Homemade Brown Sauce
Homemade brown sauce recipe with a rich, tangy flavour, inspired by classic HP-style sauce and made with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes or peeled tomatoes in sauce
- 1 apple peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 250 ml water
- 150 ml malt vinegar plus extra to taste
- 3 tbsp black treacle or coconut blossom syrup
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground allspice or 4–6 allspice berries
- 2-3 whole cloves or ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- ½ shot espresso optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the tomatoes, apple, onion, garlic and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apple and onion are soft.
- Remove from the heat and blend until smooth using a stick blender or countertop blender. If using whole spices later, they will need removing before the final blend or strain.
- Return the sauce to the pan. Stir in the malt vinegar, treacle or syrup, tamarind paste, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, ginger, allspice, cloves and mustard powder.
- Simmer gently, uncovered, for 25–40 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce darkens, thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Let a spoonful cool slightly before tasting. Add more vinegar for sharpness, a little more sweetener if too sharp, or a splash of water if the flavour is too intense. Stir in the espresso at the end if using, then simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Remove any whole spices. For a smoother finish, pass through a fine sieve. Cool completely, then transfer to a clean jar or bottle and refrigerate.
Notes
This brown sauce recipe is naturally dairy-free and can be vegan if you use a vegan Worcestershire sauce. It can also be gluten-free if you use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce and tamari instead of soy sauce. For a more traditional flavour, use black treacle instead of coconut blossom syrup. It gives the sauce a darker colour and a slightly bitter edge. For a fruitier version, replace the apple with a mix of apple and dried apricot, or add a few chopped dates for extra body and sweetness. If you do not have tamarind, use extra malt vinegar and a small spoon of brown sugar, though the flavour will be less deep. If the sauce tastes flat at the end, a small splash of vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or half a shot of espresso can help bring it back into balance. Store in a clean jar in the fridge for 2–3 weeks. Freeze in small portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then stir well and loosen with a splash of water or vinegar if needed.