Plum Sauce (Authentic Chinese)
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Chinese plum sauce, also called duck sauce, is a smooth sweet and tart sauce infused with traditional Chinese spices and boasts a deliciously complex flavor profile that will mesmerize your taste buds! It’s wonderfully versatile as a dipping sauce, stir-fry sauce, basting sauce or glaze as well as simply tossed with noodles and drizzled on rice. This authentic plum sauce recipe is sure to become a favorite!
It is believed that the Chinese were the first to cultivate plums and plums have an important place in traditional Chinese culture. Even Confucius paid tribute to them in a poem wherein he likens their beauty to a loved one:
“The branches of the aspen plum
To and fro they sway
How can I not think of her?
But home is far away.”
What is Plum Sauce?
Another famous tribute to plums is a culinary one and it comes in the form of Plum Sauce. Or Duck Sauce. The terms are interchangeable and refer to the same thing: A highly popular, delicious, and versatile Chinese condiment you’ll find in any Chinese takeout or restaurant. And no, there’s no actual duck in it. But there are plums, spices, honey and other ingredients that make this traditional and authentic plum sauce recipe a real winner.
Now I have to tell you from the get-go, this isn’t the typical congealed and anemic cornstarch + sugar + vinegar + food coloring duck sauce that comes in ketchup-style packets or in squeeze bottles at your local Chinese takeout. This is the more authentic, home-style Chinese plum sauce that you’ll find in only the best Chinese restaurants with a far more complex (translated “amazingly delicious”) flavor profile. Multiple layers of flavor come together to create a truly sensational sauce that will dazzle your taste buds!
Plum Sauce Key Ingredients
A variety of Chinese spices are used including cinnamon, star anise, cloves, sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds. These give the duck sauce an incredible flavor profile. I’m also using an ingredient that is included in traditional Chinese plum sauce: Sweet potato. It contributes flavor, color, and a rich, smooth texture. Once you’ve gathered the spices and ingredients you need, this sauce is easy to prepare, makes enough to give some away or to can for long-term storage.
Which Plums Should I Use?
You can use any plums you have available for this sauce. Some variations of this sauce are even made with peaches, apricots or pineapple. You can also use traditional Chinese salted plums that come dried or in jars packed in brine. You can find them online or in Asian grocery stores but given their source and list of ingredients I do not recommend them. I am using and recommend fresh plums.
We happen to have three Italian plum trees on our property and making and canning enough plum sauce to last until the following plum harvest is one way I put our plums to good use. Plum lovers, be sure to also check out my Plum Butter, Plum Jam, French Almond Plum Cake, German Plum Cake (Zwetschgenkuchen), and homemade Fruit Leather!
Plum Sauce Recipe
Let’s get started!
Place all the ingredients except for the spice mixture in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender to puree until smooth (then return to pot).
Place the whole spices (skip if using store-bought five spice powder) in a small dry pan and toast over medium-high heat just until fragrant. Be careful not to scorch the spices or they will taste bitter. Let the spices cool and then place the whole spices in a piece of cheesecloth tied shut with string or in a tea sachet. Do the same if using store-bought ground five spice powder.
Place the spice packet in the pot with the plum sauce and continue to simmer uncovered for 25-45 minutes until the sauce is thickened to the desired consistency. Discard the spice packet. Let the sauce cool. Store in the fridge in an airtight non-reactive container. Will keep for up to 2 weeks.
How To Can Plum Sauce
You can easily make a double bath or more and can it so that you can enjoy this delicious plum sauce all year long! All you have to do to can this is ladle the hot plum sauce into sterilized jars, seal with the lids and process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and let sit undisturbed for 24 hours then check the seals.
Store the jars in a dark cool place where they will keep for at least a year.
Once opened, store the jars in the fridge where it will keep for up to 2 weeks.
How to Use It
This plum sauce is not only delicious, it’s wonderfully versatile. Here are just a few ways you can use it:
- As a dipping sauce for wontons, egg rolls, spring rolls, dumplings, etc.
- Serve as a finishing sauce with roasted duck (that’s where it got its nickname “duck sauce”), fish, shrimp, chicken and pork
- As a stir-fry sauce
- Tossed with noodles
- Drizzled on rice
- As a basting sauce for grilling meats, poultry and seafood
- As a glaze for baked poultry, pork and seafood
Enjoy!
For more phenomenal homemade Asian sauces try my:
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Yum Yum Sauce
- Eel Sauce
- Hoisin Sauce
- Black Bean Sauce
- Kecap Manis
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- Ponzu Sauce
- Char Siu Sauce
- Ginger Sauce
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Plum Sauce (Authentic Chinese)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds plums , pitted and chopped
- 1/2 cup diced Garnet yam (i.e., orange flesh)
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- For the Spice Mixture:
- 1 2-3 inch piece cinnamon stick
- 2 whole star anise
- 4 whole cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon sichuan peppercorns (NOT the same thing as black pepper)
- 1/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
- OR 1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice Powder (highly recommend using the spice mixture for the very best flavor, but can substitute five spice powder if needed)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients except for the spice mixture in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender to puree until smooth (then return to pot).
- Place the whole spices (skip if using store-bought five spice powder) in a small dry pan and toast over medium-high heat just until fragrant. Be careful not to scorch the spices or they will taste bitter. Let the spices cool and then place the whole spices in a piece of cheesecloth tied shut with string or in a tea sachet. Do the same if using store-bought ground five spice powder.
- Place the spice packet in the pot with the plum sauce and continue to simmer uncovered for 25-45 minutes until the sauce is thickened to the desired consistency. Discard the spice packet. Let the sauce cool. Store in the fridge in an airtight non-reactive container. Will keep for up to 2 weeks.
- CANNING INSTRUCTIONS: Ladle the hot plum sauce into sterilized jars, seal with the lids and process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and let sit undisturbed for 24 hours then check the seals. Will keep in a dark, cool place for at least a year.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet September 12, 2017
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
You mentioned “Among a variety of Chinese spices, we’re also using another ingredient that the Chinese traditionally included in their plum sauce – sweet potato – that contributes a rich color and smooth texture.” but I don’t see sweet potato listed in the ingredients. How do you you use sweet potato when making the plum sauce?
Hi Russ, it’s the Garnet yam. They’re called yams but aren’t actually yams at all, they’re sweet potatoes.
The second ingredient clearly states “diced garnet yam”.
This was divine with the egg rolls I made last night. Really yummy. Bookmarking this page for next year’s neighbor’s plum crop.
Thank you, Jeanne, I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
It is too late for me to change what I’ve done though it just occurred to me that an “authentic” Chinese sauce might be made with rice vinegar and I’m wondering if you experimented with that vinegar while creating this recipe or if anyone else here has?
Rive vinegar vs apple cider vinegar, anyone?
Hi Jess,
I made this recipe for the first time tonight. I’ve never made any plum sauce before. I didn’t have any cider vinegar so was going to use white. Then my son (he’s the Chinese cook in our family. I am decidedly NOT!) suggested I use the rice vinegar instead. So I did. As far as I know, it’s fine. I don’t think I’ve ever had plum sauce before. I prefer savory over sweet, thus I am not the best judge. I did try some on a cracker w/cream cheese, as suggested, in this thread, by Grayslady. It was nice.
I’d like to make a batch with Malt vinegar next. So, there’s an answer. No matter how vague! 😉
Oh! I was thinking…for the folks out there who like pineapple (sweet again!) and cloves on their baked ham, this plum sauce would be an excellent glaze instead of, or in addition to, that.
My thanks to Kimberly, I am going to go explore more of your gastronomic wizardry now!
Loving this sauce! I found the recipe while looking for ways to use up the gazillion Italian plums I have on my plum tree. I put it in pretty jelly jars to make a nice thank you gift, then made another double batch for Christmas gifts.Thank you!
Awesome, Paula, thanks so much!
A recipe this good can be called whatever you like. Absolutely gorgeous. Sue UK.
Thanks so much, Sue! :)
About to try this recipe now. Would like to know why you’d put the powdered Chinese Five Spice in a bag and not just add it to the mix (or maybe a little less of it). I get it with the separate ingredients – you don’t want the lumpy bits in the smooth sauce…
Hi David, it just makes it easier so you don’t have to fish out all those individual whole spices in the end. And the reason for using whole spices instead of ground spices is just aesthetics to prevent the sauce from getting murky brown and to retain the pleasant reddish color.
David, I just added the powdered Chinese 5 spice to the mix. No need to bag. If individual spices, yes but not powered. Turned out absolutely amazing.
Oh this was so tasty with large Italian plums. I had all the spices except Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds. I looked up substitutions…. black peppercorns and coriander seeds + caraway seeds. It turned out great! Smothered a sheet pan pork tenderloin on a bed of green beans/onion/sweet potatoes with the plum sauce. Gosh it was good. I’ve ordered the Sichuan peppercorns & fennel, so I can make it as written. Thank you for a great recipe to deal with a crazy amount of plums.
Fantastic, May, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thanks so much!
Exceptional! Glad I was able to find the yams. It makes the texture perfect. I used the Chinese spice option
I’m so glad, Marcia, thank you!