Glazing meat is no easy feat. Here are 6 tips that'll help you out

When you can master glazing meats, you know that you are a true culinary master. Glazing meats can be done with a number of different ingredients including jams and jellies, wine, and even crushed pineapple, as is the case with so many hams that work as the centerpiece of holiday tables.

But any of these glazes can quickly go wrong. And instead of ending up with a shiny delicious glaze, you could end up with something that doesn't have the taste you're looking for, or that has burnt to a sticky goo that can't even be spread over meat. There are a few reasons why glazes can go wrong and once you know what those are, you can avoid them and forever be able to prove your culinary mastery by glazing meats to perfection every time.

1. Pair your glaze well with your meat

Glazes can be sweet, spicy, savory, or a mixture of all three. Truthfully, there really is no one type of glaze that should be paired with any one type of meat as beef, pork, chicken, and fish will all go very well with these flavors. But you still need to think about the type of meat you're going to be glazing.

Typically large, chunky pieces of meat will do best with a glaze. So thin strips of chicken, beef stewing chunks, and any other meats that have been drastically cut down are typically not ideal for glazing. This is because not only can these individual pieces be difficult to evenly glaze, but the glaze will also overpower the flavor of the meat, and you likely won't be able to taste it at all. So when glazing meat, think whole. Chicken breasts, fish fillets, large roasts, and whole hams are all perfectly good choices for glazes.

2. Know when to add the glaze

This one can get tricky because there really is no general rule of thumb that can be followed. Knowing when to add the glaze depends on what type of glaze you are using. If the glaze has a high sugar content, such as those that include ketchup, marmalade or jams, or even straight sugar, the glaze should be added right at the end of cooking time otherwise it will just burn the meat. If the glaze is a little more savory and doesn't include a lot of sugar, using the glaze to baste the meat throughout cooking time can be a big help and actually infuse it with flavor. Either way, glazes should never be added until the meat is cooked at least halfway through.

3. Add pan drippings

This is particularly good advice when you're glazing a piece of meat that has been slowly simmered, such as a lamb shank. Of course, any glaze should complement the flavors of the meat you're adding it to, and using pan drippings can be a great way to make these flavors work together even more. You may need to take the meat off the heat when adding the glaze anyway, particularly if it's a roast or other meat that's been cooking away in the oven. When you do, remove the meat from the pan and simply tilt that pan into the glaze to add the pan drippings. If there are browned bits on the bottom of the pan, use a wooden spoon to scrape them up and add them, too. These bits, along with the pan juices or drippings, will bring the meat and the glaze together and allow the flavors to complement each other.

4. Brush it on

There is really only one way glazes should be applied, and that's by using a pastry or silicone brush to brush the glaze onto the meat. While it can be tempting to just pour the glaze on, this may not entirely coat the piece of meat, leaving some of it lacking in the flavor you're looking for. Just dip the brush into the glaze, brush it onto the meat and then dip the brush again and repeat until all of the meat has been fully covered with glaze.

5. Use butter for sheen when using stock or wine

Butter is good for so many things. Not only does it add delicious flavor, but it can also thicken up sauces and glazes and give glazes a really nice sheen. If you're using something like fruit or jelly, you likely won't need to add butter because the sugars in the glaze will naturally bring out that sheen for you. But if you're using stock or wine, you can turn that thin sauce into a glaze just by adding a pat or two of butter.

Use cold butter, cut it up into small pieces and add each piece one at a time. Fully whisk it into the glaze over a low heat before adding another piece of butter and repeating the process. Stop adding butter when the glaze has thickened to your desired consistency and has the sheen you're looking for.

6. Use minimal amounts on meat and serve the rest on the side

It can be hard to judge the different tastes around the table, particularly if you're cooking for people you don't normally. Some people like their meat sitting in a pool of glaze while others like just a light coating. To make sure that everyone gets their glazed meat exactly how they like it, use only a light coating when glazing the meat during cook time, then serve any remaining glaze on the side at the table, just as you would a gravy.

It's important to remember that if you've added the glaze before the meat was fully cooked, you need to boil the glaze for at least two minutes before serving. This will cook out any bacteria that could have transferred to the glaze during the cook time and will keep things healthy at the table.