Silvan Goddin 
Wild Persimmon Barbecue Sauce
After pressing our American persimmons through a sieve to get seed-free pulp for our persimmon pudding recipe, we were left with a seedy, sticky mess that we definitely knew we could get more usable material out of. This recipe was an easy way to deal with the goop as we could just add liquid and then strain everything out, with an added bonus that it turned out delicious! It’s also nice that because persimmons are so naturally sweet, we didn’t need to use any added sugar, making it a completely homegrown/gathered concoction. We used this sauce as a glaze for some venison ribs and it was one of our favorite meals of our living off the land challenge so far. It would also be delicious on greens, mac n’ cheese, tacos, or really anything that needs a hit of sweet tanginess and spice.
Ingredients
- 1 cup persimmon pulp
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp smoked chili powder
- 1 Tbsp tomato powder or tomato paste
- salt and ground spicebush sub black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine persimmon pulp and water in a saucepan over low heat and stir until well-combined and loose. You may need to add a little more or less water depending on the thickness of your pulp, but the goal is to get it thin enough to easily go through a sieve or strainer.
- Strain the sauce to get rid of any seeds or bits of skin but save the seeds to make persimmon tea/coffee (recipe to come, but here is a youtube video of how we make it). Return to the pan and heat to a low simmer.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cook over medium until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes, but the thickness is up to you! Pour into a jar or bottle and keep in the refrigerator, where it will last several weeks.
