Classic Cumberland Sauce Pairs Perfectly with Game Meats, Lamb, and Beef

The secret ingredient? Red currant jam

Cumberland sauce makes the ideal accompaniment to game meats and works equally well with lamb and beef, particularly this Smoked Meatloaf with Cream Cheese Stuffing. The sauce is a sweet, spicy, and sharp combination of red currant jelly, port wine, citrus, mustard, and a bit of cayenne pepper for zip. 

Our Pitmaster Club members post recipes in The Pitmaster Club forum, and occasionally we ask for permission to share the best recipes with the public. Here is an outstanding recipe from member Henrik

Classic Cumberland Sauce Recipe

2.69 from 19 votes

Rate this Recipe

Although Cumberland sauce was allegedly invented by the end of the 19th century in Hannover, Germany, it is widely recognized as a truly British condiment. This recipe got its name from the Duke of Cumberland and George IV. The classic sauce makes the ideal accompaniment to game meats and works equally well with lamb and beef. 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 1.5 cups

Course: Main Course, Sauces and Condiments, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, British, German

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x?

• 1 cup red currant jelly 
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallots 
• 1 tablespoon orange zest 
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest 
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger 
• 1 teaspoon English mustard 
• ½ cup port wine 
• 2 tablespoons orange juice 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice 
• 1 teaspoon Morton Coarse Kosher Salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Get Recipe Ingredients

Method

 

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

1. Cook. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the currant jelly. Add the shallots, orange and lemon zest and grated ginger to the jelly.
2. Whisk the mustard into the wine and add to the pan. Add the orange and lemon juices and simmer the sauce for 5 to 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
3. Season and keep warm. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Keep the sauce warm until ready to use.

Notes

About the red currant jelly. If you can’t find it, you can substitute grape, blueberry, or cherry, and perhaps 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice to up the acidity.

About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!