Cherry

Cherry brings a deep, almost wine-like sweetness that plain sugar glazes cannot match — the natural tartness in the fruit balances the sugar so a cherry glaze reads as rich rather than cloying, and it lacquers to a proper ruby-red shine when it hits real heat. It has long been a partner to pork in particular, the two flavours built for each other on a smoker.

It works best brushed onto ribs and pulled pork in the closing minutes of a cook, or worked into a rub before the bark forms, so the fruit sugars caramelise alongside the meat rather than sitting on top of it raw and thin.

Start with Smokes Seasoning's Cherry Chipotle BBQ Rub for smoke and heat behind the fruit, Three Little Pigs BBQ's Touch of Cherry BBQ Sauce for a classic glaze, or Sinsque's Grunt Cherry Pork Rub if pork is the main event.

The genuine difference here is real fruit character over artificial cherry flavouring — the tartness and depth only come through when actual cherry, not a syrup, does the work on the plate.

A solid handful of products, every one built around pork's favourite fruit. Ruby glaze, real fruit, proper depth.

Explore more: our sweet and apple collections.