Black Cherry Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Put the cherry soda, cherries, cherry preserves, lemon juice, butter, sugar, cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons of the wine in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Put the remaining 1 tablespoon wine and the cornstarch in a small bowl and stir to form a slurry (thick paste). Whisk this paste into the cherry sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat to thicken, about 1 minute.

Taste for seasoning, adding more sugar or lemon juice to adjust the sweetness and salt and pepper to taste; the sauce should be highly seasoned. Serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 week. Let return to room temperature or warm over medium heat before serving.

Serve with Black Cherry Soda Chicken, if desired.

Yield: about 2 cups

• Black Cherry Soda Chicken Recipe

Recipe Source: Beer-Can Chicken by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing)
Reprinted with permission.