Few sauces are more suited to a braai: not only does this barbecue sauce respond incredibly well to smoke and heat, but it is also extremely versatile. You can use it as a marinade, for basting, or simply as an accompaniment to a range of meats, from beef and chicken to pork. And with plums in season, you can give it a deliciously fruity twist.
BARBECUE PLUM SAUCE
COOKING AND PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES | MAKES: ABOUT 600 ML
500 g plums (please use ripe plums – the riper, the sweeter)
30 ml dark brown sugar
60 ml water
250 ml tomato juice
125 ml Worcestershire sauce
30 ml soya sauce
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
Remove the pips from the plums and cut into chunks before placing the fruit in a saucepan with the sugar and water. Bring to a boil and let simmer over a low heat until soft, stirring every now and then.
Spoon the sauce out of the saucepan and let it cool. Blend the plums until they become a soft purée, then combine with the rest of the ingredients.
USING PLUM SAUCE
To make sticky chicken, pour the sauce over your raw chicken pieces and let them marinade in the fridge for 1 – 2 hours. Before braaing them, cook the chicken pieces in the oven for about 20 minutes. Barbecue plum sauce also goes really well with lamb ribs or beef short ribs. And it’s absolute magic with pork spare ribs.