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British

Homemade brown sauce

Vegetarian

A homemade take on Britain's tangy brown table sauce: dates, apple, tomato, tamarind and spices simmered in malt vinegar with dark sugar, then blended smooth.

Homemade brown sauce is a British condiment from United Kingdom, ready in about 1 hour 5 minutes and made with dates, tamarind paste and malt vinegar. It serves 24 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
50 min
Total
1 h 5 min
Serves
24
Level
Easy
Calories
41

Ingredients

24 servings (about 1 tbsp each)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put everything in a heavy saucepan (opens in a new tab) and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

  2. Step 2

    Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered and stirring now and then, until the fruit and onion (opens in a new tab) are completely soft and the liquid has reduced by about a third.

    • 40 min
    • low heat

  3. Step 3

    Blend until very smooth, then push through a sieve for a glossy finish. Return to the pan and simmer a few minutes more if it needs thickening — it should be pourable but thick.

  4. Step 4

    Pour while hot into sterilised jars or bottles, seal and cool. Let it mature a few days in the fridge before using.

    Food safety: Sterilise jars (hot soapy wash, then 10 minutes in a 140 °C oven) and fill while the sauce is hot; refrigerate once opened.

About this dish

Origin
United Kingdom · Commonly attributedBrown sauce is mostly known as a commercial bottled condiment; this is a home-kitchen version of the style.Also popular in IrelandMore food from United Kingdom
Dish
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner · Condiments, chutneys & relishes · Sauces
Cooking method
Simmered, Blended
Taste
tangy, sweet & sour, fruity, aromatic / warmly spiced
Diet
Vegan · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat
With the listed swaps: No gluten ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Batch cooking
Cook more with
Dates · Tamarind paste · Malt vinegar · Apple · Onion · Tomato paste
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Wet grinding · Reduction · Emulsification

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom malt vinegar

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

41 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 20 g · recipe makes 24

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 2%
  • Carbohydrate 98%
  • Fat 0%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy41 kcal203 kcal
Protein0.2 g1.2 g
Carbohydrate10.1 g50.4 g
Net carbohydrate9.4 g47 g
Sugars8.8 g43.8 g
Added sugars4.5 g22.6 g
Fibre0.7 g3.3 g
Fat0 g0.2 g
Saturated fat——
Trans fat——
Cholesterol——
Sodium101 mg504 mg
Salt equivalent0.3 g1.3 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
102 mg
Calcium
14 mg
Iron
0.3 mg
Magnesium
10 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
2 µg
Vitamin C
1 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
2 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Tamarind paste: Raw tamarind pulp (FDC 167763). Commercial concentrates vary in water content.
  • Malt vinegar: USDA SR Legacy has no malt vinegar; cider vinegar (FDC 173469) is a close stand-in for an unsweetened brewed vinegar.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • The flavour mellows and improves after a few days.

Common mistakes

  • Reducing it too far — it thickens considerably as it cools and sets almost solid in the fridge.

Serve with

  • Bacon or sausage sandwiches
  • A full breakfast
  • Pies and chips

Food safety

  • Homemade sauces are not shelf-stable unless properly preserved: keep refrigerated and discard if mould appears.

Storage

  • Keeps in sterilised, sealed bottles in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

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Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 1

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