CALIFORNIA DRIED PLUM BOARD
Technical Bulletin
June 2007

Dried Plum Rubs, Marinades And Sauces
Achieve Deeper Flavor, Added Moisture,
Extended Shelf Life…NaturallyBackground
Consumer demand for more, bigger and bolder flavors has influenced chefs and foodprocessors, particularly meat purveyors, to seek out ingredient and technology solutions.
Emphasis on spices and herbs in the form of sauces, marinades, glazes and rubs havebeen the traditional method of flavor achievement. Cooking methods including slow
roasting, smoking, grilling, combination oven-steamers and other alternatives have also
made more recent and significant flavor contributions.
Marinades, sauces, glazes and rubs principally influence the flavor of the meat’s outersurface. Overnight marinating, including marinating in vacuum packaging improves themarinating process but can be time consuming, often requires an acid source to soften
meat tissues to absorb the marinade and may yield inconsistent flavor absorption called
hot spots or dead zones.
A marinade’s primary function is imparting flavor and modifying texture throughmoisture absorption. This hydration allows for a higher yield of marinated meat as well
as reduced purge in storage. Moisture loss is reduced during cooking resulting in juicier
and more flavorful meats.
Marinades may include some particulates that end up similar to a "rub" on the meat’s
surface. Maximizing the solubility of flavoring solutions is important in vacuum tumbled
meats. Usually, a combination of coarsely and finely ground spices is blended forexternal appearance and internal flavor enhancement.
Where ingredient and technology flavor solutions collaborate for deep flavor infusion isthe vacuum tumbler. The result of vacuum tumbling is a juicier product with a deeper
flavor achieved throughout the food because all of the marinade is absorbed in theprocess. Final weight yield can be improved by as much as 8-10% while shrink isreduced. Shelf life is also extended.
Vacuum tumbling really stands out when the technology is used with lesser value, toughproteins such as bottom rounds, skirt steaks, turkey thighs and with extra lean wholemuscle cuts. As much as 50% of broiler chicken meat will be marinated in some form
prior to consumption.

2These proteins become moist, flavorful and tender after only a few minutes in a vacuum
tumbler with added consumer value and improved palatability. The less expensive
proteins also present chefs and food processors with incremental profit opportunities dueto the added value achieved in deeper flavor and tenderness through vacuum tumbling.

Dried Plums Make A Natural Flavor Difference
Dried plum purees, juice concentrates and particularly powders are an effective addition
to scratch-made marinades, rubs and sauces or can be added to processed versions for anoticeable improvement in flavor, moisture and shelf life. Dried plums are naturally richin fiber and high in sorbitol (dried plum powder has as much as 25% sorbitol) to bind andmaintain moisture in red meat and poultry products (the addition of as little as 3% driedplums to the raw meat block can help to retain moisture). Dried plums' acidic profile,particularly malic acid, along with a high antioxidant content fend off the corrupting
effects of bacteria and oxygen.
The flavor of dried plums can be described as non-characterizing. That is, dried plums
do not impart a flavor but rather, enhance and round out other food flavors in a recipe orformulation. This makes dried plums the perfect ingredient for complete flavor systems
whether sweet or savory, sauces, marinades, or rubs. This is particularly important whendeveloping ethnic flavor systems with complex formulas and ingredients.
Some 71% of respondents in the 2007 Prepared Foods Magazine trends survey on new
flavoring systems indicated a greater emphasis on natural flavors by food processors.
However, concerns over natural flavor’s stability throughout a finished product’s shelf
life remain. Not only are dried plums a natural ingredient, the addition of dried plums tomarinade, rub and sauce formulas potentiates and rounds-out the natural flavors of herbs
and spices while improving the shelf life of proteins.
Flavor improvement and stability, however, are not the only benefits food designers canachieve when using dried plums. The natural ability of dried plums to bind and retain
moisture in proteins is impressive. This is true whether dried plums are added as part of amarinade formula, or rub or sauce. Related to moisture retention is the antioxidant
capacity of dried plums to assist in suppressing the growth of both normal flora andvarious meat pathogens. All of these dried plum natural components contribute toextending the shelf life of beef, pork, poultry, lamb and many other animal proteins.
With more sandwich proteins and prepared meals entering the retail and foodservice
markets pre-cooked and seasoned, the need for deeper flavors to both differentiate
proteins and increase demand has never been greater. Retaining these flavors andmoisture, particularly if the proteins are re-heated or held under heat, make the additionof dried plums all that more important.

3DRIED PLUM RUB & MARINADE RECIPES AND FORMULAS
Asian Plum Rub
Dried Plum Powder
2 ozStar Anise
1/2 ozSzechwan Peppercorn
1/2 ozCloves
1/4 ozKosher Salt
1 oz
Orange Zest
1/4 ozCinnamon1/4 ozFennel Seeds
1/4 ozDirections:
1. Place spices in a spice grinder or food processor and process until a fine powder isachieved.
2. Coat meat liberally with spice and keep under refrigeration for at least two hours.
3. Cook as desired.

BBQ Plum Rub
Dried Plum Powder
2 oz
Mesquite Seasoning (RL Schreiber)
9 oz
Seasoned Salt (RL Schreiber, Great Shake)
2 oz
Paprika, Sweet Smoked
1 oz
Pepper Seasoning (RL Schreiber)
4.5 ozDirections:
1. Place spices in a food processor and process until well combined
2. Coat meat liberally with spice and allow to sit under refrigeration for at least twohours.
3. Cook as desired.

4Plum Mesquite Marinade For Vacuum Tumbling
Ingredients• Use approximately 1 ounce of marinade per 1 pound of meat.
KC Masterpiece Mesquite Marinade
Water
Dried Plum Powder75%
21%
4%Procedures
1. Place dried plum powder and water in a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine.
Let rest for 5 minutes for plum powder to bloom and whisk again.
2. Add marinade to plum mixture and whisk to combine.
3. Place marinated and pork loin in tumbler.
4. Pull a 20 pound vacuum and tumble for 20 minutes.
5. Remove pork loins from tumbler and marinade, vacuum package or reserve forroasting.

Asian Plum Marinade For Vacuum Tumbling
Ingredients• Use approximately 1 ounce of marinade per 1 pound of meat.
KC Masterpiece Honey Teriyaki Marinade
Water
Dried Plum Powder

75%
21%
4%

Procedures
1. Place dried plum powder and water in a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine.
Let rest for 5 minutes for plum powder to bloom and whisk again.
2. Add marinade to plum mixture and whisk to combine.
3. Place marinate and pork loin in tumbler.
4. Pull a 20 pound vacuum and tumble for 20 minutes.
5. Remove pork loins from tumbler and marinade, vacuum package or reserve forroasting.
Roasting Procedures
1. Remove excess marinade from pork loin.
2. Rub liberally with Asian Plum Rub.
3. Place pork loin on a rack set above a sheet tray and roast in a preheated 275ºF
conventional oven until the internal temperature reaches 150 ºF.
Let rest for 15 minutes before service.

5DRIED PLUM SAUCE RECIPES AND FORMULAS
Plum Barbecue Sauce For Beef
Ingredients
Dried Plum Puree
Brown Sugar Packed
Onions, Finely Minced (Half As Much
Dehydrated Onion May Be Substituted)
Apple Juice
Tomato Paste
Worcestershire Sauce
White Vinegar
Garlic, Finely Chopped (Half as much
Dehydrated Garlic May Be Substituted)
Chili Powder
Mustard Powder
Liquid Smoke Flavor (Optional)
Total% by Weight
25.93
16.53
12.97
12.97
12.97
6.48
6.48
1.62
1.62
1.62
0.81
100.00

Procedure
1. In a steam jacket kettle or sauce pot add 1/2 of the apple juice, onions and garlic, sweat
until tender.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well, continue cooking until it reaches a boil.
3. Remove and cool.

Plum Barbecue Sauce For Poultry
Ingredients
Fresh Plum Juice Concentrate
Tomato Ketchup
Orange Juice Concentrate
Worcestershire Sauce
White Wine Vinegar
Tamarind Paste
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Anchovy Paste
CinnamonYield: One quart

Volume12 oz.
12 oz.
4 oz.
4 oz.
4 oz.
1 oz.
1/2 T
1/2 T
1/2 T
1/4 t

Procedure:
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pot, bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Refrigerateand serve6Plum Steak Sauce
Ingredients
Dried Plum (prune) Juice Concentrate
Tomato Ketchup
Orange Juice Concentrate
Worcestershire Sauce
White Wine Vinegar
Tamarind Paste
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Anchovy Paste
CinnamonYield: One quart

Volume12 oz.
12 oz.
4 oz.
4 oz.
4 oz.
1 oz.
1/2 T1/2 T
1/2 T
1/4 t

Procedure:
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pot, bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Refrigerateand serve.

Asian Plum Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
Fresh plum juice concentrate
Water
Sugar
KetchupRice Vinegar
Chili Paste
Yield: One quart

Volume12 oz.
12 oz.
3 oz.
3 oz.
1 1/2 oz
To taste

ProcedureMix all ingredients and simmer for about 8 minutes
If desired, add chopped peanuts
For further information contact:
California Dried Plum Board
www.cdpb.org