This Apricot BBQ Sauce is great for grilling, glazing, and dipping. Made with apricot preserves, tomato paste, and brown sugar, this easy fruit BBQ sauce recipe is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. Make a big batch in just 15 minutes and use it for all of your favorite summer recipes.
Are you tired of store-bought BBQ sauces that all taste the same? If so, it's time to try this homemade apricot BBQ sauce!
This delicious and easy-to-make sauce is a perfect addition to any grilled or smoked meats. The apricot preserves add a unique flavor to the fruit-based BBQ sauce that pairs well with all of your summer favorites.
Plus, homemade fruit barbecue sauces make wonderful gifts. Take some to your next summer potluck party to share with friends and family.
So, if you're ready to fire up the grill and get saucy with this easy apricot BBQ sauce recipe, keep reading to learn how to make it!
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What Are Apricot Preserves?
Apricot preserves are a sweet, slightly tangy spread made from apricots and sugar. They are often used as a topping for toast, bagels, or crackers or as a filling for pastries, cakes, or cookies.
The flavor of apricot preserves compliments the sweet and tangy flavor of barbecue sauce.
Apricot Preserves vs Apricot Jam
While apricot preserves and apricot jam may seem similar, there is a subtle difference between the two.
Apricot preserves are typically made with larger pieces of fruit and may be left chunky. On the other hand, apricot jam is often made with mashed fruit and has a smoother consistency.
Can I Use Fresh Apricots For This Recipe?
Fresh apricots can be difficult to find at the grocery store. But, if you happen to come across some fresh apricots and you want to use them to make apricot BBQ sauce, you certainly can.
You can either turn them into homemade apricot preserves or dice them and cook them directly into the barbecue sauce.
Just note that using fresh fruit to make this recipe may make it take a little longer than just 15 minutes. It also may require some adjustments to the other ingredients, such as brown sugar.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Sweet & Tangy- Apricots play well with the sweet and tangy characteristics of barbecue sauce because their flavor is sweet with a hint of sourness.
- Homemade- Making barbecue sauce from scratch means you get to control the ingredients that go into it. No artificial flavors or preservatives here.
- Ready in 15 Minutes- Homemade apricot barbecue sauce couldn't be easier to make. Just mix all of the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until thickened.
- Versatile- Use it to marinate meat, as a dipping sauce for fries, as a burger condiment, or as a sauce for pulled pork.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the key ingredients. For the full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Apricot Preserves- Apricot preserves can easily be found year-round at the grocery store with the rest of the jams and jellies. But, if you can, I highly recommend making your own apricot jam when apricots are in season.
- Tomato Paste- Instead of ketchup, I opted to use tomato paste in this recipe. The tomato paste lends a richer, tangier tomato flavor to the BBQ sauce.
- Brown Sugar- Along with the sweetness from the apricot preserves, brown sugar is used to balance the tanginess from some of the other ingredients.
- Apple Cider Vinegar- The acidic component of this apricot barbeque sauce, the flavor of apple cider vinegar plays nicely with the flavor of the apricot preserves.
- Worcestershire Sauce- Adds a salty, umami flavor to the barbecue sauce that helps balance the sweet and tangy flavors.
- Seasonings- A blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt gives this apricot preserves BBQ sauce a smoky, savory flavor.
Did you know? Fresh apricots are typically in season from May-July. If you see fresh apricots at your local grocery store, take advantage while you can. Then, preserve them by making homemade apricot jam.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few ways you can try customizing this apricot BBQ sauce recipe to fit your diet and taste preferences.
Substitutions
- Apricot Preserves- Use apricot jam or jelly interchangeably in this recipe. Or experiment with other jam flavors like grape jelly, strawberry apple jam, and blueberry jam.
- Tomato Paste- Swap tomato paste with ketchup, if preferred. However, you may want to reduce the sugar slightly if you do this.
- Brown Sugar- Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
- Apple Cider Vinegar- Use white vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice (in a pinch) to replace the apple cider vinegar.
- Worcestershire Sauce- Swap Worcestershire sauce with soy sauce, tamari, or liquid aminos if desired.
- Ground Mustard Powder- Replace 1 teaspoon of mustard powder with 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard or yellow mustard.
- Seasonings- Substitute the garlic and onion powder for the real thing, if preferred. Smoked paprika can be replaced with chipotle chili powder or a few teaspoons of smoky adobo sauce.
Variations
- Gluten-Free- Use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, tamari, or liquid aminos to make this apricot BBQ glaze gluten-free.
- Reduced Sugar- Reduce the brown sugar to ½ cup for a lower-sugar version of this recipe. Additionally, making your own apricot jam from scratch can help reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe as well.
- Spicy- Add a few teaspoons of hot sauce or increase the amount of cayenne pepper to give this barbecue sauce a little heat.
Equipment Notes
Here are some notes on any special equipment I used to make this recipe.
- Saucepan- A heavy-bottomed, stainless steel saucepan is my preferred saucepan. But, any saucepan you typically use will work well as long as it can hold about 3 cups of simmering liquid.
- Glass Jar- I store all of my homemade sauces in 16-ounce wide-mouth mason jars. Using a glass jar for food storage is great because it's reusable and non-toxic.
How to Make Apricot BBQ Sauce
Here is how to make homemade apricot BBQ sauce.
Step 1: Add all ingredients to a saucepan. In a small saucepan, whisk together all of the ingredients until well combined.
Step 2: Simmer to thicken. Set the saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the barbecue sauce for 10-15 minutes, whisking occasionally to prevent scorching, until your desired consistency is achieved. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken up as it cools.
Step 3: Use or store the sauce. Use the sauce right away or store it in the refrigerator to use later.
To store: Cool the sauce slightly before transferring it to a large glass jar. Label and date the jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Tips for Success
- Use homemade apricot preserves. Unfortunately, many brands of store-bought apricot preserves are made with high fructose corn syrup. So, if you can find fresh apricots in season, try making homemade apricot preserves.
- Taste and adjust. Everyone has different taste preferences. Some prefer sweeter sauces, while others enjoy a more tangy flavor. Taste the barbecue sauce before storing it to see if you want to add a little more sugar, salt, vinegar, or spices.
- Use a splatter screen. In my experience, splatter screens are helpful in preventing a mess when simmering thick sauces.
How to Scale This Apricot BBQ Sauce Recipe
This recipe makes approximately 3 cups of apricot barbecue sauce.
Depending on your needs, you may consider adjusting the amount of barbecue sauce you prepare. Try making a half batch if it's just for you or a double batch if you're hosting a backyard barbecue.
Luckily, this recipe is easy to adjust simply by using half or double the amount of each ingredient.
How to Use Apricot BBQ Sauce
Homemade apricot BBQ sauce pairs well with all of your summer favorites thanks to its sweet, tangy, and smoky flavors. It is a great multipurpose condiment that can be used for marinating, grilling, glazing, roasting, and dipping.
Brush apricot BBQ sauce onto meats, such as grilled chicken, pork chops, or steak. You can also spread it on vegetables or burgers during the last few minutes of cooking to add a flavorful glaze. Or use it as a dip for chicken tenders, broccoli cheese bites, or butternut squash fries.
Alternatively, mix it with chicken thighs or pork to make flavorful shredded BBQ tacos or used it as a condiment for sandwiches, pizzas, or calzones.
Storage
How to Store
- Room Temperature- If you're planning to leave some apricot BBQ sauce out at room temperature during a party or cookout, only keep it out for a maximum of 2 hours to prevent the growth of bacteria.
- Refrigerator- Store in a sealable glass jar or airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
- Freezer- Allow the sauce to cool completely, then freeze for up to 6 months. Consider freezing the barbecue sauce in small, usable portions for easier defrosting.
- Canning- Many people use the water bath canning method to can homemade barbecue sauce recipes due to their high acidity and sugar content. However, I have not tested canning this apricot BBQ sauce recipe.
Make Ahead
Since homemade barbecue sauce has a relatively long shelf-life due to the sugar and acid, you can easily prepare it up to 2 weeks ahead of time.
Frequently Asked Question
Yes, homemade barbecue sauce can be frozen for up to 6 months. Store barbecue sauce in small containers or ice cube trays for easier defrosting.
Apricot BBQ sauce consists of apricot preserves, tomato paste, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and other seasonings.
Apricots have a similar flavor to other stone fruits like peaches and nectarines. However, they tend to be less sweet and slightly more tart or sour than other types of stone fruits.
Apricots are typically more expensive and harder to find in grocery stores because they are more difficult for farmers to grow. They're also not as sweet as peaches so there is not as much consumer demand for them.
Most of the apricots in the United States are produced in California between May and July. Depending on where you live, you may be able to find fresh, local apricots as late as August.
Unfortunately, many household name brands use high fructose corn syrup to make their apricot preserves. However, Bonne Maman Apricot Preserves are made without the use of high fructose corn syrup.
Let's Connect!
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More Summer Recipes
📖 Recipe
Apricot BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- Large glass jar for storing
- Splatter screen optional
Ingredients
- 12 ounce jar (about 1 cup) apricot preserves
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- 6 ounce can (heaping ½ cup) tomato paste
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk together all of the ingredients until well combined.
- Set the saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the barbecue sauce for 10-15 minutes, whisking occasionally to prevent scorching, until your desired consistency is achieved. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken up as it cools.
- Use the sauce right away or store it in the refrigerator to use later. To store: Cool the sauce slightly before transferring it to a large glass jar. Label and date the jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
- Taste and adjust. Everyone has different taste preferences. Some prefer sweeter sauces, while others enjoy a more tangy flavor. Taste the barbecue sauce before storing it to see if you want to add a little more sugar, salt, vinegar, or spices.
- Quick Tip: Use a splatter screen to prevent the simmering sauce from splattering all over your stovetop.
- Storage: Store sauce in a glass jar or airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.
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