Cherry Cola BBQ Sauce

One of the great things about barbecue, and especially barbecue sauce, is that there are seemingly infinite different options. I love experimenting with different sauces and getting completely different flavors, all of which still count as “barbecue sauce.”

My latest creation is a cherry barbecue sauce, flavored with cherry cola and cherry preserves in addition to the usual suspects (like ketchup and apple cider vinegar). It combines sweet and a little heat, with a cool kick from the cherry flavor. Give it a try, and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

½ stick butter
1 cup ketchup
1 can cherry cola

3 tablespoons cherry preserves
½ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon each of the following: salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion salt, ground red pepper (add more or less depending on your taste)
2 TBSP lemon juice

Directions:

1.    Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
2.     Stir in all other ingredients.
3.    Simmer 30-40 minutes, until reduced. Enjoy!

Goes great with any of these grilling recipes!

Smoked BBQ Pork

Fall-off-the-bone Ribs

Beef Brisket

15-minute BBQ Pork

BBQ Beer Can Chicken

Be sure to try these other sauces to compare and find your favorite:

Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce

Carolina Style Mustard Sauce

Ketchup and Molasses Sauce

Mango BBQ Sauce

If you like this recipe, please be sure to click on the links below to share it! And don’t forget to follow @youcangrillthat on Twitter!   

Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce

This Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce has just the right amount of sweet and heat. The Dr. Pepper flavor (or should I say, the 23 Dr. Pepper flavors) shines through without being overpowering. It goes great with grilled ribs, chicken, pork, pretty much anything, and it’s really easy to make – no chopping, no blending, just combine a bunch of ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen and simmer. So give it a try!

Ingredients:

½ stick butter
1 cup ketchup
1 can Dr. Pepper
½ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon each of the following: salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 TBSP lemon juice

Directions:

1.    Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
2.     Stir in all other ingredients.
3.    Simmer 30-40 minutes, until reduced. Enjoy!

If you like this recipe, please be sure to click on the links below to share it! And don’t forget to follow @youcangrillthat on Twitter! 

Mango BBQ Sauce

Looking for a sauce that’s a little sweet, a little hot, and really tangy?  Take your taste buds on a tropical vacation with this recipe for mango barbecue sauce!

Goes great with chicken, ribs, or this recipe for pork shoulder smoked on the grill.

Ingredients:

¼ cup oil (canola or olive)
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 serrano pepper, chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 mango, chopped

Directions:

1.    Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat.
2.    Add onions, garlic, Serrano pepper.  Cook until onions are translucent.
3.    Add fennel seeds, cook one minute.
4.    Add all other ingredients except mango, cook four minutes.
5.    Pour into food processor with chopped mango and puree until smooth.
6.    Enjoy over BBQ pork, chicken, or ribs.

If you like this recipe, please be sure to click on the links below to share it! And don’t forget to follow @youcangrillthat on Twitter! 

Ketchup and Molasses BBQ Sauce

Everyone has their own idea of the perfect BBQ sauce.  I’m not here to weigh in on those regional and statewide debates.  But if you’re looking for a classic barbeque sauce, I think this fits the bill.  It’s ketchup and molasses-based, with apple cider vinegar and a host of other flavors.  Try it with this recipe for smoked pork shoulder on the grill, and even give it a taste test by comparing to this recipe for Carolina-style mustard-based sauce.

  
Ingredients:

¼ cup butter
1 medium onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup ketchup
¼ lemon juice
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup molasses
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1.    In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
2.    Add onion and garlic.  Cook 3-4 minutes, until onions are translucent. 
3.    Add all other ingredients.  Bring to a simmer. 
4.    Taste and adjust flavor to your preference.
5.    Cook down for about 20 minutes on low heat, stirring frequently.
6.    Remove from heat.  Serve immediately, or refrigerate and then reheat and serve when you’re ready.

If you like this recipe, please be sure to click on the links below to share it! And don’t forget to follow @youcangrillthat on Twitter! 

Carolina-Style Mustard-Based BBQ Sauce

From the Carolinas to Kansas (aka, the BBQ belt), everybody has their own preference on barbeque sauce, and where you’re from plays a huge factor in what you like.  Mustard-based sauces are typically associated with my home state of South Carolina, but in fact, this sweet-and-spicy treat isn’t the preferred sauce statewide.  It finds its home in Columbia, and it’s popular throughout the midlands and lowcountry.

Here’s my take, after a little trial and error, on Carolina-style, mustard-based sauce.  Try it with this recipe for smoked pork shoulder on the grill, and cook it alongside this ketchup-and-molasses-based sauce for a little regional taste test!

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter
1 cup mustard
½ cup loosely packed brown sugar
½ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon onion salt
 2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup honey

Directions:

1.    In saucepan over medium heat, melt better.
2.    Slowly stir in all other ingredients. Using a whisk is easiest.  Bring to a simmer.
3.    Give it a taste.  If you want it sweeter, add honey or brown sugar.  Hotter?  Add sauce or pepper.  Saltier?  Do I really have to tell you what to do?
4.    Let simmer for 3-4 minutes, remove from heat.
5.    Enjoy right away, or refrigerate and reheat when ready to serve.

If you like this recipe, please be sure to click on the links below to share it! And don’t forget to follow @youcangrillthat on Twitter! 

How to Make a Red Bell Pepper Sauce on the Grill

This red bell pepper sauce makes a great addition for grilled salmon, swordfish or just about any other seafood.  It’s similar to any roasted red pepper sauce, except that the peppers are, of course, grilled.  It’s a very simple recipe, and it really brings out the flavor of the red bell peppers (unlike some recipes that are heavy on cream or tomato).

Ingredients:

1 large red bell pepper
3 tablespoons butter or olive oil, plus extra olive oil for brushing onto pepper
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

1.    Arrange grill with coals all on one side.
2.    Cut the bell pepper into quarters.  Remove stem and all seeds.  Brush outer skin with olive oil.
3.    Place directly on grill, over direct heat, with skin-side down.
4.    Grill, covered, for about 8 minutes, or until blackened.

 
5.    Allow to cool completely, then carefully remove skin.
6.    Puree bell pepper in food processor until smooth.
7.    Melt butter (or heat olive oil) in cast iron pan over direct heat. Stir in pureed pepper and apple cider vinegar. 
8.    Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and then add salt and pepper to taste. 
9.    Move to other side of grill and cook over indirect heat an additional 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

Try it with this recipe for grilled swordfish steaks!

If you like this recipe, please be sure to click on the links below to share it! And don’t forget to follow @youcangrillthat on Twitter!