Honey browns and burns faster than sugar, so a good honey glaze is mostly about timing. Cook the carrots or chicken most of the way first, then brush the glaze on for the last few minutes. That way it turns glossy and sticky without going bitter.
The glaze itself takes about two minutes on the stove and uses eight pantry ingredients. We make it with raw knotweed honey. It's darker and earthier than most honey, so it holds up next to soy sauce and garlic. You can also use any raw honey you have on hand.
YIELD: Just under 1/2 cup, enough to glaze 1 lb of carrots
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons raw knotweed honey (or any raw honey)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon neutral oil or olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
DIRECTIONS
Whisk the cornstarch and cold water in a small cup until smooth. Set it aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the honey, soy sauce, oil, vinegar, garlic, and pepper. Warm over low heat, stirring often. Don't let it boil, because the honey can scorch.
The cornstarch settles fast, so stir the slurry again. Then slowly whisk it into the warm honey mixture. Cook gently for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the glaze thickens enough to coat a spoon. Take it off the heat. It thickens a little more as it cools.
For roasted carrots: Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss 1 lb of carrots with a little oil and roast until nearly tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Toss them with the glaze and roast another 3 to 5 minutes. Watch closely at this stage so the honey doesn't burn.
For chicken: Roast, bake, or pan-cook the chicken until it's nearly done. Brush on the glaze during the final 5 to 8 minutes, then turn the pieces or brush again for an even coat. Cook until the thickest part reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. If the glaze goes on too early, the honey can burn before the chicken is cooked through.
Why knotweed honey
Knotweed is in the buckwheat family. Its honey is a deep reddish-brown, darker than most honeys and lighter than buckwheat honey, with an earthy, caramel flavor. That depth is what makes it work in a savory glaze with soy sauce and garlic.
Knotweed's white blossoms are also an important late-season food source for bumblebees and monarch butterflies, along with honey bees.
Wildflower honey works too. The glaze will taste sweeter and milder.
Other ways to use it
Salmon. Brush the glaze on for the last few minutes of baking or broiling. Cook to 145°F.
Pork chops. Same timing as the chicken. Cook to 145°F and let them rest 3 minutes before cutting.
Other roasted vegetables. Sweet potatoes, parsnips, and Brussels sprouts work the same way as the carrots: roast until nearly tender, then glaze and finish.
Tips
Keep the heat low the whole time. Scorched honey tastes bitter, and you can't fix it once it does.
Mince the garlic fine. It only cooks for a couple of minutes, so large pieces stay sharp.
Line the sheet pan. Glaze that drips onto a bare pan burns fast. Foil or parchment makes cleanup easier.
Storage
The glaze has fresh garlic in oil, so keep it in the fridge in a covered jar and use it within 4 days. That's the limit Oregon State University Extension gives for homemade garlic-in-oil mixtures. It firms up when cold. Rewarm it gently over low heat before using.
Questions
Can I use crystallized honey?
Yes. It melts smooth over low heat in the saucepan.
Is this honey glaze gluten-free?
Our honey is gluten-free, but most soy sauce is brewed with wheat. Use a tamari labeled gluten-free instead.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, up to 4 days ahead. Keep it in the fridge and rewarm it gently.
Why did my glaze burn?
Either it went on too early or the heat was too high. Brush it on only in the last few minutes of cooking.
