This Cherry BBQ Sauce is fantastic with chicken, pork, and a variety of other proteins! Cherry BBQ Sauce is sweet, thick and smoky. It’s so easy to make too!
If you have never made your own, homemade, Barbecue Sauce, you are in for a surprise! It is much easier than you imagine! In Upstate NY we are blessed with tons and tons of a variety of fresh fruits, grown locally! I am fairly sure I have made barbecue sauce with all of them! This Cherry BBQ Sauce is among my favorites!
I do love peach BBQ sauce too! I’ll show you that later in the summer! You can make this Cherry BBQ Sauce with either fresh or frozen cherries and it will not affect the flavor!
The hardest thing about this barbecue sauce is being patient enough to wait for it to thicken up! And then waiting for it to cool enough to sample!
We love this Cherry BBQ Sauce on smoked pork! You would honestly never know it has cherries in it! It is also fantastic on barbecued chicken! It is not overly sweet. Similar to Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey barbecue sauce for those of you who can find it.
Canning Cherry BBQ Sauce
This sauce can be canned. Follow proper canning techniques. Here is a link to my very first post where I explain the preocedure. This is a link to Ball’s Canning 101. Here is my favorite set of tools that saves me a ton of time when I’m canning!
Do yourself a favor, make your own BBQ Sauce and skip the preservatives in the store bought stuff. You’ll be glad you did! Hope you enjoyed the recipe today! Leave me a comment below! Thanks for stopping by and have fun cooking!
- 6 c cherries
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion, finely diced
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 7 cloves garlic
- 3 Tbsp molasses
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 2/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp pineapple juice
Pit cherries. Process cherries in food processor. Strain juice with a fine sieve to remove bits of skin. Set aside.
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
Sweat onions in oil until they are soft and very fragrant.
Add minced garlic and cook along for another few minutes until that is very fragrant.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan. Bring to a low boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 50 minutes.
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Lisa | Garlic & Zest
I love how thick and unctuous your sauce looks! Cherry has always been a favorite flavor for me and it just sounds perfect mixed into this flavorful sauce. I’ve got some chicken legs that need this sauce!
Binky
Your chicken legs will not be disappointed with this yummy sauce slathered on them! (Neither will you! 😉 ) Thanks, Lisa!
Michelle
This sounds delicious! I’ve made watermelon BBQ sauce before and just love it. Cherries are my favorite summer fruit– but did you forget to add the cherries to the recipe?
Binky
Oh my goodnees, I did! Thank you for pointing that out to Michelle! I’ve fixed it now!
Jenn peas and crayons
The sweetness from the cherries must be so completely fabulous here! Thanks for the creative recipe!
Binky
Yes, Jenn, the cherries add a special sweetnes to this sauce! Thanks for your comment!
Kristina
oh yay! we have a cherry tree and I am going to pick more today – now I know what I can make with them! this sounds fantastic.
Binky
Glad I could help, Kristina! Thank you for your comment!
Laura
Delicious Beth, from now on I will make my own BBQ sauce
Binky
Thank you, Laura! You won’t be disappointed!
Sarah at Champagne Tastes
Whyyyyy have I never made my own BBQ Sauce? Why?? And this sounds so delicious- I’ve got tons of cherries right now!
Binky
It is so easy, Sarah! You should really give it try! Thank you!
Dana Sandonato
I’m so with you when it comes to the “cooling” period. I can’t wait to sample! I feel like initially, making your own dressings and sauces is intimidating, but once you start and see how simple and tasty it is, one is left to wonder why the heck they waited so long! I love this recipe and love the use of cherries. I’ll be eagerly awaiting your use of peaches late summer, too 🙂
Binky
Oooh! I love the peach, too! It is gorgeous on chicken and pork! Thank you Dana! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland
Forget the chicken, just hand me a spoon, in fact, I could eat this over ice cream!!!
Binky
Haha! Ice cream might be a little weird, but I’ll hand you the spoon! Thanks, Sue! 🙂
Veena Azmanov
I love the sound of cherry in BBQ Sauce. So delish. Love the color and how thick the sauce is. Can’t wait to try this soon.
Binky
Thank you Veena! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post!
Mindy Fewless
I bet this tastes amazing!!
Binky
That it does! Thanks Mindy!
Monica | Nourish & Fete
This looks incredibly thick and delicious. I’ve never tried making my own BBQ sauce, but I think it’s about time to right that wrong!
Binky
You definitely won’t be disappointed, Monica!
Elaine
I’m a sucker for anything Cherry!! This BBQ sauce looks so temptingly tasty that I want to eat it by the spoonful. It looks so thick and perfect to slather on some ribs – ooooo, or chicken wings!!