Cherry Barbeque Sauce

Cherries make a great sauce for barbequed chicken

I love using cherries in barbeque sauces. Their sweetness combined with the slight tartness cherries offer,  adds that zing we look for in a barbeque sauce. This cherry BBQ sauce is a great example of that.

One problem with cherries in a recipe is the pits, literally…the pits. Yes, fresh cherries would undoubtedly make a great sauce, it’s just a bit on the tedious side to have to remove each and every pit.

This recipe uses cherry preserves. The small pieces of cherry are what makes this sauce special. It’s these pieces that serve up a bit of cherry infusion with each and every bite.

Give this recipe a try and you may decide it’s worth the effort to remove the pits from fresh cherries the next time they’re in season. Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper for a wild cherry or mild cherry barbecue sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 12-oz jar (1-cup) cherry preserves
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon non-iodized salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or per taste

Directions

1. In a sauce pan, add cherry preserves and vinegar. Simmer and stir until the cherry preserves have dissolved.
2. Add remaining ingredients and continue to cook an additional five minutes while stirring often.
3. Allow to cool to room temperature before using.
4. Because this sauce contains a high concentration of sugars, it will burn easily over an open flame. Apply to your meat only towards the final five minutes of the cooking time.
5. For additional flavor, mix 1/4 cup of the cherry barbecue sauce to 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar as a basting sauce. Baste meat a couple of times during the grilling process.