Zesty Cherry Barbecue Sauce

Cherry barbecue sauce brings a sweet, tangy, slightly spicy twist to anything coming off the grill. Fresh cherries melt into a deep, velvety sauce that’s far from sugary, with just enough heat to keep it interesting. Slather it on ribs and watch it disappear.

The cherries don’t shout; they blend into the bolder flavors and add a smooth, meaty body to the sauce. A base of ketchup, vinegar, and Worcestershire gives it that familiar barbecue backbone. One pot and a little simmering time are all it takes.

Brush the sauce on at the very end of grilling so the sugars don’t scorch over the flames.

Why You’ll Love This Cherry Barbecue Sauce

• It strikes a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy without tipping into cloying.
• This homemade cherry BBQ sauce has a velvety body that clings to ribs and pork.
• The fresh cherries are a subtle secret ingredient that has everyone guessing.

Ingredient Notes

These are quick notes on the ingredients that carry the sauce. You’ll find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.

• Fresh cherries are the heart of the sauce, adding a velvety body and gentle fruitiness.
• Ketchup builds the tangy, familiar barbecue base.
• Apple cider vinegar brings the bright, tangy edge that cuts the sweetness.
• Shallots and garlic add savory depth.
• Red pepper flakes bring the slow, warming heat.

You’ll need a large, heavy pot to cook everything down slowly. A cherry pitter saves a lot of time and mess when you’re working through six cups of fruit, and an immersion blender lets you puree the sauce right in the pot.

How to Make Cherry Barbecue Sauce

This cherry barbecue sauce comes together in one pot with a little patience. You’ll soften the cherries, build the flavor, then blend it smooth.

1. In a large heavy pot over medium-high heat, cook the pitted cherries in butter with a couple pinches of salt for 5 minutes.
2. Lower the heat and add the shallots and garlic, cooking for 3 more minutes.
3. Stir in the ketchup, water, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, kosher salt, and red pepper flakes.
4. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring now and then.
5. Blend the sauce with an immersion or standing blender for a minute or so, leaving a few small chunks if you like.

This batch makes roughly 12 servings, and it doubles well if you want extra to give away. Made ahead, the sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week and the flavor only deepens overnight.

Storage Options

This homemade cherry BBQ sauce stores well, so make a big batch. Here’s how to keep it.

1. Fridge: store it in a sealed jar for up to 1 week.
2. Freezer: freeze it in airtight containers for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge.
3. Canning: process in sterilized jars if you want it shelf-stable for up to 1 year.

Variations & Substitutions

This sauce is easy to tweak to your taste. Try one of these ideas.

1. Use frozen cherries when fresh ones are out of season.
2. Add a chopped chipotle in adobo for a smoky, spicier kick.
3. Swap in honey or maple syrup for the brown sugar.
4. Stir in a splash of bourbon during the simmer for extra depth.

What to Serve with Cherry Barbecue Sauce

Cherry barbecue sauce shines on the grill, but it works in plenty of places. Here’s where to put it.

1. Slathered over baby back or spare ribs.
2. Brushed on grilled chicken, pork chops, or burgers.
3. Spooned onto a pulled pork sandwich.
4. For a fancier pairing, serve grilled meats alongside my seared sea scallops with citrus pesto for a surf-and-turf spread.

Before you pit those cherries, here are a few questions that come up often.

This sauce is a sweet, smoky reason to fire up the grill all summer long. If you’re rounding out a holiday spread, my coconut almond kugel makes a comforting side to keep in mind. Pit, simmer, and brush it on.

A Beautiful Bite

Zesty Cherry Barbecue Sauce

4.86 from 7 votes

A velvety cherry barbecue sauce with a bit of kick. The perfect sauce for pork, beef and even chicken.

Prep:15 minutes mins

Cook:40 minutes mins

Total:55 minutes mins

Servings:12 serving

Author:A Beautiful Bite

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Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 6 cups fresh cherries pitted
• ▢ 2 Tbsp butter
• ▢ 2 pinches salt
• ▢ 2 shallots minced
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 2 cups ketchup
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• ▢ 1 Tbsp mustard
• ▢ 1½ Tbsp Worcestershire
• ▢ ½ tsp dried red pepper flakes

Instructions 

• In a large heavy pot over medium-high heat, cook cherries in butter with the salt. Cook for five minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and add shallots and garlic. Cook for three more minutes.
• Add rest of sauce ingredients. Cook over low heat for a half of an hour. Using an immersion blender or free standing blender, process sauce for just a minute or so. It’s ok if it has a few chunks here and there,

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 69kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 0.6gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 5.1mgSodium: 651mgPotassium: 133mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 13250IUVitamin C: 1.7mgCalcium: 120mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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