Pomegranate Molasses Glaze

Name: Pomegranate Molasses Glaze
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: ½ cup (170 g) pomegranate molasses, stirred if separated; 2 tablespoons (42 g) honey; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, peeled and finely grated to a paste; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; ¼ cup (60 ml) water, cool; 1 tablespoon (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine sea salt; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A glossy, sweet-tart Middle Eastern glaze made by gently reducing pomegranate molasses with honey, garlic and lemon until it coats a spoon. Brush it on roasted chicken, lamb, salmon, eggplant or carrots in the last minutes of cooking.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 8 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 23 min
Makes: About ¾ cup (180 ml) glaze, enough for 6 servings of meat, fish or vegetables

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Steps

Before you start

Use 100% pure pomegranate molasses (ingredient list: pomegranate juice only). Brands with added sugar are sweeter, so taste before adding all the honey.
Choose a small, heavy saucepan of about 1½ quarts (1.4 L). A wide, thin pan reduces too fast and can scorch.
Have a heatproof jar or bowl ready for the finished glaze.
The glaze thickens a lot as it cools, so judge thickness with the spoon test in step 5, not by how it looks bubbling in the pan.

1
Sauté the garlic
- Set the saucepan over medium-low heat and add the olive oil.
- When it shimmers, add the grated garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Garlic smells fragrant and looks pale and foamy, with no browning.
Tip: Browned garlic turns bitter in a glaze this short. Lift the pan off the heat if it sizzles hard.
2
Add the liquids
- Pour in the water, pomegranate molasses, honey, lemon juice and salt.
- Whisk or stir until the molasses and honey fully dissolve and the mixture looks uniform.
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Ready when: No streaks of honey or molasses remain on the bottom of the pan.
3
Bring to a bare simmer
- Raise the heat to medium and bring the mixture just to a gentle simmer, with small bubbles around the edge.
- Then lower the heat to medium-low so it keeps a steady, lazy bubble.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break steadily at the edges, with no rapid boiling.
Tip: Do not boil hard. High heat caramelizes the sugars too fast and makes the glaze taste burnt.
4
Reduce the glaze
- Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every minute or so and scraping the bottom and sides.
- The bubbles will get larger and slower, and the volume will drop to about ¾ cup (180 ml).
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Ready when: Glaze coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn through it leaves a clear line for 2 seconds.
Tip: Pull it off the heat slightly early. It continues to thicken as it cools.
5
Taste and adjust
- Remove from the heat.
- Taste a small drop (careful, it is hot).
- Add black pepper if using.
- If it is too tart, stir in 1 teaspoon more honey, and if it is too sweet, add a few drops more lemon juice.
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Ready when: Flavor is balanced: tangy, lightly sweet, with a savory garlic note.
6
Cool and thicken
- Pour the glaze into a heatproof jar or bowl and let it stand for 10 minutes.
- It will thicken to the consistency of warm maple syrup, ideal for brushing.
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Ready when: Glaze falls from a spoon in a slow, thick ribbon.
Tip: If it gets too thick, stir in 1 teaspoon of warm water at a time. If too thin, simmer 1 to 2 more minutes.
7
Brush on your food
- Brush the glaze over chicken, lamb, salmon or vegetables during the last 5 to 10 minutes of roasting or grilling.
- Brush a second coat a few minutes later, and serve any remaining glaze on the side.
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Ready when: Surface looks lacquered and deep mahogany, with sticky bubbling edges.
Tip: Glaze applied too early burns because of its sugar. Add it only near the end of cooking.

Good to know

Tips

Stir often near the end. The sugars can scorch quickly once the glaze is thick.
Brush in two thin coats rather than one thick coat for even color and less burning.
Add a pinch of Aleppo pepper, ground cumin or a sprig of thyme for variations.
Always taste before using. Pomegranate molasses brands vary greatly in tartness and sweetness.

Make ahead

Make the glaze up to 2 weeks ahead and keep it in the fridge. Warm it gently for 30 seconds in the microwave or a small pan before brushing.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: up to 2 weeks in a sealed jar. Freezer: up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Reheat in 15-second microwave bursts or in a small pan over low heat, adding a teaspoon of water if thick.

Substitutions

honey → maple syrup or date syrup. Same amount. Date syrup gives a deeper, darker flavor.
fresh lemon juice → lime juice or red wine vinegar. Use the same amount. Vinegar is sharper, so start with 2 teaspoons.
extra-virgin olive oil → unsalted butter. Gives a richer, rounder glaze. Melt it over medium-low heat before adding the garlic.
pomegranate molasses → 1 cup pomegranate juice simmered until reduced to ½ cup. Takes about 20 more minutes, and the flavor is milder and less tangy.