Apricot sauce is a generic term for any sauce made primarily of fresh, cooked, or frozen apricots, apricot jam, apricot marmalade, or apricot juice. Typically, apricot-flavored sauces are used to glaze, season, or accompany white meats such as chicken or pork. Recipes may also compliment fresh fruits, cold salads, or desserts. Numerous recipes combine the sweet and tangy flavor of apricot with brown sugar, tomatoes, ginger, soy sauce, wine, or any number of spices such as tarragon or rosemary. Sauces may be sweet, sweet and tart, or sweet and spicy, depending on the exact recipe used and its intended purpose.
In the UK, apricot sauce is most commonly a favorite dessert topping often served hot atop fruit desserts like baked apple fritters. Traditionally, British apricot sauce is an apricot and ginger combination. Ginger, apricot marmalade, and red wine are slow simmered together over low heat to enhance the flavor of each. British apricot sauce is typically served hot and in a gravy boat on the side, allowing diners to add the apricot sauce to dessert as desired.
Pork tenderloin is a common main course dish served with apricot sauce. As a condiment, the fruity sauce can be poured over individual servings, or served on the side for dipping. Some cooks recommend baking the sauce directly onto the pork. Other recipes call for adding chicken broth to pan drippings, along with apricots and other ingredients to form a sauce. Likewise, fresh apricots can be cooked in orange juice until reduced to a thick, syrupy liquid that is then poured hot over pork.
Fruit dips are another popular incarnation of apricot sauce. Fresh apricots, apricot marmalade, sour cream, heavy whipped cream, and other ingredients are mixed together to form a creamy sauce. No cooking is recommended — this is to preserve the integrity of fresh apricots and ingredients such as sour cream. Served cold, this particular sauce is featured as a complimenting dip for fresh sliced fruits such as apple, strawberries, or orange wedges.
Many recipes for apricot sauce call for specifics such as fresh apricots or a particular apricot-flavored condiment such as jam or marmalade. Depending on the recipe, options for substituting various forms of apricot are possible. For example, fresh apricots for a chunky cooked apricot sauce can sometimes be replaced with canned or frozen apricots. Additionally, cooking with apricots to produce a thin syrup-like sauce can take less time when starting with apricot marmalade, rather than fresh apricots. A vast majority of recipes rely less on the form of apricot and more on the flavor.