Your Czech taste buds will fall in love with this plum butter sauce! The warm sauce makes a perfect accompaniment to a slice of smoked or cooked meat. How about trying it with beef tongue and enjoying a wonderful combination of meat and pleasantly sweet sauce?
In the Czech Republic, much like in all of Central Europe, plum butter is widely used in cooking traditional dishes. Plum butter typically finds its use in sweet baking, as a filling for kolache pastries or buchty buns, but the inventiveness of Czech chefs transcends boundaries in gastronomy. Warm plum butter sauce pairs beautifully with the flavor of meat, and thus, it has found its way into many savory recipes.
Pronunciation: The Czech name for plum butter sauce is "švestková omáčka." I have recorded a short audio clip for you to listen to the authentic Czech pronunciation.
Ingredients for plum butter sauce
✅ You will find the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card below, which you can also print out.
The critical ingredient in this recipe is plum butter. In the Czech Republic, this sweet fruit delicacy is sold under the name "švestková povidla" and is readily available in all stores. However, its availability may be an issue abroad. I discussed this matter with the Czech community living in the USA, and the general consensus is that Czech povidla can be purchased here under the name "plum butter."
To prevent the sauce from being bland, it includes spices commonly used in Czech cuisine. I am talking about ground cinnamon, freshly grated lemon zest, and a dash of rum. Now, let's clear up any potential confusion: For us Czechs, when we say rum, we usually mean Božkov or Tuzemský, although these are not quite the same as traditional rum. Over in the USA, the closest match in terms of taste would likely be the Austrian brand Stroh, type 40 or 45. Alternatively, try Kirkland spiced rum from Costco.
Quick tips on plum butter sauce
- The sauce is always served warm, usually with a slice of smoked or boiled meat.
- This plum butter sauce is slightly thickened with roux, which means it will thicken overnight. To reheat it, add a tablespoon or two of water and stir it into the sauce when warmed up.
- Store any leftover sauce in the refrigerator and use it within five days.
Plum butter sauce (Czech Švestková omáčka)
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Ingredients
- 1 cup plum butter sweetened (Czech povidla)
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon spiced rum
- ½ cup beef broth or more
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Start with making roux. In a skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour and stir until combined and begins to bubble. This should take about 3-4 minutes.
- Add 1 cup plum butter and ½ cup beef broth. Stir and season with ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
- Finally, add 1 Tablespoon spiced rum and stir. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more broth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and sugar if needed.
Notes
- The basic recipe makes 4 portions.
- SERVING: To serve, pour a small ladleful onto the plate and spread it out. Place a slice of warm meat on top of the sauce. For a side dish, preferably add Czech bread dumplings.
- Put any remaining sauce in a sealable container and store it in the refrigerator. It will last for about five days here.
- Reheating: Heat the sauce in a small saucepan on the stove. If the sauce is too thick, stir in one to two tablespoons of water.
Nutritional estimate pro serving
More Czech sauces:
- Creamy dill sauce (Koprová)
- Sweet tomato gravy (Rajská)
- Horseradish sauce (Křenová)
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