Using drippings in sauces


 

K Kruger

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Geoff U. asked for some techniques/suggestions for the use of drippings in sauces. Here are a few things I do.

First—A note on drippings: You can collect drippings during a cook by using a pan (or shaped foil) under your meat (make sure your grate is clean). You can also use the drippings that are rendered during the resting period. Carefully open your foil, remove the meat, and pour the juices into a container. If you want to collect during a cook, you’ll need to add some water or stock to the collection pan at the outset or you run the risk of the drippings drying out and burning; you’ll need to check on it periodically, adding more liquid as needed. Pan drippings of this type will usually be mostly fat, depending on what meat you’re cooking and at what temp you’re cooking it. This fat can be used as a replacement for some of the fat in your sauce. Not all cook-collected drippings work. You have to taste them when you remove the pan. Sometimes the smoke/rub combination doesn’t work with the drippings, even though the meat tastes perfect. And if there was poor combustion of the smokewood (though momentary), you might taste strong off-flavors that may not be noticeable on your meat. This is much less of an issue when using only the drippings from the rested meat. The suggestions below primarily use these rested meat juices; if I’ve collected fat drippings (and they’re suitable), I’ll mix some with unsalted butter or olive oil when I sauté vegetables for the sauce. Jim Langford had a good suggestion in another thread. He often finishes his butts in the oven, saves the flavorful fat, and, after it has cooled and firmed, uses it as a spread on toasted rolls. Sounds great to me.

As I’ve noted elsewhere, I often foil briskets at 160 adding some beef stock (or stock mixed with wine) to boost the quantity of drippings I’ll have after resting. Because—with brisket—I’m less concerned with bark texture after slicing than I am with other meats, this works for me. If you prefer not to do this you can simply use what is naturally rendered or, if you desire a greater amount, you can mix the rendered dripping with a stock of your choice. It’s sometimes helpful to mix one part drippings with two or three parts low-salt stock in a pot, bring to a simmer, then reduce by one-third or one-half, to concentrate and blend the flavors.

These techniques are ‘conventional’ in cooking, but not necessarily in barbecue. I like a lot of variety and often serve two, three, as many as six sauces at a time. I’m not going to list specific ingredient quantities here because 1) it doesn’t usually matter; 2) it depends on the quantity of sauce you’re making, which often varies; and 3) to save space. I’m also assuming a certain level of cooking and food knowledge, but if you want more specifics about anything please feel free to ask, either by posting here or by email (my address is in my profile). I’m assuming also that you’d use salt, pepper, and other spices as you wish, so I’m not including that. By all means, feel free to add your own comments, suggestions, and techniques. While you could use a meat or vegetable stock of your choice instead of the drippings, I really think adding drippings to your sauce—even purchased sauces—adds depth and ‘connects’ it better with your meat.



A very simple sauce that can stand alone or be used as a base, I did this last with a grill-roasted whole pork loin rubbed with herbes de Provence (no smokewood). It works with lots of rubs and with chicken, lamb, and brisket as well. Simply purée roasted garlic with your rendered juices; a few cloves with a little drippings or a whole head with more. I used a head with about 1 ½ cups last time. Leave as is or blend in a little cream (I use heavy) to smooth the flavors. Done. Delicious drizzled on the meat and on ash-roasted sweet or Idaho potatoes. Or to build a sauce from there; try adding puréed roasted tomato and/or toasted, then re-hydrated dried chilies (like Ancho and New Mexico), a little fresh Scotch bonnet pepper and, perhaps, a small splash of orange or pineapple juice.


I often make sweet (or somewhat sweet) sauces and sauce bases by using caramelized or roasted vegetables or fruits in place of some or all of the conventional sweeteners like sugar, honey, and molasses. Toss shallots with some fat drippings and/or olive oil and roast, adding a splash of balsamic during the last few minutes. Chop or mince and add to your sauce, or remove from the roasting pan, simmer in some of your rendered juices and purée the lot. Add to a sauce, use as is, or use as a base to build from.

Or, caramelize shallots or onions in fat drippings and/or olive oil or butter as the starting point for your next batch of homemade ketchup. In that vein: re-constitute dried apricots (or apricots mixed with some raisins) by simmering them in rendered juices (or juices mixed with water or stock, depending on how much you’re doing) till very soft. Purée then replace some, much, or all of the tomatoes in your homemade ketchup recipe—very good with beef—or build a barbecue sauce from there using the apricot or apricot/tomato ketchup as a new starting point, adding a bit or your rub, some vinegar and/or fruit juices, and something for heat if you wish.

A favorite with ribs or chicken when I’m in exotic-mode: Sauté some onions or shallots and a little garlic, again in fat drippings and/or olive oil or butter till soft or caramelized and add some fresh or dried thyme; stir in some rendered juices and reduce to concentrate the flavors a bit. Whisk in a cup or so of pomegranate molasses and heat. It will be rather thick at this point (good for a glaze). Thin with more rendered juices and maybe a splash of juice you used in the brine or while foiling (orange, pineapple, or another). Add a touch of honey if you want to lessen the tang of the molasses. I like to make this on the thin side as a dipping sauce for ribs, or a bit thicker to drizzle over chicken. It’s very good with jerked chicken or pork and it’s very good drizzled on grilled pineapple, which I serve as a side dish for ribs or chicken, or used as a bit of a binder in pineapple salsa which I serve frequently with ribs. On a recent rib foray I used Jim’s technique of foiling and adding pineapple juice. I added a bit of tamarind to the juice and also added a bit to the pomegranate sauce to which I’d added a little pineapple as well. I’ve always liked the combination of pineapple and tamarind and of pork and tamarind. I served the ribs with the pineapple salsa and sweet-potato studded basmati rice dusted with toasted pistachios. It was a delicious dinner.


Recently I did a smoked turkey cook based on a combo of my, Keri’s, and Chris’ approaches. Terrific turkey. One of the sauces was this: I sautéed some minced shallots and a little garlic with fresh thyme in a butter/oil combination till soft, then added a splash of the Chardonnay I was drinking and some of the juices from the resting turkey. I reduced the liquid a bit and swirled in some Dijon mustard. To that I added an entire large jar of drained Morello cherries in light syrup (along with a little of the syrup), and a pinch of rub. This simmered for a bit; then I puréed it. It was the consistency of mayonnaise. Very tasty with the apple-based brine and cherrywood-smoked turkey.


Or, sauté some onions in fat drippings and/or olive oil or butter till lightly browned, add a little garlic and cook till fragrant. Add some minced habanero (or other hot pepper of your choice) and a little mustard with a pinch of cumin. Pour in some Jack Daniel’s or brandy or cognac and ignite it; swirl the pan. Add some chopped fresh tomatoes and a pinch of sugar. (I sometimes add a re-hydrated chopped Ancho here). Add wine and some reserved juices that you collected. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat a bit; simmer till reduced and purée. Swirl in a little butter a little piece at a time, emulsifying well. I like this type of sauce with brisket and garlic mashed potatoes.
 

 

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