It's summer, and I have great use for fresh cherries for you. It's barbecue sauce, and it's delicious!
This recipe goes back to the summer of 2014, and I haven't made it since. I created this flavorful bbq sauce way back then, and I have no idea why it has taken me so long to revisit it. If you know anything about me, you know that I rarely make the same recipe twice. Yes, I have some tried and true standbys, but I feel there are so many recipes out there to discover or create that why should I continue to make the same things over and over again.
When cherries hit your grocery store or farmer's market, that is the time to make this delicious sauce. Perfect for ribs, chicken, shrimp, even salmon, this bbq sauce is very easy to make. You just need a little time, but it is worth the effort. It has a subtle cherry taste, and it's not too sweet.
After the sauce simmers, I like to strain out the pulp and skins from the cherries for a smooth sauce. You may even be able to put this in a food processor to puree everything together, but I have not tried it.
This sauce was for ribs I made in the oven. First, I season the ribs with a flavorful rub that I make. You can also get all sorts of rubs nowadays at the grocery store. Before I started making my own I used McCormick's Grill Mates Applewood Rub. It is amazing. It has the perfect balance of seasonings.
I place the seasoned ribs (top side up) on a foil-lined sheet pan, cover the ribs with foil, and cook them for two hours at 250°. Next, I flip the ribs over and cook covered for another 1 hour. Afterward, I turn ribs over again, and brush on the bbq sauce, cover, and increase the oven temperature to 300° and cook for 1 hour. Turn ribs and brush sauce on the other side. Cover ribs and cook for another 1 hour. For the last hour, I turn the ribs over and brush on more sauce (top side up) and cook the ribs uncovered. Then, I turn the broiler on, move the oven rack up, and broil until the sauce bubbles, and the top gets brown. It usually takes between 5 1/2 to 6 hours to make the ribs, depending on how meaty they are.
I hope you try this!
Until next time, friends! XO
Cherry BBQ Sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
1/2 cup grated red onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 generous cups of pitted cherries
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon, freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
In a medium-sized (I used a 3-quart pot with a lid) pot over medium-high heat, add oil. Cook onions for about 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook for another 2 minutes. Do not burn the garlic. Add pitted cherries and cook until they have collapsed and released their juices. You may have to reduce heat to medium as the cherries cook down. This will take about 45 minutes. While cherries are reducing, mash them down with the tip of a spatula to help break them down. If you missed any pits, they will come to the surface as you are stirring, and you can fish them out. Add the rest of the ingredients, and stir to combine well. Reduce the heat, and simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. Set a mesh strainer, over a large pot. Strain the bbq sauce, mashing down on the skins and pulp. Scrape the bottom of the strainer to get all the sauce into the bowl. The sauce is ready to use or cover and refrigerate for later.
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