Easy Homemade Cherry BBQ Sauce + RECIPE VIDEO

This Easy Homemade Cherry BBQ Sauce is made with fresh or frozen cherries and goes perfectly with chicken or pork. Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge or freezer all summer long! Includes how to recipe video

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I know this seems a little ridiculous, but I think my love of fresh summer cherries really only started last summer. They’re so expensive, and they’re not that bountiful around here, so they’re something that we never had much of.

But since I started cooking and baking with (and eating!) them more and more, I’ve learned there’s really nothing like fresh cherries!

Looking for some recipe inspiration? Try this Berry Cherry Crisp (one of my all time favorites!) or this Black Forest Cake.

Last summer I decided to stock up on alllllll the summer fruit I could get my hands on and freeze it to enjoy all winter long. I usually do this with the strawberries I pick (hopefully from our own patch this year!), but this winter one of our freezers was 3/4 full of blueberries, cherries, strawberries, saskatoons and rhubarb (i.e., the Good Stuff).

Usually what happens then is I realize in May that I haven’t even eaten half of what I’ve saved and then end up quickly trying to use it. This was the case with this Cherry BBQ Sauce!

The nice thing is that I’ve been testing some awesome summer recipes in the last couple months using my stockpile, and this is just the beginning. I would love to hear what your favorite ways to eat cherries are! Do you add them to baking? Savory dishes? Sauces? Smoothies?

Let me know! I’m sure to save a pile more this summer. In fact, we might need to buy another freezer ?

See how easy it is to make!

https://youtu.be/HfacSEVmNW8

Serves

1.5-2 cups

adjust servings

Easy Homemade Cherry BBQ Sauce + RECIPE VIDEO

Cook Time
15 mins
2017-06-17T00:15:00+00:00Prep Time

Preparation
10 mins
2017-06-17T00:10:00+00:00Cook Time

Total Time

This Easy Homemade Cherry BBQ Sauce is made with fresh or frozen cherries and goes perfectly with chicken or pork. Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge or freezer all summer long! Includes how to recipe video

Ingredients

• 
  2
  
  cups fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pitted
• 
  2/3
  
  cup + 1 tablespoon water
• 
  1/2
  
  cup brown sugar
• 
  3
  
  tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 
  1
  
  tablespoon tomato paste
• 
  1
  
  teaspoon minced garlic
• 
  1/4
  
  teaspoon salt
• 
  1
  
  pinch red pepper flakes (1/4 tsp if you like it spicy!)
• 
  1
  
  tablespoon corn starch

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, combine cherries, ⅔ cup water, brown sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes.
2. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until cherries are soft and mixture is slightly reduced.
3. With an immersion blender (or in a food processor or a regular blender if you have one that handles hot liquids — be sure to check!), puree cherries in the pot. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove remaining skins if desired.
4. Return sauce to the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Combine 1 tablespoon water and corn starch. Whisk into the sauce gradually, thickening until desired consistency is reached.
5. Cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator up to 2-3 weeks.