Stocks & Sauces

Cumberland Sauce Recipe – A Classic Fruity Condiment for Cold Meats

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Rich red Cumberland sauce served in a white gravy boat, ready for Christmas meats

As far as I’m concerned, Christmas isn’t complete without a good Cumberland sauce recipe. It’s a sharp, fruity classic that deserves its place on every festive table. Paired with my easy bread sauce and a rich gravy, it brings turkey, cockerel or ham into their own. The redcurrant, citrus and spice cut through all that indulgence perfectly. For me, it’s the North Star of Christmas cooking: small, bright and essential.

Ingredients

Method

  1. Carefully remove the rind from the oranges and lemon, trimming away any white pith. Discard the pith, then slice the peel into fine, hair-thin julienne strips.
  2. Place the citrus rind in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then drain. This step helps mellow any bitterness and removes wax from the peel.
  3. Juice the citrus fruits and strain through a sieve into the pan with the rind. Stir in the mustard powder.
  4. Finely slice the ginger to match the citrus, as thin as you can, and add to the pan along with the remaining ingredients.
  5. Bring to a brisk simmer and cook until the sauce has reduced to a consistency just looser than cough syrup. Allow to cool before serving.
  6. Cumberland sauce is particularly good with ham but also pairs well with turkey, cockerel or cold cuts.

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Valentine Warner is a chef, food writer, business owner and broadcaster, with a deep interest in nature, travel and provincial food. He describes his cooking style as ‘International Grandmother’ and combines his strong sense of storytelling with his infectious love of cookery. Val has a deep respect and understanding of ingredients, both wild and cultivated, and has the instinctive ability to rustle up hearty and wholesome meals from whatever’s available. Val is an avid proponent of native food sources, and finds common ground with Swaledale in their work to deliver top-notch meat, within a truthful, ethical and high welfare framework. Originally a trained portrait painter, Val has also authored 5 cookbooks, managed his own catering company and is a co-owner of Taqueria, a West London Mexican cafe. Val is also a partner in the Hepple Distillery in Northumberland and Holmen Lofoten hotel on arctic Norway’s Lofoten island.