Sweet Cherry Barbecue Sauce

by Melody Thacker, in Recipes (1 Comment)

This flavor-packed cherry barbecue sauce combines the natural sweetness of cherries and maple syrup with the welcoming warmth of ginger, cinnamon, and rosemary. This Instant Pot BBQ sauce goes well with pork and chicken.

Be sure to purchase sweet, dark or black cherries for this recipe. Because the smaller tart pie type cherries don’t taste the same. For best results, prepare this barbecue sauce one or two days in advance. You can enjoy it immediately, but this sauce really comes into its own when the flavors are given time to meld and fully develop.

We look forward to eating fresh sweet cherries in the early summer.  I think we’re fortunate to be able to pick and eat bing and van cherries right off the trees in our yard. I like to dehydrate cherries for snacking on all year long and they freeze well too. If you have extra cherries, wash, remove the stems and pit if desired. Place cherries on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Once frozen transfer the cherries to a sealed container or zip top bag. Store in the freezer until you plan to eat them. Eat while still frozen as a snack.  For this recipe partly thaw approximately 2 and 3/4 cups of sweet cherries.  If you didn’t pit the cherries before you froze them, pit them while they’re still partly frozen to reduce the mess.

Sweet Cherry Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Cherry Barbecue Sauce Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced or 2 teaspoons Watkins organic garlic granules
2½ cups fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pitted
1 10-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies, with liquid
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Watkins organic ginger
1½ teaspoons Watkins ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon Watkins organic paprika
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon Watkins organic rosemary
2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)
Watkins sea salt and Watkins black pepper, to taste

Cherry Barbecue Sauce Directions:

1. Add olive oil to the Instant Pot inner pot and select the “Sauté” function on the high-temperature setting. Add shallot and garlic and sauté until soft and slightly golden, approximately 3-4 minutes.
   
2. Turn Instant Pot off and add remaining ingredients starting with the cherries, including the liquid from the tomatoes and the liquid smoke if using. Do not stir. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. 
   
3. Cover with the lid and lock it into place. Make sure the valve is set to the “Sealing” position and set the “Manual” setting to high for 10 minutes. After a brief pause, the Instant Pot will automatically start building pressure.
   
4. When finished cooking, do a quick release (QR) of the pressure according to the manufacturer’s suggestions before unlocking and removing the lid.
   
5. Transfer the sauce to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.  Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days. 
   

Note: For a thicker sauce, return to the Instant Pot and bring to a low boil using the “Sauté” function set to high. Heat, stirring frequently until the excess liquid is reduced and the sauce reaches the desired consistency.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes + time to come to pressure
Serves 6-8

If you try this instant pot pressure cooker sweet cherry barbecue sauce let me know how you like it!