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Home » Cherry Barbecue Sauce

Cherry Barbecue Sauce

June 27, 2017

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A deliciously flavorful and fruity barbecue sauce you can enjoy on your grilled meats, chicken, burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, and used in any recipe that calls for barbecue sauce!

cherry barbecue bbq steak sauce recipe cherries homemade condiment grilling

What would you do with 75 pounds of cherries?

That’s what I picked up this past weekend: Three 25 lb boxes of plump, luscious bing cherries.

I’ve been busy pitting and canning cherries in light syrup, making jam, making cherry dessert sauce, cherry crisp, fruit leather, and baking Cherry Almond Streusel Cake.

What are some of your favorite ways to use cherries?  Share with us by leaving a comment below!

With still more cherries left I wanted to try something savory.  How about a cherry barbecue sauce?  It sound great to me so I got to work experimenting with small quantities to get the ingredients and ratios right.

The end result:  A deliciously flavorful and fruity barbecue sauce you can enjoy on your grilled meats, chicken, burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, and used in any recipe that calls for barbecue sauce!

cherry barbecue bbq steak sauce recipe cherries homemade condiment grilling

The flavor of this cherry barbecue sauce gets better with time, so I recommend waiting at least 3 days before using it to allow the flavors some time to meld.

I’ve also included instructions for canning if you want to make a larger batch for long-term storage, which is what I’m doing (I still have 25 pounds of cherries left to process!)

cherry barbecue bbq steak sauce recipe cherries homemade condiment grilling

Let’s get started!

Heat the oil in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pan and cook the onions and garlic until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring it to a boil.

NOTE:  Alternatively, at this point you can place everything in a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours.  Once pureed in the blender, return the sauce to the slow cooker and continue to cook uncovered if the sauce needs thickening.

cherry barbecue bbq steak sauce recipe cherries homemade condiment grilling

Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

cherry barbecue bbq steak sauce recipe cherries homemade condiment grilling

Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth.

cherry barbecue bbq steak sauce recipe cherries homemade condiment grilling

Pour into airtight jars and store in the refrigerator.  Wait at least 3 days before using to allow the flavors to meld.  Will keep in the fridge for up to a month.

cherry barbecue bbq steak sauce recipe cherries homemade condiment grilling

If canning, pour the hot sauce into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

cherry barbecue bbq steak sauce recipe cherries homemade condiment grilling

Process in a water bath for 15 minutes then carefully remove and let the cans sit undisturbed for 24 hours before moving them to a cool place to store for up to a year.

Enjoy!

cherry barbecue bbq steak sauce recipe cherries homemade condiment grilling

cherry barbecue bbq steak sauce recipe cherries homemade condiment grilling

Cherry Barbecue Sauce

Kimberly Killebrew
A deliciously flavorful and fruity barbecue sauce you can enjoy on your grilled meats, chicken, burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, and used in any recipe that calls for barbecue sauce!
Print Recipe
4.67 from 9 votes
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Course condiment
Cuisine American

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 cups pitted cherries fresh or frozen/thawed
  • 1 cup plain tomato sauce
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 cup cane sugar, for low sugar alternative use sugar substitute, e.g. Swerve Sweetener, though if canning you'll need to confirm if it's suitable for that purpose)
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1-2 teaspoons liquid smoke optional

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot and cook the onions and garlic until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth.
  • Pour the sauce into non-reactive air-tight containers and store in the refrigerator. Wait at least 3 days before using to allow the flavors to meld. Will keep for up to a month.
  • If canning for long-term storage, pour the hot barbecue sauce into sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process in a water bath for 15 minutes. Remove and let the jars sit undisturbed for 24 hours before moving them to a cool place. Will keep for up to a year.

Notes

Slow Cooker Method: Alternatively, after cooking the onions and garlic you can place everything in a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Once pureed in the blender, return the sauce to the slow cooker and continue to cook uncovered if the sauce needs thickening. Cook until desired thickness is reached.
Keyword barbecue sauce
Tried this recipe? We'd love to see it!Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

 

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Filed Under: Affiliate, All Recipes, America, By Type of Dish, Canning & Preserving, Disclosure, Food, Gluten Free, North America, Sauces, Seasonings and Condiments Tagged With: barbecue sauce, bbq sauce, canning, cherries, condiments, preserving, sauce, summer, water bath

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48 Responses

  1. James R Warsh says

    August 14, 2020 at 7:58 am

    This is a three star rating because it is only the beginning of a great BBQ sauce. Something is missing that could or would send it over the top. This is where personal preference enters into finishing the sauce. My wife and I found it just OK for chicken but quite good on burgers, brats and smoked Boston Butt (without altering the recipe.) It needs your tweaking to achieve five star level.

    Reply
  2. Kat says

    June 17, 2020 at 8:57 pm

    What about swapping apple cider vinegar for balsamic?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 17, 2020 at 10:28 pm

      Hi Kat, yes that’s no problem. Happy cooking!

      Reply
  3. LORI says

    August 7, 2019 at 8:06 am

    Did you use sweet or sour cherry’s for this BBQ sauce?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 7, 2019 at 9:07 am

      Hi Lori, I used sweet cherries.

      Reply
  4. Vikki says

    July 28, 2019 at 5:21 pm

    Just finished canning 14 quarts of this with about 35 lbs of cherries. I omitted the salt and added a BBQ rub that I love. It’s perfect! Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 29, 2019 at 9:24 am

      Wonderful, Vikki, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

      Reply
  5. Eric J says

    March 31, 2019 at 8:59 am

    OMG.

    Best BBQ sauce ever! Thanks for sharing this recipe, Kimberly! The only change I made was I eliminated the sugar. Probably not something everyone would eat, but I encourage you to try it. It’s a very different experience.

    Awesome recipe!

    Thank you again.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 31, 2019 at 4:47 pm

      Awesome, Eric, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you! Next time I make a batch I’ll set some aside without the sugar.

      Reply
  6. Ailsa says

    December 11, 2018 at 5:04 pm

    Oh yummy yummy!how delicious is this bbq sauce. Had some on chicken mayo sandwich yummy. Its very spicy my husband loves it that way i am considering reducing the heat for the next batch …maybe…and upping the garlic i thought of reducing the sugar but in reality so little is used maybe it wouldnt matter

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 11, 2018 at 6:08 pm

      Fantastic, Ailsa, I’m so glad you both like it, thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  7. ricrocs says

    July 10, 2018 at 2:54 pm

    Well it’s cherry season again and time to make another batch! I just got 10lbs for $10.00 on sale here. It came out to about 25 cups pitted. I got everything in order now it’s time to get busy as I only have a few pints left from last summer.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 10, 2018 at 3:17 pm

      Fantastic, ricrocs! Awesome deal on the cherries. Getting ready to make another batch myself :) Have a terrific summer!

      Reply
      • Anonymous says

        August 2, 2018 at 4:30 pm

        Made about 2 gallons ,very tasty. And it really helps to have got a pitter this time as using a paring knife is the pits!

        Reply
  8. Nikki from Tikkido says

    December 6, 2017 at 12:27 pm

    The cherry BBQ sauce from American spoon Foods is one of my favorite things EVER! I can’t wait to try this so I don’t have to order it from Michigan!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      December 6, 2017 at 3:24 pm

      Hey Nikki, I haven’t tried that one but I hope you enjoy this recipe! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  9. RicRocs says

    August 22, 2017 at 3:46 pm

    Made this last week exactly as your recipe stated and it was delish! It was so good and cherries were on sale so I made a gallon more of it with a slight change, added a little pure maple syrup, a couple of different chili powders, as I like a little more kick. Canned it and passed some around to friends and they want more, so I now need to get some more cherries and get busy, good thing there’s still cherries around for a little while. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 22, 2017 at 6:42 pm

      Fantastic! I’m so glad it was a hit and YES, this sauce really makes a great gift. Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
      • Debbie says

        May 22, 2020 at 1:46 pm

        Can you change the fresh onion to dehydrated and still can in water bath? Or do I need to increase vinegar or add 1 Tbsp lemon juice to a pint or 2 Tbsp to quart? Can’t wait to try this recipe.

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          May 22, 2020 at 8:34 pm

          Hi Debbie, I’m honestly not sure if/how making that substitution would affect the pH level or safety factor for canning purposes.

          Reply
  10. Maritta says

    August 12, 2017 at 2:51 am

    Hi Kimberly, got the wild sour cherries and mixed them with some black cherries and few red plums and the BBQ sauce was so good!!! your recipe is a keeper and I am sorry that I found it at the end of the season… until next year, thank you

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 12, 2017 at 9:18 am

      Wonderful, Maritta, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

      Reply
  11. Maritta says

    July 30, 2017 at 7:15 am

    Hello Kimberly, thank you for an amazing recipe! I preserve black cherries, bing cherries and sour cherries together, I mix sour cherries with rum and sugar and leave them in the sun to make a drink and use them in my “BACHELOR’S JAM”!!! By accident I found your post while I was looking for a cherry and damson chutney and now I have an amazing BBQ sauce!!! even though the season is at an end, I might find some more to make another batch this week before we move to peaches, someone has promised me 2 kilos of wild sour cherries to mix with cherries, see if she comes through. The only thing I changed from your recipe when I tripled it is that I put in the pot 2 parts cherries and one part sour cherries. Like I said, amazing, thank you very much!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 30, 2017 at 6:12 pm

      Wonderful, Maritta, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

      Reply
  12. Celeste Bayer says

    July 27, 2017 at 7:57 pm

    Finger-licking good! I made a double batch, one to can and one to use over the next couple of weeks. Delicious, thank you!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 27, 2017 at 7:58 pm

      I’m so glad to hear that, Celeste, thank you!

      Reply
  13. Jessica | The Novice Chef says

    July 18, 2017 at 2:53 pm

    I’m craving this right now! Got some ribs that this would be amazing on!

    Reply
  14. Suzanne says

    July 9, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    I live in the sub-tropics and cherries aren’t one of our crops….sadly. I love cherries. Oh that my Mother-in-law was still alive and we were at her place in Germany. She had two large cherry trees in her backyard and they were the most delicious cherries I have ever tasted. I can’t even recall seeing frozen cherries in the supermarkets….must check that out. Even when the cherries are in season around Christmas time they are expensive as they come up from the southern parts of Australia. Maybe I could make a little bit one time. It sounds so good…..

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 9, 2017 at 10:07 pm

      Hi Suzanne, there are a number of other fruits I think would substitute very nicely in this – apricots, peaches, plums, blackberries, etc. In fact, I think I’m going to have to give some of those a try myself! :)

      Reply
      • Suzanne says

        July 9, 2017 at 10:21 pm

        Really? hummmm, well, now you have me thinking. Plums are cheap enough when in season. Blackberries, apricots and peaches are still quite expensive even when in season but I’ll have to give it a go with plums. It would be great with all our summer BBQs. Thanks Kimberly

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          July 9, 2017 at 10:41 pm

          I think plums would be a terrific choice, Suzanne. They pair well with savory ingredients. We have plum trees in our garden and one of the things I use them for is to make Asian plum sauce and it’s delicious. I’ll be posting that recipe this summer as well. Happy cooking and BBQ-ing! :)

          Reply
  15. Lara @ Tiny Quality Homes says

    July 8, 2017 at 4:22 am

    This bbq sauce looks amazing. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
  16. Cathy @ Lemon Tree Dwelling says

    July 5, 2017 at 1:45 pm

    I love a sweet bbq sauce! This looks amazing!

    Reply
  17. Adina says

    July 4, 2017 at 4:17 am

    Such a detailed post again, lovely! We have a huge cherry tree and most years more cherries than the entire neighborhood can eat. My favorite way of using them in large quantities is to make cherry butter or can them. However, this year there is not one cherry in the tree, this happens every 3-4 years or so… I will pin this delicious sauce for next year.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 4, 2017 at 9:25 am

      Cherry butter, now why didn’t I think of that?? I make apple butter, pear butter, peach butter and plum butter…I’ve got to add some cherry to the mix! Thanks for the idea, Adina! :)

      Reply
  18. Amy @ Two Healthy Kitchens says

    July 1, 2017 at 11:54 am

    I looove summery cherry recipes! Can’t believe you were able to go through 75 pounds … but I totally would everything you’re mentioned making! I love the idea of using cherries in a savory sauce – I bet they add such a unique zing!

    Reply
  19. Natalie Loftus says

    July 1, 2017 at 9:35 am

    Made this Wednesday and let it sit for 3 days. Just tried it – LOVE IT!! Will make a double batch next for canning.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 1, 2017 at 9:54 am

      Fantastic, Natalie, thank you!

      Reply
  20. Suev says

    June 30, 2017 at 10:51 am

    Canning cherries one of my favorites, maraschino, pie filling, brandied. Wish we could get them by the 25 pound box, must be a lot cheaper. I do a chocolate cherry barbeque sauce, but this one looks good. Those cherries look wonderful by the way.

    Reply
  21. Colleen says

    June 29, 2017 at 12:58 pm

    What a robust sauce! Cherries in any for are great! This sauce sounds delicious!

    Reply
  22. Kelly - A Side of Sweet says

    June 29, 2017 at 11:25 am

    Yum! Love the idea of combinging BBQ and cherry! So good!

    Reply
  23. eat good 4 life says

    June 29, 2017 at 8:29 am

    I could probably use this sauce for a multiple of recipes. I love cherries and now that they are in season it is perfect!

    Reply
  24. carrie @ frugal foodie mama says

    June 29, 2017 at 5:36 am

    I just love fruit in my BBQ sauces! And I love that this can be canned. :)

    Reply
  25. Jen says

    June 28, 2017 at 8:16 pm

    I love making cherry fruit leather with my cherries! But this looks like such a creative recipe. Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
  26. Dorothy Reinhold says

    June 28, 2017 at 5:53 pm

    I am a sucker for a sweet and spicy sauce. I’ve never thought of using cherries in a BBQ sauce! So creative!

    Reply
  27. Erin @ The Speckled Palate says

    June 28, 2017 at 2:38 pm

    75 POUNDS of cherries? Oh my WORD, that’s insane! And this barbecue sauce? Equally insane! Loving the tart-sweet cherry addition!

    Reply
  28. Kelly @ Nosh and Nourish says

    June 28, 2017 at 12:22 pm

    75 pounds?!?!? Oh my starzies. Would that even fit in the fridge?!? I love the sound and look of this bbq sauce. I bet it would be sooooooooo good on a yummy burger!

    Reply
  29. Sarah Bates says

    June 28, 2017 at 9:25 am

    This looks phenomenal! I love using fruit in savory dishes too and recently made a peach barbecue sauce that turned out amazing. I actually have cherries in my fridge right now and I’ve been wondering what to make. Cherry Barbecue Sauce it is!

    Reply

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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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The Daring Gourmet is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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