Ingredients
Sauce ingredients

I have been making this sauce for years, it’s simple and tastes fabulous, much better than any of those commercial brands.  We use it all the time, as soon as we get down to the last bottle, I start another batch and the best bit is that there is no cooking involved, but you do need a bit of patience.

The ingredients are infinitely variable, so its easy to make it to your own taste.  However, here is basic recipe to get you started.

Ingredients

  • 250g Brown sugar
  • 2 apples (any type) peeled and cored
  • 3-4 tomatoes
  • 2 onions
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 bottle malt vinegar 575ml
  • 250g dates
  • 150g prunes
  • 1 tbl black peppercorns
  • 1 tbl salt
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 2 tbl balsamic vinegar or soy sauce
  • A grating of nutmeg

Method

Roughly chop the apples, onions, tomatoes, dates and prunes then mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container for 3-4 weeks in a cupboard.

Chopped
Chopped and ready for the cupboard

When the time is up, empty contents into a food processor and blend until it you have a smooth consistency.  Pour into sterilised bottles and it’s ready to eat.

Alternatively if you prefer a perfectly smooth sauce you can push it through a sieve before you bottle it but I don’t bother, life’s too short!

Makes approx 3 x 570ml bottles

The fruity brown sauce
The fruity brown sauce

I have made many variations which include anything that I have a glut of in the polytunnel, green tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers or gherkins.  I have also replaced the dates and prunes with dried figs, sultanas, raisins, currants or apricots and sometimes I add a bit of chilli.

To do the processing I use an old Kenwood smoothie-maker.  When it’s blended to my liking I just open up the tap at the bottom and drain straight into the sterilized bottles.

There’s nothing like a home reared bacon sandwich with your very own brown sauce!