C Brown Sugar
- ¼ C Molasses
- 1 TBS Dijon Mustard
- 2 TBS Coconut Aminos or gf Soy Sauce
- ¼ C Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ C Water skip if using frozen cherries
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 TSP Smoked Paprika
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients into a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Allow the mixture to come to a low simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and let it go until the cherries start to fall apart.
- Using an immersion blender to blend the sauce or transfer the sauce to a blender and puree.
- If you removed the sauce from the pan, return it to the pan and stove and allow it to simmer on low until it thickens about 5-10 minutes.
Let me know what you think or if you have any questions.