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Pontack, an Elderberry Sauce

Close up of ripe elderberries.
Photo by Hank Shaw

I’d never heard of pontack until I read about it in the excellent book The River Cottage Preserves Handbook, which is by one of Britain’s master preservers, Pam Corbin. When I began researching this vinegary elderberry sauce, it seems to be an ancient British recipe, dating back at least a few centuries.

Close up of ripe elderberries.
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Pontack, an Elderberry Sauce

The sauce, which mellows with age -- it can age for many years -- is a spicy, zingy, fruity foil for simple meats, whether they were grilled or boiled or anything else. Pontack is always associated with wild game, too, which is good; we eat a lot of that around here. You can use fresh or dried elderberries, which are ripe all over the country between July and October, depending on where you live.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time4 hrs 30 mins
Total Time4 hrs 45 mins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: British
Servings: 20
Calories: 63kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds fresh elderberries, or 12 ounces dried
  • 4 cups cider vinegar
  • 1 pound shallots, minced
  • 10 allspice berries
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Take all the elderberries off the stems; the stems are slightly toxic, and you don't want to eat them. A couple are OK, but do your best to remove them all. Take your time, and if you are skilled, you can destem 2 pounds in less than 30 minutes.
  • Put the elderberries into a covered casserole or other oven-proof dish with the vinegar and cook at 250°F for 4 to 6 hours. Your house will smell like fruity vinegar during this time, which isn't such a bad thing.
  • Pour the cooked liquid through a strainer (to catch all the berries) and into a large bowl. Let the cooked berries cool enough to handle, then, with your clean hands, press as much juice as you can from the berries and into the bowl. You might need to do this in batches.
  • Discard the spent berries.
  • Pour the sauce into a pot and add the remaining ingredients. Simmer gently for 25 minutes. Strain one more time to remove the spices.
  • Return it to the pot and bring it to a boil; let it boil for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, get very clean Mason jars or other containers and clean lids, corks or whatever. This sauce is primarily vinegar, so you really don't have to worry too much about it going bad, but you still want clean things to put your pontack in.
  • Pour the hot pontack into your containers and seal. Let cool and put in your pantry. Should last at least 7 years. Really. It does.

Nutrition

Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 251mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 278IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments

  1. Avatar for SkipSkip says

    February 16, 2023 at 7:29 am

    Has this ever been tried with other than elderberries? I wonder how it would work with mulberries or even blueberries? The flavors would be different, and mulberries are hard to fined, but the days that I made wine, they really added a great flavor to the grapes.

    Reply
  2. Avatar for NicolaNicola says

    October 3, 2022 at 5:57 pm

    Slow cooker for 6 hours works well if you’re worried about the cost of leaving your oven on over night. Also, we’d stored our berries in the freezer for about two years. Were slightly worried about a funky smell they gave off when defrosted but once cooked as per the River Cottage recipe, it smells and tastes delicious. I imagine with a year it two maturing it will be heavenly 🙂

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Steve EngelhardtSteve Engelhardt says

    August 25, 2021 at 11:12 am

    Just made my first batch of Pontack and can’t wait to try it on my last antelope roast from last year. I knew there was a reason I saved that one! The Pontack smells and tastes wonderful!

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Andy DomekAndy Domek says

    September 16, 2018 at 8:20 pm

    Update: it was fantastic!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Steve EngelhardtSteve Engelhardt says

      September 9, 2021 at 7:05 am

      How exactly do I use this sauce? I have found many recipes on how to make it, but not how to use it. Do I just drizzle it on top or make a sauce? Thanks for the help.

      Reply
      • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

        September 9, 2021 at 7:40 am

        Steve: I almost always use it as a steak sauce for venison or duck.

  5. Avatar for Andy DomekAndy Domek says

    September 16, 2018 at 4:36 pm

    Opening up a jar of your pontack that I put up in 2010. I’ll use it on a gifted piece of elk steak. It was the only jar I kept for myself so I don’t know how it turned out. I’m excited

    Reply
  6. Avatar for Tim HorvathTim Horvath says

    August 28, 2018 at 8:43 pm

    I just strained off a batch made from 2 lbs of fresh berries. My yield is just shy of 1.75 liters. I did the initial cook in a Nu Wave oven set for 275 degrees F for 4 hours. That gadget was just made for projects like this.

    Reply
  7. Avatar for Mike WelchMike Welch says

    August 18, 2018 at 10:04 am

    I can vouch for the delicious flavour of elderberry sauce. I still have a bottle, made for me to a similar recipe to that above, around 2010. it’s still as lovely a flavour as when it was made. However, that’s our last bottle so have just picked a further 4lbs of black elderberries (Sambuca Nigrans) which are just being boiled as I write.
    I find it especially delicious with cold meats, or as a flavouring on top of roast venison or beef.
    BTW, I did once many years ago find a tree of white elderberries. Actually they were a pale green and made a respectable white table wine.
    I’ve eaten it many times & have never suffered any ill effects.

    Reply
  8. Avatar for dannydanny says

    August 6, 2017 at 12:46 pm

    surely your picture shows blueberries, not elderberries?
    rgds

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      August 6, 2017 at 1:45 pm

      Danny: Surely this picture is of elderberries, not blueberries. Sambucus mexicana, our native elderberry here in the West.

      Reply
  9. Avatar for Tina WardTina Ward says

    October 21, 2016 at 10:48 am

    JonD, I dry some of my elderberries, juice the rest. I then take some of the elderberry juice and reduce it to about 1/3 the original amt. you could do this with your juice. I would slowly cook down 1 – 2 cups juice down to 1/3-2/3 cup and add this instead of simmering the actual berries. You could start by adding half of the concentrate, finish adding the remains ingredients then taste, adding more concentrate until you are satisfied with the flavor. Another option would be to dehydrate the concentrate then grind to a powder in a coffee grinder.

    Reply
  10. Avatar for JonDJonD says

    August 17, 2016 at 8:24 am

    What’s the best way to modify starting with straight elderberry juice?
    I just steam-juiced 12 lbs of elderberries, and want to make Pontack!
    Thx

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      August 17, 2016 at 8:28 am

      Jon: No idea. Sorry.

      Reply
  11. Avatar for LizWLizW says

    August 7, 2016 at 6:26 am

    Is this a sauce you could thicken in some way?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      August 7, 2016 at 7:36 am

      LizW: Sure. Add a tiny bit of xanthan gum and buzz it in the blender.

      Reply
  12. Avatar for WendPWendP says

    June 5, 2016 at 4:24 pm

    Do you process the filled jars? or just close them up and put them on the shelf?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      June 6, 2016 at 8:19 am

      WendP: I just close them and put on the shelf.

      Reply
  13. Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

    December 16, 2015 at 1:16 pm

    Steve: Covered dish.

    Reply
  14. Avatar for Steve DaughheteeSteve Daughhetee says

    December 16, 2015 at 7:31 am

    Are you baking the berries and vinegar in a covered or uncovered dish? Is it supposed to reduce, or just steep in the oven? I could envision both (quite different) results.

    Reply
  15. Avatar for Christine GrayChristine Gray says

    October 24, 2015 at 6:13 am

    Just tried making this with dried elderberries. Smells of but I only got 3/4 litre. I wasn’t sure whether I should soak the elderberries first? Think maybe I should have.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      October 24, 2015 at 5:28 pm

      Christine: I’ve never done it with dried elderberries.

      Reply
  16. Avatar for Andrew DunningAndrew Dunning says

    September 29, 2014 at 1:09 pm

    This stuff is amazing. Substitute a good glug for red wine in any recipe. Do wear marigolds or similar though when making.. unless you want purple fingers!

    Reply
  17. Avatar for jeffjeff says

    September 23, 2014 at 11:51 am

    Tried your recipe. 6-8 hrs. at 250 degrees, incinerated in one hour, shouldn’t you change temperature setting to low oven?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      September 23, 2014 at 12:21 pm

      Um… did you cook this at 250 degrees CELSIUS? Christ, that’s 482 degrees!!! I will adjust the recipe to make that clear, but I am an American. We use Fahrenheit here. Sorry your batch got ruined.

      Reply
  18. Avatar for DianeDiane says

    August 22, 2013 at 8:25 am

    No sugar in the Pontack? The vinegar grabs my throat when I inhale the aroma.

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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