This easy Apricot BBQ sauce is a perfect pantry staple to make yourself. It brings great sweet and smoky flavor to burgers, pulled pork, and other grilled meats.
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion
Add the tomato sauce, jam, chile powder, ginger, mustard, and cinnamon. Stir well and simmer on low for 25 minutes, mostly covered.
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce, ½ cup apricot jam or preserves, 2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For a smoother sauce, blend with an immersion blender until you have the texture you prefer.
Serve as a condiment or brushing sauce for your favorite meats.
To freeze, cool the sauce and pour it into small containers with lids. Chill completely and store in the freezer.
Notes
This recipe makes approximately 3 cups of sauce, about 48 tablespoons. Nutritional values are approximate and are based on 1 tablespoon.Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 4 days. Freeze for longer storage.One of the beauties of making homemade BBQ sauce is that you can taste and adjust the seasonings to create a sauce that's exactly how you like it.
For a tangier, more tart sauce, add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and worcestershire sauce.
For a thicker sauce, stir in a few tablespoons of tomato paste.
For a chunkier sauce, stir in 1 to 2 chopped fresh apricots before you cook it all down. Using fresh fruit (over jam) brings more moisture to the sauce, so you may have to cook it a bit longer.
For a sweeter sauce, stir in a few tablespoons of brown sugar.