Duck sauce, is a type of condiment, which is distinguished by its translucent orange color and jelly like appearance. This sauce variant has a very long culinary association with the Chinese cuisine. It is used as an ingredient in several recipes or as a glaze in meat- based recipes. In many of the American – Chinese restaurants, duck sauce is served as a dip for deep-fried foods like spring rolls, chicken, duck, fish, and egg rolls. Sometimes this sauce is also teamed with cooked rice or noodles. The duck sauce is usually sold in plastic pouches with hot sauce, soy sauce, red chili powder, and mustard.

It is usually confused as a sauce prepared using some parts of ducks. There are no clear evidences regarding the origin of the name. This sauce is prepared using various ripe fruits or dry fruits and flavoring ingredients. Fruits like dried plums, dried apricots, and dried peaches are used in the preparation of this sauce. These fruits are combined with sugar, ginger and vinegar and processed. Plum sauce, Hoisin sauce are some of the popular variants of this sauce.  The sauce is known as apricot sauce or plum sauce due to the presence of plums or apricots in it. In some recipes this sauce is usually mentioned as plum sauce or apricot sauce.

The duck sauce produced in New England area is usually brown in color and is mainly prepared using apples.

Culinary Importance of Duck Sauce

Many culinary experts believe that this sauce derives its identity from its sweet and sour taste. Deep fried portions of fishes and meats are commonly served during Chinese meals and the eaters are supposed to  dunk their meats or fishes into some sweet and sour sauce like the duck sauce before eating. Eaters usually value the sweet –sour combination of this sauce and believe that its taste enhances the crunchiness of the fried batter or fried dishes. Duck sauce is considered a good addition for  fried rice or for fried vegetables and meats. It also serves as a great dipping for all hard and light fried foods.

This sauce has been used in many other cuisines apart from the Chinese cuisine for many culinary purposes:

• In many European cuisines this sweet and sour variant of sauce is used as a glaze for fowl dishes.

• It has been observed that chefs mostly dip chicken breasts in this sauce before baking.  

• The sauce is also considered good for grilling fish. Many chefs like to smear some portion of sauce on the fish before grilling it.

• The natural flavors of duck meat can be enhanced by the addition of this sauce during various phases of the cooking time. Little sauce is spread over the duck before baking and glazing is done for the second time before the duck is to be taken out of the oven. This helps to impart the sour and sweet flavor to duck juices.

• The sweet and sour sauce is used as a glaze  while barbecuing or baking the spare ribs. The flavors of spareribs are enhanced by adding the duck sauce during various phases of cooking stage. Flavors of grilled and baked pork chops are also enhanced using the duck sauce.

This sauce variant can be used for dressing all types of food ingredients involving meat or vegetable.

Duck Sauce Recipe – Preparation Overview

Various recipes are followed in the preparation of duck sauce.

In many of the Chinese homes the duck sauce is prepared using ingredients like apricot jam,  plum jam, garlic cloves, chili pepper, rice vinegar, ginger root, soy sauce and chili powder .

All these ingredients are added to a blender and processed into a fine paste. This paste is refrigerated for few hours before serving.

Popular Duck Sauce Variations 

• Plum Sauce – This is a light brown colored, sour and sweet condiment, which is usually used in the preparation of several deep fried, rice based or pasta based dishes. This sauce is prepared using the sweet plums or similar fruits. 

• Hoisin Sauce – It is a very popular Chinese dipping sauce which is prepared using ingredients like sweet potato, rice, wheat, soybeans, water, sugar, white distilled vinegar, salt, chili, garlic, and coloring agents. Sweet potato is the main ingredient used in the preparation of this sauce.

• Hoisin Duck Sauce- This sauce variant is created by combining the Hoisin sauce with water and dark seasame oil. 

• Sweet Chili Sauce – This is a popular variant of duck sauce from Malaysia and Thailand and it is also popular in Australia, United States and United Kingdom.  This variant of sauce is prepared by combining the hottest chili peppers with sweetening agents, garlic, salt, cilantro and lots of other spices. The flavors of the sauce are intensified by the addition of vinegar or sherry. This sauce variant can be used as a marinade in different foods.

• Apricot Sauce – This is the name associated with the sauce variant which is prepared using cooked, fresh, frozen apricot jam, apricots, apricot juice and apricot marmalade.This sauce is used for seasoning , and glazing and it also serves as an accompaniment to white meats like pork or chicken.