Honey-And-Spice Glaze

This glaze is built for roasted meats. Honey, fresh lemon juice and peel, crushed pickling spices, and salt cook together for just 5 minutes into a fragrant, sticky coating that caramelizes into a glossy, amber shell on ham, pork, or poultry.

Crushed pickling spice is a blend of whole spices (mustard seed, coriander, bay leaf, allspice, cloves, and peppercorns among others) that gives this glaze a complex, warm heat no single spice could match. Crushing them releases their oils and lets those flavors infuse into the honey quickly.

Stripping the lemon peel into thin strips and cooking them in the glaze adds a bitter citrus edge that keeps the honey from going one-dimensionally sweet.

Kitchen Tips

• Trim the white pith from the lemon peel before cutting it into strips. Pith adds bitterness that’s harsh, not pleasant.
• Crush the pickling spices in a mortar and pestle or in a bag with a rolling pin. You want them broken open, not powdered.
• Brush the glaze on during the last 20 to 30 minutes of roasting so the honey caramelizes without burning.
• This glaze works on anything from a holiday ham to grilled chicken thighs.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard for a sharper, more savory glaze.
• Use orange peel and juice instead of lemon for a sweeter, less tart version.
• Stir in a pinch of cayenne for a honey-spice glaze with gentle heat.