Grand Marnier Glaze

Sweet glazes work well on salty foods like hams, and they are popular in the South, where everyone has a recipe for a glaze made from Coca-Cola. Although this recipe uses only a small amount of the regal orange liqueur, its taste shines through. I especially like this glaze on cured ham, grilled turkey breast, and, of course, duck à l’orange.

Makes a generous 2 cups

Takes 45 minutes

• 1½ cups fresh orange juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur (see Note)
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup orange marmalade
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes, then pass the sauce through a strainer. Return the strained mixture to the saucepan and bring to a very low boil. Cook until the sauce has reduced by about one third. Paint it on ham and other meats at the end of the cook.

Note: If your budget is tight, you can use another orange liqueur such as Cointreau or triple sec.