“Plum Glaze BBQ Sauce”
by: Eric Sharpe MDF Contributor and Regional Director
Description:
If you like BBQ sauces that break the traditional mold of Kansas City, Memphis, or St Louis Style sauce then this recipe is for you! This is a sauce/glaze that is as wild as the game meat on your table. Made with wild plums from the Dakota prairies this sauce is built to delight both fancy dinner party guests and the reoccurring characters around your dinner table .
Ingredients:
2 pounds of Plums, seeds removed/ Skin on (wild if they are in season)
One cup light red wine such as Pinot Noir or Beaujolais (Gamay)
One, 2-inch piece of Fresh Ginger, skin removed and cut into thin slices (against the grain)
1 Tbs Black Pepper
½ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup Dark Molasses
¼ Cup Pomegranate Molasses (optional but adds great acidity!)
½ cup water
Cooking Instructions:
Combine ALL the ingredients for the Plum Glaze and bring to a slow simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once at a slow simmer, stir and reduce the liquid by 50%. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temp once reduced.
Use a blender or Vita Mix (these things are great!) https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/shop?cid=ppc-google-Brand&coupon=07-0063&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD_SOqvzfpV-NGSEjK5wUal69O7MY
Add the reduced plum sauce and puree until smooth. Remove and set aside until your meat of choice is ready to be sauced.
Wine pairing:
Wine Tip: Red Zinfandel from the Dry Creek area of Sonoma, CA is my go to for this BBQ. There is just enough smokiness to pair but still enough acidity to cut through the fat while the deep red fruit and lusciousness of zins from this area are enough to compete with such intense flavors because of the underlying hints of cinnamon and ginger in the BBQ.
As always, Good luck this fall everyone and remember to send any success pictures or stories from the field to Web@muledeer.org and you could be featured on our website or in our magazine. If this article or any of our articles have helped you become a better hunter or conservation steward, consider becoming a member of the mule deer foundation for only $35 dollars a year. Click here to join: https://muledeer.org/product-category/membership/
Eric Sharpe
Eric is the Mule Deer Foundation Regional Director for South Dakota and Nebraska. He is a Montana and Wyoming Hunting guide in the Fall and accomplished chef. Eric attended the Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park, and Graduated with Honors, as well as Culinary Institute of America, Greystone, before studying at Le Pont Rouge, Culinary Academy, Stage, in Le Mans France. Eric is also a certified Level II WSET Wine, WSET Certified Sommelier, WSET Level I Sake. A restauranteur with over 30 Years in the food and beverage industry in some of the country’s top Michelin star and James Beard winning restaurants. Private chef, seafood, wild game and culinary entrepreneur along with fine wine and beverage consulting and sales for over 20 years.
