- May 31, 2020
- Desserts
Sweet & Savory Smoked Strawberry Sauce
This simple and versatile homemade strawberry sauce on the grill, takes a classic delicious topping, over the top! By combining the classic sweet and tangy fresh strawberries with classic smoke flavors you can create a unique recipe for desserts and savory dishes alike.
Whether it’s the dead of summer or the middle of winter, fresh or frozen strawberries seems to always have a place in my house. Because strawberries are naturally lower carb, I often find them to be a great pairing for many meals or as a snack.
Smoke infusion is nothing new to me, as an avid BBQ I have done my fair share of smoked meats over the years. I have even made smoked ice! So, making a sweet and smokey low carb strawberry sauce topping seemed like a no-brainer.
This recipe pairs so well with a lot of keto recipes I already have here on my site. I love it with this rich keto marble pound cake and especially with this quick and easy no churn keto ice cream. What I really think is unique about this treat is it can go from being smeared on a almond flour biscuit but also pair with my crispy grilled chicken quarters.
The uses are endless and the ideas are solid. So, hopefully you’re convinced to take a classic recipe up a few notches! Below I will share ways to make this keto friendly for my low carb keto readers as well as some options for other sweeteners too. Let’s go make some sauce and some smiles…
“School” Supplies:
- Medium/ Large size pot
- Knife & Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups/ Spoons
- Spoon/ Spatula for Stirring
- Potato Masher or Food Processor (optional if desired)
“Class” Notes:
From classic strawberry and cake toppings, to breakfast pancakes, or even chicken and fish, this keto strawberry sauce recipe is a great way to take it tot he next level.
Though you can easily prepare the steps for this recipe all on your stove, I really loved the idea of infusing some classic smoke flavor into the dish by simmering this on the grill.
Here are some helpful tips and techniques to get you through this cook with ease and success:
Should I use fresh or frozen strawberries?
The answer here is simply, yes. Either fresh or frozen berries work in this recipe and may depend on a few factors for which one you choose. Fresh strawberries may be accessible year round in the store, but there is a time when they are in season. Typically, strawberries are at their best in late spring and early summer.
Deciding to make this when berries aren’t seasonal? Frozen is definitely the way to go. Often times, frozen strawberries are picked fresh during their growth season and flash frozen to lock in nutrients and flavor.
Either work with this recipe and you may have to alter cooking times for frozen berries. Ultimately, the outcome is the same!
What type of sweetener should I use?
I really wanted to approach this as a sugar free strawberry sauce recipe, and you can opt to remove it completely. However, because I am smoking this on the grill, I wanted a nice balance between the sweet and the smoke, so I opted to add some low carb brown sugar.
Regular granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup are all good substitutes here as well depending on your lifestyle and diet. I have even used my keto simple syrup for this recipe too when convenient.
How do I smoke the sauce on the grill?
For this recipe, I used my Big Green Egg. Preheat your grill to 225 F and set it for indirect heat. Your goal is to simmer and reduce your sauce all while infusing it with the smoke from the grill.
Use a lighter wood for this recipe. Anything too powerful (hickory or mesquite etc) are too strong for the berries. Stick to apple, pecan, or cherry wood for this cook.
Be sure to set whatever grill you have for indirect heat. Let it simmer and reduce down for about 30 minutes. The berries will become very soft and macerate. If you like thicker chunks in the sauce, feel free to add some diced raw strawberries in at the very end.
Let the sauce cool completely and it will thicken. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can make a small slurry of water and xanthan gum (or sub cornstarch). A small amount is all you need (measurements in the recipe below). Whisk it in at the end and allow it to thicken slightly as needed.
Optional add-in’s or substitutions:
It’s important to test taste your sauce at the end. Sometimes I opt to add a little more sweetener and stir in a small amount of vanilla to enhance the flavors. Here are some additional creative ways to switch this recipe up depending on what you want to pair it with are as follows:
- Orange Zest and Juice
- Balsamic vinegar
- Grand Marnier
- Mix into my Smoky BBQ Sauce recipe
Each of these add-in’s are a unique way to create variety within our main dishes or dessert recipes.
What recipes can I pair this with?
I love how amazing this sauce tastes on my Keto No Churn Ice cream (pictured above). But, here are some other great suggestions for pairing and using this sauce!
- Drizzle over this Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza
- Pair with this easy No Bake Keto Cheesecake
- Swap out this salsa and use on this Blackened BBQ Salmon
- Serve with these Keto Corn Muffins
- Top these Low Carb Chicken & Waffle Bites
Tell me how you use this sauce below or leave me a comment over on Instagram! Not ready to make this recipe but don’t want to loose it? Save it to your pinterest page and follow me so you don’t miss out on future recipes!
Bon Appeteach,
-L
Sweet & Savory Smoked Strawberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Strawberries fresh or frozen
- 1/2 Lemon juiced
- 1/2 Lemon Zested
- 1 Cup Sugar or Low Carb Sweetener
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1/4 tsp Xanthan gum or Cornstarch + 1 tbsp Water
- Additional sugar as needed
Instructions
- Prep your strawberries by removing the hull and slicing them in half or in quarters. Set aside 1/2 cup of the strawberries to stir in at the end (if desired).
- Add the strawberries, lemon juice, zest, sweetener, and salt to a pot and stir.
- Preheat your grill to 225 F and set it for indirect heat. Cook for 30 minutes and stir at the halfway mark. The strawberries should be simmering and breaking down. Stirring will continues to macerate them.
- Remove the strawberry sauce from the grill. In a small bowl, combine the xanthan gum or cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water and whisk until dissolved. Whisk it into the sauce and allow it to cool slightly until it is just warm.
- Stir in the vanilla and taste test to see if you desire additional sweetener. Transfer to a jar or container and store in the fridge for up to 7 days. Pour on your favorite keto ice cream, pound cake or chicken recipe!
Made this and put it on our ice cream, sooo good! Loved the recipe video too!
I’m going to make this recipe today. I live on my own, and when I buy a quart of strawberries it’s really hard to eat them all. It makes me very sad to watch them start to get yucky after a few days. This is a game changer!! I’m going to add a little onion to mine because I love them. Also I’ll use less sugar as a personal preference. And smoked paprika, since I don’t have a BBQ.🥴 Many thanks!!
I made this recipe with less sugar (actually, maple syrup) and a good splash of balsamic vinegar. I’ll be making more after a trip to my local farmers market! It’s strawberry season.😋 I’m going to make this for gifts because it’s just amazing! I guess I’ll freeze it in jars until a gifting opportunity comes along. My way to freeze jars with a liquid inside is to stand them upright and not screw the lids right down to avoid breakage. Once they’re frozen, I do them up properly.