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Cranberry BBQ Sauce

ByMilisa
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Cranberry BBQ Sauce is a rich and tangy barbecue sauce perfect for smoked turkey, pork or chicken. A great addition to any Thanksgiving dinner made on the grill!

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Cranberry sauce is a must-have for holiday dinners and we are taking it to a whole new level of deliciousness by smoking the cranberries and adding lots of brown sugar and garlic for a sweet and tangy sauce that everyone is sure to love.

Cranberry BBQ Sauce closeup of spoonful with text overlay

Ingredients for Cranberry BBQ Sauce:

  • Fresh Cranberries
  • Apple Cider
  • Orange Juice
  • Brown Sugar
  • Granulated Garlic
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Kosher Salt & Pepper
  • Chli Flakes 

How to Make Cranberry BBQ Sauce:

Fresh cranberries on a grill pan

  • Place fresh cranberries on a grill pan and place over an indirect fire using hickory for smoke flavor.

fresh cranberries on a grill pan on a grill

  • Cook at about 300° with the grill closed for about 30 minutes or until cranberries are softened. This step is optional, but we loved the smoked flavor the cranberries picked up from the grill.

Smoked cranberries on a grill pan

  • Remove from grill.

Pan with apple cider, orange juice, brown sugar and cranberries

  • Pour smoked cranberries into a saucepan and combine with apple cider, orange juice and brown sugar.

pan of cranberry sauce with garlic, salt and pepper added

  • Bring mixture to a boil and lower heat to simmer.
  • Mix in garlic, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

Cranberry BBQ Sauce in a pan with chili flakes on top

  • Continue to cook until desired thickness is reached, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in chili flakes. 

Cranberry BBQ Sauce in a sauce pan with a spoon

  • Cool slightly.

Cranberry BBQ Sauce in a jar and small bowl with a spoon. All on a tray of fresh cranberries. Pine boughs in background

  • Pour into a jar, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

How Long Will It Last?

Cranberry BBQ Sauce should keep up to 3 months in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  If you are serving for Thanksgiving, it’s easy to make ahead and have one thing off of your list on cooking day.    

Overhead view of tray of fresh cranberries with jar of Cranberry BBQ Sauce and in a bowl with a spoon. Pine cones and boughs in background

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Closeup of Cranberry BBQ Sauce on a spoon, bowl and tray of cranberries in back ground

This Cranberry BBQ Sauce can totally take the place of your traditional cranberry sauce and let me tell you, it is about 1,000 times more flavorful than what you get from the can! I’ve never been a big fan of cranberry sauce until we made this garlic and brown sugar version and it’s so good for more than just Thanksgiving dinner!

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Cranberry BBQ sauce in mason jar, in small oval bowl with spoon on a tray with fresh cranberries
Print Recipe
4.54 from 13 votes

Cranberry BBQ Sauce

Cranberry BBQ Sauce is a rich and tangy barbecue sauce perfect for smoked turkey, pork or chicken. A great addition to any Thanksgiving dinner made on the grill!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Sauces
Cuisine: American
Servings: 3 cups
Calories: 26kcal
Author: Milisa

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 1 ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon chili flakes

Instructions

  • Place fresh cranberries on a grill pan and place over an indirect fire using hickory for smoke flavor.
  • Cook at about 300° with the grill closed for about 30 minutes or until cranberries are softened, optional. See note if you are not smoking the cranberries.
  • Pour smoked cranberries into a saucepan and combine with apple cider, orange juice and brown sugar.
  • Bring mixture to a boil and lower heat to simmer.
  • Mix in garlic, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
  • Continue to cook until desired thickness is reached, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in chili flakes. 
  • Pour into a jar, cover and refrigerate until ready to us

Notes

If you are not smoking the cranberries, cook them in the apple cider and orange juice mixture until softened, about 20 - 30 minutes.
Cranberry BBQ Sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 26kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Sodium: 47mg | Sugar: 6g

 

 

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8 Comments

  1. Yum! So excited to give this a try! My husband and daughter are going to love this recipe! Can’t wait! Looks so delicious and flavorful!

    Reply