Though barbecue is my cooking passion, I'm not really much of a believer in barbecue sauce. When I make barbecue, I prefer to let the smoke do the talking, not the sauce. But this cherry-based sauce I concocted is pretty darn good — and pretty hot.
In a heavy saucepan, saute onion in oil until caramelized. Add cherry juice, vinegar, chipotle peppers two packages of dried cherries, garlic, paprika and pickled cherry peppers. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until chipotle peppers are completely softened, at least 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool. In a food processor, puree this mixture together with the remaining two packages of dried cherries, the tomato paste, roasted red peppers and cherry preserves until smooth.
Push puree through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan. Add sugar and salt to taste. Add whiskey. Return to stove and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for another 20 minutes or so. Adjust salt and sugar.
Cook’s Note
This sauce probably won't be as thick as most commercial barbecue sauces.
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This recipe was created by a contestant during a cooking competition. It has not been tested for home use.
Recipe courtesy of Doug Worgul, Lenexa, KS, for FoodNetwork.com's BBQ Sauce Championship Cook-Off
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