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amysrq

Plum Sauce - BBB or Topp?

amysrq
13 years ago

Has anyone made either one of these....or even both? Any preference between the two? Are they like Duck Sauce? What have you used them on?

Every recipe seems to leave the skins on. Somehow that seems counterintuitive.

I am using prune plums. Is that okay so long as the weights measure out? Oh, and I am out of light brown sugar. Do you think I can sub a mix of white and dark brown?

Thanks!

Comments (15)

  • Linda_Lou
    13 years ago

    If you mean the Asian plum sauce, then I have use the BBB one. It is good ! It is good to dip chicken strips in, for egg rolls, and things like that.
    It is not like the duck sauce I had before. I remember the duck sauce I had was yellowy in color, so maybe yellow plums would work for it.

  • digdirt2
    13 years ago

    Agree that it isn't duck sauce. Never used plums in duck sauce, just apricots, apples, and oranges. But the BBB Plum Sauce is a good dipping sauce or meat topping. We use it with meatloaf and pork.

    Dave

  • annie1992
    13 years ago

    I've made the BBB one and it's definitely not duck sauce, but it's good. Ashley loves it for dipping chicken nuggets.

    I didn't peel the plums and the skins just kind of seemed to blend in. Ashley mentioned that she liked it smoother, so I did a batch with the hand blender. Voila! It was smoother, LOL.

    Annie

  • amysrq
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks for the feedback. I guess I was wondering if one would use it like duck sauce. Should have been more clear. So, I suppose the answer is yes, since I would happily dip fried stuff in duck sauce. :-)

    What I made turned out pretty hot. I was surprised. Now, I need a recipe for chicken nuggets.

    If I can find more plums, I may make Topp's version and have a taste-off. I'll post back...

  • sharonann1
    13 years ago

    Are these sauces more like the plum sauce that you use for mu shu pork--the kind you eat with the thin pancakes/crepes?

    I had to google duck sauce-- I guess not something used in the local Chinese/American cuisine. Is duck sauce like a lighter version of sweet and sour sauce (which is always magenta colored here)?

    Sharon

  • gardensewer
    13 years ago

    My favorite plum sauce was in Leesa's thread. I don't know which it is closest to but it turned out great with just the right amount of "heat" for us. We use it to pour over pork loin to roast, or to simmer chicken breasts in or as dipping sauce. The changes are copied from the other thread, posted by suzyQ. I used the fresh ginger but I did use my fresh jalapenos.

    Plum Sauce

    4lbs plums
    2 cups brown sugar
    1 cup white sugar
    3/4 cup chopped onion
    2 tbls mustard seed
    2 tbls chopped green chili peppers (I used jalapeno)
    1 1/4x1 piece of fresh ginger (I used 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
    1 tbls salt
    1 clove mined garlic
    1 cup cider vinegar

    Pit & chop plums [don't peel], Combine remiaining ingredients in a large pot, bring to boil, reduce heat. Add plums, cook until thick and syrupy, about 1 1/2 hrs. Ladle hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust caps and process 20 minutes in a BWB.

    Yeild: about 4 pints.

    I adore this on egg rolls and chicken fingers (I don't even like chicken). I also like a bit of it mixed w/ balsamic vinager and over a salad.

    This reminds me I think it is time to get some plums for some more. Last fall's batch is close to gone. Only 2 jars left. Maybe I will make that up while I wait for the bushel of tomatoes to ripen a little before canning them.

  • Linda_Lou
    13 years ago

    Chicken strips are easy to make.
    Dip pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breast meat in flour, then in milk, then into Panko bread crumbs. Deep fry or pan fry in some oil.
    Good with the plum sauce.

  • amysrq
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Sharon, the sauce you eat with mu shu is Hoisin. This is more like a chutney, actually. At least that's what it reminds me of....kind of thick.

    Gardensewer, that is the exact recipe from BBB.

    Linda lou, thanks for the recipe. I love fried food, though we don't eat it much. I think my kid would love this.

    It's funny, the first time I ever saw Panko was at a Chinese grocery store. The bag was clear and the crumbs were infested with bugs. You could see them crawling around. Eeeeewww! I have never bought Panko as a result. I know King Arthur sells them. If anyone can make them good, it would be them. I need to place an order soon. I guess I'll throw that in my cart.

    We tried the plum sauce last night with meatloaf. It reminded me of the lingonberry sauce with meatballs at Ikea. :-) I think that plucking out the plum chunks and putting one atop a piece of cheddar on a cracker would make a nice snack. Then I can leave the saucy liquid for dipping springrolls or chicken nuggets in.

  • maryellen48130
    13 years ago

    Sorry - I'm really new to this and don't know how to reference the original recipes that are being referred to. I don't know how this compares but I thought I'd share this recipe I use for plum sauce. It's from a friend in New Zealand.

    5# plums
    2# sugar
    2 cups vinegar (I use a little less)
    2 tsp black pepper
    2 tsp ground mace
    6 tsp salt
    2 tsp ground ginger
    2 Tbsp ground cloves
    "handful of garlic"
    1 tsp cayenne
    2 medium onions chopped

    The recipe is much like the others from there, except to put the plums in whole counting them, then after it has cooked down to remove that number of stones. Then use a hand blender to make the sauce smoother, blending it all together.

  • amysrq
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Well, I am back to report on my experience with the two recipes. I have not let them "cure" for a while yet, but right out of the pot, I like the Topp sauce better. The BBB recipe is good, but less complex than Topp's. I also prefer the finely chopped plums, and could certainly do that if I were t make the BBB recipe again. But, I think I'll stick with Ellie...

  • gardengal19
    13 years ago

    Amysrq
    What does 'Topp' mean?

  • amysrq
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Elie Topp is the author of The Complete Book of Small Batch Preserving. She seems to have some approval here as a reliable source of safe canning recipes. IMO, the recipes are a notch more interesting/creative than those in the BBB.

    Here is a link that might be useful: here's the book

  • oliveoyl3
    11 years ago

    Excellent with any meat or as a spread with goat cheese on crackers. We keep a jar in the frig year round reusing a mayo lid once we remove the seal. I think we have just a few jars left. Thankfully, my son picked some plums again from where he mows. No one uses them except for other neighbors who shake the tree to then pick up the fallen fruit. We use a ladder to pick.

    We've used the recipe from Ball's Blue Book and can it though a friend just freezes it. Pints are for us & half pints for gifts.

    Red or green hot peppers are about the same in this recipe though the heat varies from year to year. Italian plums are the key to the flavor we like. Our daughter tried with Asian plums & she didn't like it.

  • ltilton
    11 years ago

    I've made the BBB version with both Asian plums and prune plums. Also in more hot and less hot versions. It's become a staple. I hope I don't run out over the next year because the pests eliminated my plum harvest.

  • tracydr
    11 years ago

    I have some plums I canned and don't like the texture. Can I use them for plum sauce?

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