Princess Pamela’s Sauce Beautiful

Name: Princess Pamela’s Sauce Beautiful
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 1 cup
Cuisine: southern
Ingredients: 8 tablespoons peach preserves; 1 lemon, juiced (about 1/4 cup); 3 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 tablespoon vegetable or other neutral-tasting oil; 1 tablespoon vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; Salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce, to taste

Recipe from Pamela Strobel

Adapted by Korsha Wilson

Updated Feb. 27, 2025

Princess Pamela’s Sauce Beautiful — Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 4(108)
Comments: Read comments

Summery, tart and slightly sweet, this sauce ingeniously uses peach preserves to make a perfect pairing for pork chops. It also works as a tart dressing for a kale or chicory salad, highlighting the fruit at its peak while also adding richness thanks to butter and oil. In the mid-60s, Pamela Strobel served this condiment, her signature sauce, alongside dishes like fried chicken, black eyed peas and smothered pork chops at her restaurant, Little Kitchen. Princess Pamela, a moniker given to Ms. Strobel when she asked a printer what the name of her business should be, wore the title well: She ruled over her minuscule soul food spot underneath her apartment in New York City’s East Village, deciding who was let in (and who was kicked out). —Korsha Wilson

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Ingredients

Yield:1 cup

8tablespoons peach preserves
1lemon, juiced (about ¼ cup)
3tablespoons brown sugar
1tablespoon butter
1tablespoon vegetable or other neutral-tasting oil
1tablespoon vinegar
½teaspoon paprika
Salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce, to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a small saucepan, combine preserves, lemon juice, sugar, butter, oil, vinegar, paprika and ½ cup water and stir to combine. Cook on medium until thickened, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.

Ratings

4 out of 5

108 user ratings

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Comments

Anne P.3 months ago

I lived in the Lower East Side in the 1980s and 1990s and once stumbled into Princess Pamela's restaurant "Princess Pamela's Southern Touch Cuisine"on East Houston with a friend one weeknight. She looked us over and sat us down. She yelled over to her cook (can't remember her name - maybe Euphrenia .. something) "what are we cooking tonight?" Following came honestly one the best meals I have ever eaten. We asked if she had any liquor and she pulled out a jug of wine, and said don't tell.

SA3 months ago

Because people are more likely to fit a tablespoon measure into a jam jar than they are to pour jam out into a liquid measuring cup?

JYW3 months ago

Why would you call for 8 tablespoons in a recipe rather than 1/2 cup??

Mom244 weeks ago

Delicious. I used a jar of homemade peach preserves and sherry vinegar. We all enjoyed over brined, grilled pork chops. Very pleased and I will definitely make again.

Leslie Parker2 months ago

I made this with apricot jam and served it with pork tenderloin. So delicious

Robin2 months ago

This was watery and never thickened despite boiling a very long time. I used Bon Maman peach preserves. I’m thinking the jam used in the original recipe was a thicker preserve. Maybe Smuckers?

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