If you're looking for a delicious and unique barbeque sauce recipe, try this Apricot BBQ Sauce.
The sweet and tangy flavor of apricot preserves pairs perfectly with the smoky flavor of barbecue, making it a great sauce for grilled meats, poultry, and even vegetables.
This Homemade Apricot Barbeque Sauce is great for Father's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, and all of your other summer cookouts. Use it to make the best BBQ chicken you have ever tasted.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This Apricot BBQ Sauce is an easy way to add flavor to your favorite grilled meats and vegetables.
- Making your own homemade sauce allows you to control the ingredients and adjust the sweetness and tanginess level to your preferences
- This quick and easy tangy sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for even longer storage.
Here are a few more sauces and jams you can use to liven up more dishes: Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup, Maple Bacon Onion Jam, Balsamic Strawberry Jam, Small Batch Blueberry Jam, Spinach Pesto, and Garden Vegetable Pasta Sauce.
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Recipe Ingredients
Ketchup: Ketchup is a pretty standard BBQ sauce base.
Apricot Preserves or Apricot Jam: You can also use fresh apricots. See the variations section below for instructions. I do not recommend using dried apricots.
Brown Sugar: I love the caramel flavor that the brown sugar adds but you could also substitute white sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a bit of spice and acid.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar helps to balance the sweetness from the apricot preserves and the brown sugar. If you don't have apple cider vinegar you could also use regular white distilled vinegar.
Worcestershire Sauce: If you are a vegetarian try using soy sauce or coconut aminos instead.
Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne pepper adds a bit of heat to the BBQ sauce. For a milder flavor omit the cayenne pepper for more spice increase the cayenne pepper.
Apricots: If you have an abundance of apricots they can be substituted for the apricot preserves.
If using fresh apricots rather than apricot preserves, halve and pit the apricots. Place the halved apricots in a small saucepan with two tablespoons of water. Simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Once the apricots have softened, use a food processor or immersion blender to puree the apricots until they reach a smooth consistency. Depending on the sweetness of your apricots you may need to add additional sweetener.
This recipe makes about 1 ½ cups of sauce, so you can easily double or triple the recipe if you're cooking for a crowd.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: In a medium saucepan, combine the ketchup, apricot preserves, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
Step 2: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Step 3: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens slightly.
Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Serving Suggestions
This apricot barbecue sauce recipe is a versatile sauce, simply brush it onto your meat, poultry, or vegetables during the last few minutes of cooking. It also tastes great when paired with this Smoked Cream Cheese.
Try brushing it onto some chicken thighs, pork chops, burgers, or this Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf, mixing it with some Shredded Smoked Pork Roast, or tossing it with these Smoked Chicken Wings.
You can also use it as a dipping sauce for these Sourdough Fried Chicken Tenders, these Chicken and Zucchini Fritters, or these Baked Sourdough Discard Chicken Fingers.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but the sauce will require a little more prep work.
To use fresh apricots, halve and pit the apricots. Place the halved apricots in a small saucepan with two tablespoons of water. Simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Once the apricots have softened, use a food processor or immersion blender to puree the apricots until they reach a smooth consistency. Depending on the sweetness of your apricots you may need to add additional sweetener.
Homemade BBQ sauce should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
For longer storage, place the airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three months.
To defrost: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
BBQ Sauce can be served warm or cold. Serving the sauce warm will prevent whatever you are serving with the sauce from cooling down more quickly.
Expert Tips
- Omit the cayenne pepper for a milder sauce Increase the cayenne pepper for a spicier sauce.
- The sauce will look thin at first but will thicken the longer it simmers and reduces.
- The sauce will also thicken even more as it cools.
- When measuring sticky ingredients like ketchup and preserves I prefer to weigh the ingredients using a kitchen scale or use one of these plunger measuring cups.
More Helpful Posts
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📖 Recipe
Homemade Apricot BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- storage container
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¾ cup apricot preserves 10oz jar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the 1 cup ketchup, ¾ cup apricot preserves , ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
- Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens slightly.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
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