Knockoff VH Cherry Sauce

Love it 😃 glad you’re enjoying these! Let’s make this into a proper canning recipe so you can have jars of cherry dipping sauce on hand just like VH.

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🍒 Knockoff VH Cherry Dipping Sauce for Canning

Yield

~4 half-pint (250 ml) jars

Ingredients

• 6 cups pitted cherries (fresh or frozen)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup ketchup
• ½ cup white vinegar (5% acidity)
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup lemon juice (bottled, for consistent acidity)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp water (optional, not for canning stage—see note below)

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Instructions

1. Prep jars & canner

   • Sterilize 4 half-pint jars and keep hot.
   • Prepare a boiling water bath canner.

2. Cook the base

   • In a large saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, water, and lemon juice.
   • Simmer over medium heat 10–12 minutes until cherries are soft.
   • Mash with a spoon or potato masher.

3. Blend & season

   • Add ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and onion powder.
   • Blend with immersion blender (or regular blender) until smooth.
   • Return to pot and bring back to a gentle simmer.

4. Adjust consistency

   • For canning safety, do not thicken with cornstarch now. The sauce will be thinner than VH’s.
   • You’ll thicken it after opening the jar (see note below).

5. Fill jars

   • Ladle hot sauce into jars, leaving ½-inch headspace.
   • Wipe rims, apply lids, and screw on bands fingertip-tight.

6. Process

   • Process in boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes (adjust for altitude if needed).
   • Remove and let jars cool 12–24 hours.

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To Serve (after opening)

• Pour sauce into a small saucepan.
• Bring to a simmer and stir in 1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tsp water slurry per 1 cup of sauce.
• Heat until glossy and thickened.

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✅ This method keeps the sauce safe for shelf storage, since starch thickeners aren’t recommended before canning (they can interfere with heat penetration). Thickening after opening gives you that exact VH texture.

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