Any tips for making a glaze?

[austin87]

Looking mostly for ratios. I always make way too much glaze. It doesn't take more than 1/4 to glaze salmon for two people (I'll post pics from our anniversary dinner later in Recipes) and I always end up with a pot full. I start with liquid, knowing it will reduce, but either 1) it doesn't reduce as much as I think it will or 2) I get impatient because I didn't start it early enough, so it didn't reduce enough. Then I end up adding a ton of sugar to get it the correct thickness of a "glaze" and not a "sauce".

Does anyone have a good method to start with a known quantity of liquid and sugar and end up with a lesser known quantity of proper thickness glaze?

[mrbill]

known quantities, no. sorry, I don't measure anything. for my glazes, I start of with more sugar/honey than I think i'll need then add the flavors. if it's reducing too fast, i'll lower the heat some and cover(so the condensation from the lid drips back down into the glaze and keep it from thickening too fast). if it's not reducing fast enough, I crank up the heat and add more sugar/honey. when doing a glaze, frequent stirring is a must. it keeps the heavier sugar from settling to the bottom(and burning). if you're adding the glaze post cook, make sure you take it off a few minutes before it's too thick(cooling will thicken it up very quickly). if you're adding the glaze during the cook, make it a hair thinner than you want it to be and coat the meat 3-4 times during the last 15-20min of the cook. that will allow the layers to set up without burning the sugars and gives you a "jus" you can drizzle over the meat just prior to serving.

[1buckie]

known quantities, no. sorry, I don't measure anything. for my glazes, I start of with more sugar/honey than I think i'll need then add the flavors. if it's reducing too fast, i'll lower the heat some and cover(so the condensation from the lid drips back down into the glaze and keep it from thickening too fast). if it's not reducing fast enough, I crank up the heat and add more sugar/honey. when doing a glaze, frequent stirring is a must. it keeps the heavier sugar from settling to the bottom(and burning). if you're adding the glaze post cook, make sure you take it off a few minutes before it's too thick(cooling will thicken it up very quickly). if you're adding the glaze during the cook, make it a hair thinner than you want it to be and coat the meat 3-4 times during the last 15-20min of the cook. that will allow the layers to set up without burning the sugars and gives you a "jus" you can drizzle over the meat just prior to serving.

That's a great rundown, right there !!!

Thanks !!!!

[addicted-to-smoke]

Hmm, I've done a few maple glaze salmons. And a couple have been incredible. Usually for 4 of us, so not a ton of meat, right? I just use a tiny mixing bowl, a few tablespoons of the syrup + whatever else, stir and GO. I don't reduce anything on the stove; I'm too lazy for such sophistication unless following a recipe.

But don't go by me. My salmons likely aren't a true glaze, just a sticky maple sauce sorta. By the time it's cooked, it's all good. Maple is already sweet; don't know that i've ever added sugar to it?

I'm reminded of the problems with using BBQ sauce, or of adding soda to liquor: go easy, or you'll obscure the main event!

[swamprb]

add pepper jelly, guava jelly etc. for some sheen

[austin87]

Good stuff. I like @mrbill recommendation to start with sugar and then add liquid, that should help. I'm not much of a measurer either, so it's a learning process (and sometimes I just don't learn!)

[pbe gummi bear]

@austin87, have some room temp or cold spoons ready for when the glaze starts to reduce to where you want to start checking it. At that point cut the heat, and place some glaze into the spoon. Continue to reduce it until the glaze cools down to a consistency you want.

This is how people test for jam thickness.

[Troy]

@austin87, have some room temp or cold spoons ready for when the glaze starts to reduce to where you want to start checking it. At that point cut the heat, and place some glaze into the spoon. Continue to reduce it until the glaze cools down to a consistency you want.

This is how people test for jam thickness.

That's brilliant.