Traditional Sauces, Jellies and Condiments
These are the jars that finish a plate. Mint sauce for the lamb, apple sauce for the pork, cranberry sauce for the turkey, and three jellies that do rather more than sit beside the meat. All of them are made by hand in small batches in our Wiltshire kitchen, with no shortcuts taken on the simmer.
What is in the condiments collection
- Mint Sauce, 125g or 270g
- Mint Jelly, 125g or 270g
- Apple Sauce, 125g or 270g
- Cranberry Sauce, 125g or 270g
- Cranberry Sauce with a hint of port, 125g or 270g
- Redcurrant Jelly, 125g or 270g
- Quince Jelly, 270g
The 125g jars are useful for a single roast or a small household. The 270g jars make more sense if you cook a roast most weekends, or if you are feeding a table at Christmas.
Which condiment goes with which roast
The traditional pairings survive because they work. Fat and richness want acidity and sweetness alongside them, and each of these jars provides it in a slightly different way.
- Roast lamb: mint sauce for sharpness, mint jelly if you prefer something sweeter and glossier
- Roast pork, gammon and sausages: apple sauce
- Turkey, ham and chicken: cranberry sauce, or the port version for something deeper
- Venison, duck, goose and game: redcurrant jelly
- Cheese, particularly hard and sheep's milk cheeses: quince jelly
- Cold cuts and leftovers: any of the above, in a sandwich, the following day
Mint sauce or mint jelly
This is the question we get asked most often at markets. Mint sauce is sharp and loose, with the vinegar doing the work, so it cuts straight through fatty lamb and gives you that clean, bracing finish. Mint jelly is set, sweeter and milder, and it clings to the meat rather than running across the plate.
If you grew up with a Sunday roast and a jar of mint sauce on the table, stick with the sauce. If you are cooking for people who find mint sauce too vinegary, or you want something that looks neater on the plate, choose the jelly. Plenty of households keep both.
Cranberry sauce, with or without port
The plain cranberry sauce is the all-rounder. It has the tartness you want against turkey and ham, and it does not get in the way of everything else on a crowded Christmas plate. The version with a hint of port is richer and rounder, and it is the better jar for a cheeseboard, a venison supper or a pork pie.
Both are worth keeping past December. Cranberry sauce in a turkey sandwich is a national institution, and a spoonful with brie in a toastie, or beside a sausage roll, is one of the easiest upgrades in the kitchen. Our festive flavours sit in the Christmas collection if you are shopping for the season rather than the year.
Jellies are not only for the roast
A jar of jelly is a useful thing to have in the cupboard, because it melts into other dishes without needing a recipe.
- Stir a spoonful of redcurrant jelly into gravy or a pan sauce to round off the sharpness
- Warm quince or redcurrant jelly and brush it over pork, lamb or ham as a glaze
- Put quince jelly on the board with a hard sheep's cheese or a mature cheddar
- Add mint jelly to a lamb shepherd's pie or a batch of meatballs
- Spoon apple sauce alongside black pudding, pork chops or a sausage bap
If you are building a board rather than a roast, the jellies work alongside a chutney or relish, a jar of fruit for cheese and something crunchy from our pickles.
Sizes, storage and shelf life
Keep unopened jars somewhere cool and dark. Once a jar is open, refrigerate it and use a clean spoon each time. Timings vary by recipe, so follow the label rather than a rule of thumb. The 125g jars are handy here, because a sauce you use twice a year is better bought small than left half finished in the fridge door.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mint sauce and mint jelly?
Mint sauce is loose and vinegar-sharp, made to cut through fatty lamb. Mint jelly is set, sweeter and milder, and it sits on the meat instead of running.
What sauce goes with roast lamb?
Mint sauce is the classic. Mint jelly is the sweeter alternative, and redcurrant jelly works well if you are serving lamb with something rich.
Do you make cranberry sauce with port?
We do. It is a richer, rounder version of the plain sauce and it suits cheese, game and cold cuts as well as the Christmas plate.
Can I use redcurrant jelly in gravy?
Yes. Stir a spoonful into the pan at the end. It softens the acidity and adds a little body, which is particularly good with lamb and game.
Which jar size should I buy?
Take 125g for an occasional roast or a small household, and 270g if you cook a roast regularly or are catering for a full table.
Ready to order
Every jar here is made and filled by the same small team in Wiltshire, using traditional recipes and a proper open pan. If you are not sure where to start, our best sellers will tell you what everyone else keeps coming back for.
