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Apricot BBQ Sauce is easy to make, and with just a few simple ingredients, you’ll have a flavorful sauce that will impress guests at your next BBQ. It’s golden orange with flecks of red, and the depth of flavor is perfect for basting chicken, brushing over ribs, or drizzling on grilled salmon. Plus, it can be canned for later use, so you can enjoy that summer BBQ flavor all year round!
Apricots offer a delicate sweetness and a bit of tartness, making them an ideal choice for a BBQ sauce. When combined with ingredients like honey, cider vinegar, and a few spices, apricots help create a sauce that is rich in flavor yet balanced enough to go with just about anything.
I particularly love this sauce on grilled chicken, and it works wonderfully with pork as well.
Ingredients for Apricot BBQ Sauce
This recipe is adapted from The Ball Complete Book of Home Canning, which has a similar recipe for Peach BBQ Sauce. Generally, stone fruits can be substituted for each other in canning recipes. Ball actually specifically says you can get a richer flavor in their peach salsa canning recipe if you use apricots instead.
With apricots, this BBQ sauce comes out full of incredible flavor, and I think it’s much better than the peach version.
For a four-pint canner batch, you’ll need the following:
- 6 cups finely chopped, pitted apricots (unpeeled)
- 1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 large onion)
- 3 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1-1/4 cups honey
- 3/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp dried hot pepper flakes
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 2 tsp salt
The red pepper flakes give this BBQ sauce a bit of heat, just enough to make things interesting. If you want a really mild sauce, you can skip them, or increase the amount for a bit more spice. You’re always allowed to add reasonable amounts of extra dry spices to canning recipes, or reduce them to suit your tastes.
Don’t reduce the amount of vinegar in this recipe, as that’s added for preservation. The honey balances the tartness there. You can use less honey if you’d like a tangier sauce, but keep the vinegar the same.
How to Make Apricot BBQ Sauce
Start by preparing your canner, along with jars and lids.
In a large saucepan, combine the chopped apricots, onion, garlic, honey, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper flakes, dry mustard, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer. Stir frequently and allow the sauce to thicken to the consistency of a thin commercial BBQ sauce. This will take about 25 minutes. You can puree the sauce in batches using a food processor or an immersion blender if you prefer a smoother consistency, or leave it chunky for more texture.
Ladle the hot BBQ sauce into your hot jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace. Be sure to remove any air bubbles by gently tapping the jars on the counter or using a bubble remover tool. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean towel to remove any sauce residue.
Center the hot lids on the jars and screw on the metal bands until they’re fingertip tight. This will ensure the jars seal properly.
Canning Apricot BBQ Sauce
Now, it’s time to process the jars to ensure they seal and are preserved safely.
Water bath canning times are as follows:
- For 0 to 1,000 feet: process half pints for 15 minutes and pints for 20 minutes.
- For 1,001 to 3,000 feet: process half pints for 20 minutes and pints for 25 minutes.
- For 3,001 to 6,000 feet: process half pints for 25 minutes and pints for 30 minutes.
- For 6,001 and above: process half pints for 25 minutes and pints for 30 minutes.
If you’re using a water bath canner, make sure the jars are fully submerged in water and the water is at a rolling boil before starting the timer.
Once the processing time is complete, carefully remove the jars from the canner and let them cool on a clean towel. Allow them to cool for 12-24 hours. Once cooled, check the seals on the lids—if the center of the lid is pressed down and does not pop back when pressed, the jar has sealed properly.
Label the jars with the date, and store them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned and sealed jars will maintain peak quality on the pantry shelf for 12 to 18 months. Once opened, refrigerate and use within a few weeks.
Apricot BBQ Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups Apricots, finely chopped, pitted, unpeeled
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped, about 1 large onion
- 3 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
- 1-1/4 cup honey
- 3/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp dried hot pepper flakes
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Prepare canner and sterilize jars.
- In a large saucepan, combine apricots, onion, garlic, honey, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper flakes, mustard, and salt. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently for 25 minutes until the sauce thickens. Optionally, puree with a food processor or immersion blender.
- Ladle the hot sauce into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and wipe the rims clean.
- Seal jars with lids and process in a boiling water bath canner. Half pints are processed for 15 minutes and pints for 20, if below 1,000 feet in elevation. Adjust times for higher altitudes.
- Allow jars to cool completely, check seals, and store in a cool, dark place.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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